Anger as trophy hunting law change at risk of being scrapped by peers

18 August 2023 , 14:47

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Campaigners have voiced their anger over fears trophy hunting laws could be scuppered (Image: AFP/Getty Images)

A long-awaited ban on trophy hunting could be derailed as it faces a race against time, with a peer saying it now has a "less than 10%" chance of passing.

The Hunting Trophies Bill, backed by The Mirror, needs to be passed before the King's Speech on November 7, or it will be scrapped and MPs will have to start again. But campaigners claimed "pro-hunting" peers are doing their best to wreck the Bill in the House of Lords.

The legislation would see trophies from endangered species barred from being brought back into the UK - a move conservationists believe will dent the cruel trade. Tory peer Lord Mancroft - who opposes the Bill - said changes had been put forward to "clean up" a "badly drafted" piece of legislation.

He said it has a "less than 10%" chance of passing on time. But Conservative MP Henry Smith, who put it forward in the first place, accused peers of "wrecking" the legislation.

The Mirror has been campaigning for a trophy hunting ban for years (Daily Mirror)

International wildlife charity Born Free said: “Opponents of the Bill have tabled amendments which, if adopted, would severely weaken the Bill. It is therefore vital that we do all we can to urge the Government to support the passage of the Bill in its current form and ensure it can pass into law in the current parliamentary session.”

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Environment Secretary Therese Coffey said the Government will not support any further amendments to the Bill, and said ministers will be pushing to get it on the statute books by November. Ms Coffey, in a letter to the Humane Society International UK sent on Thursday, wrote: "It is a manifesto commitment to ban the import of hunting trophies from endangered animals and we are working hard to deliver. The Bill passed the Commons in March, with the Government's support, and we will do all we can to support its progress through the House of Lords..."

And she continued: "I can confirm that we will not be supporting any further amendments to the Bill. I expect committee stage to progress next month." Claire Bass, senior director of campaigns and public affairs at Humane Society International/UK, said: "There is a small and vocal group of pro-hunting peers doing their best to wreck this Bill, but we need the Government to remain focused on the almost 90% of the public who want this ban on the import of hunting trophies.

"The timing for this Bill is indeed extremely tight but we were encouraged to receive a letter from Environment Secretary Therese Coffey yesterday."

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Dave Burke