Campaigners demanding a ban on bringing hunting trophies to Britain today welcomed the latest attempt to change the law .
The Government has spent years promising to block hunters coming home with their sick souvenirs, but refuses to say when it will introduce legislation.
The long-promised ban on hunters bringing animal skins, severed heads and carcasses back to Britain after shoots abroad was again missing from the Government’s planned legislation announced in last month’s Queen’s Speech - despite ongoing Tory promises to stop the sick trade.
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Now, Conservative MP Henry Smith has formally presented to Parliament his Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill which would finally stop the vile practice.
He said: “We have to do everything we can to support conservation and to put a stop to these horrendous activities; they are unnecessary, cruel and only make matters worse.
“Trophy hunting is frankly barbaric, it is something the British public rightly finds repugnant.
“This Bill is supported by the Government and opposition MPs alike.
“It shows Britain living up to its image of a nation of animal lovers and as a country that takes animal welfare and protecting wildlife seriously.”
Welcoming the bid, Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting founder Eduardo Gonçalves said: “This Bill enjoys the strong support of wildlife and animal welfare groups.
“I urge MPs and peers on all sides to give it their backing.
“It would implement the strongest ban on trophies by any country in the world.
“It sends a strong signal that it is finally time to bring this terrible colonial relic to a close.
“Killing animals simply for sport, selfies and souvenirs is just plain wrong and belongs in the dustbin of history.”
Boris Johnson was blasted last month for again failing to outline plans to ban trophy hunting imports in the Queen’s Speech.
Buried on page 127 of the Queen’s Speech pack was a section saying: “We are … committed to legislation to ban the import of hunting trophies from thousands of species.”
But there was no indication of a timetable.
The Environment Department said last December that measures “will be included in future legislation aimed at raising welfare standards and protections for animals abroad”.
It added then: “Further details of this will be forthcoming soon.”
Environment Secretary George Eustice said at the time: “More animal species are now threatened with extinction than ever before in human history and we are appalled at the thought of hunters bringing back trophies and placing more pressure on some of our most iconic and endangered animals.
“This would be one of the toughest bans in the world, and goes beyond our manifesto commitment, meaning we will be leading the way in protecting endangered animals and helping to strengthen and support long-term conservation.”
