'Tories are complicit in trophy hunting - now it must be confined to history'

27 September 2023 , 16:15

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The Mirror is campaigning for trophy hunting to be banned (Image: Copyright unknown)

The Conservative Government is complicit in trophy hunting - it’s time this horrific practise is confined to history.

Hunting endangered animals is barbaric and must be confined to history. Yet this Conservative government has failed on yet another manifesto commitment - to ban the horrific practice of imports from trophy hunting.

Despite four fifths of the population backing a ban, Tory peers made the cruel decision to block a crucial vote that would end the import of animals killed in this blood sport for good. The UK is now in danger of being left behind as holders of the wooden spoon prize for animal welfare progress.

Shadow Environment Secretary Steve Reed said the Tories are 'complicit' in trophy hunting

Over the past two decades thousands of trophy hunting goods from endangered and threatened species have been imported to the UK including from elephants, lions, bears and hippos. Trophy hunting harms conservation by speeding up the population decline of many imperilled species.

The suffering caused by trophy hunters is deplorable. Often inexperienced and sometimes with no requirement to hold a gun or hunting licence, trophy hunters overseas enter competitions that reward the use of inhumane weapons, such as the crossbow used to kill Cecil the lion.

Fears over Brexit 'backdoor' for trophy hunters to bring home sick souvenirs

Seeking to avoid damage to prime ’trophy’ display body parts, such as the head, there are heart-breaking accounts of animals ineptly shot multiple times. The question is – will the Government bow to the blood sport faction of its own backbenches, or can they find the backbone to end this barbaric practice?

This tired Conservative Government must stop siding with killers. If they are too weak to pass this legislation into law, they will be complicit in the slaughter of thousands of innocent animals as they break a pre-election promise to the British people. That is why if they fail to act, the next Labour government will do the right thing and ban the import of ‘trophies’ taken from the body parts of slaughtered wild animals from threatened species once and for all.

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Shadow Minister for Animal Welfare