The National Vegetarian Society has revealed Paul McCartney topped a recent poll for the UK's favorite veggie.

The poll was conducted during the 2006 National Vegetarian Week, with Morrissey coming a close second. Paul's daughter, Stella, was named as the most popular female vegetarian celebrity.

Paul commented, "I am really thrilled. People are becoming more aware of what they eat and where it comes from but many still don't make the connection between their own actions and the suffering and death of a real living creature."

"Once you truly understand the consequences of buying and eating meat, you can't claim to care without going vegetarian."

Other nominations included Joanna Lumley, Fiona Phillips, Martin Shaw and Tobey McGuire.

Excerpts from a 2006 interview with Paul McCartney by PETA Vice President Dan Mathews:
To see the entire article, go to: We Will Win!

Dan: Much of what we do is geared to kids, who have a great sense of justice. This is the first generation where kids have grown up with this issue. Twenty-five years ago, parents were petrified when their kids went vegetarian—some still are. You have raised some fantastic vegetarian kids; what would you say to anyone who is worried about their kids going vegetarian or vegan?

Paul: I think you just have to read up on it if you’re worried, because the facts are there. Unlike 25 years ago, there is a lot of medical opinion that supports it. I would say quite conclusively that the facts are in favor of vegetarianism. We always say, for cruelty to animals, vegetarianism is the great thing to get rid of that. For the planet, to prevent depleting the water and the land and everything, it’s a great idea. And I think it’s a great thing for your health, and doctors nowadays agree with that. There are plenty of great books and organizations, so no matter where you are, there is someone to help you. That’s your first step, and I think your second step is just look in the supermarket for good vegetarian food, and I think it’s so much more readily available now. I think that’s what puts a lot of people off, thinking they have to change their whole habits, whereas we don’t—we just substitute. So there’s this huge range of great products for Christmas dinner or Sunday roast, then there’s your roast potatoes and all the great stuff that comes with it. It’s very easy to do. Anyone that’s worried about it should get the facts, look into it, and go do it.

Dan: There is some exciting news: The last Pope was the first to say that animals have souls, and now Pope Benedict has come out against factory farming, saying it makes a mockery of God’s creatures. As someone who was raised a Catholic, do you have a message for him?

Paul: God bless him! I think it would be fantastic if someone in his position who’s able to reach so many people took a strong stance on that, because one of PETA’s strongest points, and one of mine, is compassion. That certainly is a basic tenet of the Catholic religion. I think it would be terrific if he took a strong stance and urged people to come out against that kind of thing.

Dan: Animal rights people often feel as if we’re up against overwhelming odds and that there’s so much to address, you know?

Paul: Remember all the things in the past that seemed insurmountable. Remember Gandhi in India. It seemed like he could never do it—one man in a loin cloth taking on the might of the British Empire—impossible. But he did it. He won. The abolition of slavery, that looked like it would never happen. Civil rights looked like it would never arrive, but it did. South Africa’s apartheid looked like it would never end. Mandela being head of a nation like South Africa, which was so white and prejudiced—it would have been unbelievable when I went to school. All of us get a little worn down by it, but the truth is, we are winning. We will win in the same way that people now do have civil rights. We are learning to understand these issues.

For More Information...

PETA Interview - We Will Win!

Go Veggie with Paul McCartney and Viva!

BeatlesStory.com