The spectre of Cecil the lion, who died in 2015 after a US dentist paid £35,000 to shoot him with a crossbow, haunted the Commons as MPs passed the ban on hunting imports.
Cecil’s killing in Zimbabwe led to the Mirror’s campaign for a ban on trophy hunting. As the bill went through, environment minister Trudy Harrison was close to tears as she told MPs: “Dare I say that Cecil the lion has not died in vain.
“We are sending a strong message to the rest of the world that in this country, where we can, we are demonstrating our support for endangered species. We do not accept their body parts being used as so-called trophies to be brought back into this country.”
The Mirror’s campaign for the ban was supported by stars such as Ricky Gervais, Eddie the Eagle, Peter Egan, Vicki Michelle, Ranulph Fiennes and Chris Packham. Last night, Ricky said: “I’m thrilled and relieved. Well done to everyone involved and thank you to the Mirror for their wonderful support.”
A pledge to introduce the ban was included in the Tory election manifesto in 2019, but it faced repeated hurdles.
But yesterday the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill received an unopposed third reading and will go to the Lords before it becomes law.
Eduardo Goncalves, who set up the Ban Trophy Hunting campaign, hailed a “huge victory”, saying “voiceless animals got a hearing today”.
He said: “I want to thank the Mirror for its amazing support and all those brilliant Mirror readers who have been lobbying their MPs, making sure the hunting industry doesn’t get its way and helping protect lions, elephants, and other animals that sick British trophy hunters kill for kicks.”
Sir Ranulph Fiennes said: “Today is a historic moment both for Britain and our wildlife around the world. The success of the campaign to ban trophy hunting imports to the UK will have a positive effect on persecuted animals.”
Wildlife campaigner Chris Packham said: “Trophy hunting will quite rightly come to an end. It’s a grotesque anachronistic waste of beautiful life to start with.”
Downton Abbey star Peter Egan said he was “thrilled”. He said: “I don’t understand how any human being can so violently murder an innocent animal.
“It’s just wonderful to get such good news about such a despicable, horrible hobby of psychopaths.”
Tory MP Henry Smith, who tabled the bill, said: “This is an issue that has nothing to do with party politics – it has everything to do with basic British values of decency, fairness, and respect for our natural world. I am proud to say that today we rightfully stood up for voiceless animals.”
The Government accepted two amendments aimed at establishing an advisory board on hunting trophies, and at limiting the power of the Secretary of State to add new species to the list the ban applies to.
MPs also approved a separate bill banning UK travel companies from selling cruel animal activities, such as elephant riding, abroad.
Tory MP Angela Richardson’s Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill received an unopposed third reading. She told the Commons: “The scale of animal cruelty in wildlife tourism cannot be underestimated.”
She said a report by World Animal Protection from 2016 had found three out of four wildlife tourist attractions involved some form of animal abuse or conservation concerns.
Ms Richardson said it had found up to 550,000 animals were suffering in these venues. She said: “This is an issue that we need to act upon.”
