All-Party Parliamentary Group on Banning Trophy Hunting

🦁❤️ Cecil the Lion's Legacy Lives On!

The UK's environment minister, Trudy Harrison, declared that Cecil's tragic death in 2015 was not in vain.

On Friday, March 17th 2023, we celebrate a monumental victory in our fight against trophy hunting. The UK has taken a significant step by passing Henry Smith MP's Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill in the Commons.

This is an emotional milestone for all of us who have been tirelessly advocating for the protection of these magnificent creatures.

Join me in spreading the word and honouring Cecil's memory by reading this inspiring article and joining the conversation.

Let's work together to secure a brighter future for these majestic animals. 🦁🚫🌍🐘🦏🦒

Read the full article here: → https://1l.ink/N82TNNH

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‘Cecil didn’t die in vain’: Emotions rise as Trophy Hunting Bill passes Environment minister hails ‘emotional day’ as Tory MP says proposal to ban trade in endangered species’ body parts represents British values

We are pleased that, at Second Reading of the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill, the government pledged to extend its proposed ban on hunting trophies to Reindeer. Scenes like this should never be seen at Christmas - or any other time of year.

Legendary conservationist Dr Jane Goodall spoke at a recent parliamentary event in support of the trophy hunting bill going through parliament. She left a stark warning about the extinction emergency.

Next generation faces 'bleak future' without action, warns Dr Jane Goodall | ITV News Dr Jane Goodall has spent a lifetime trying to understand and protect the natural world. She says there's still time to save the ecosystem if we act now. | ITV National News

BREAKING NEWS

Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey has announced the government’s official support for the bill to ban hunting trophies due to be debated in parliament this morning:

“The public has voiced their concern at the thought of hunters bringing back trophies. That is why the Government made a manifesto commitment to ban this and has supported Henry Smith’s Bill. The ban will be one of the toughest in the world, cracking down on imports of horns, furs, tusks and other features of animals.”

Henry Smith MP to lead debate on Bill to ban trophy hunting imports Henry Smith MP is to lead the second reading of his Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill in the House of Commons.

The bill to imports is due to be debated in Parliament in a few minutes time.

The Government has announced that it SUPPORTS the bill. It is also backed by the Opposition and MPs of all parties.

Henry Smith MP, who is introducing the bill, writes in Politics Home today about why he is spearheading it.

We must end hunting trophy imports for good In recent years thousands of trophy body parts from protected species have been imported to the United Kingdom.

Why I am bringing the Trophy Hunting Bill to Parliament

By Henry Smith MP (Conservative, Crawley)

One of the many areas of policy about which Conservatives can rightly be proud is our record on animal welfare and conservation.

The Ivory Act is recognised as world-leading. Animal charities lauded our Animal Sentience Act. The Kept Animals Bill is ground-breaking legislation. Britain is rightly seen as a leader in the fight against wildlife trafficking.

And now we are about to make history. Again.

On Friday 25 November, the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill receives its Second Reading. The bill is a manifesto commitment that has been announced in the Queens Speech and which I am introducing as a Private Member’s Bill.

It will ban imports of hunting trophies from thousands of threatened species including lions, rhinos, elephants, and polar bears. It will be the toughest ban in the world.

It reflects the strongly-held views of Conservative voters. A 2022 opinion poll by Survation revealed 92% of Conservative voters backed the ban, with just 1% against.

Defra held an extensive public consultation. Over 44,000 organisations and individuals took part, including scientists, conservation groups and representatives from African communities of which 86% said they supported tough action.

A coalition of Britain’s leading wildlife and animal welfare charities is actively championing the bill. Supportive editorials have been published in newspapers including The Times and the Daily Mirror.

It is not hard to see why. The killing of an animal purely for a ‘trophy’ is alien to British, as well as Conservative, values.

It is also sheer madness. A recent WWF report found wildlife numbers have fallen by 69% since 1970. Scientists have shown that trophy hunting is making a bad situation worse.

African communities complain that trophy hunters are wiping out local wildlife - and that this is depriving them of opportunities to benefit from photo safaris.

I recently met Botswana’s former President Ian Khama. He banned trophy hunting in his country when he was head of state. He said: “Global Britain means leading the world by example. Britain will gain a great deal by doing so on this issue. The UK should strive to do all it can to help protect our shared natural heritage and halt this reckless destruction.”

I know this is a sentiment shared by the vast majority of Conservatives. I very much hope my Conservative colleagues will join me in the chamber on November 23 - and help make history.

Note - Henry Smith MP has also written an article in today's Daily Mirror:

Tory MP fighting to stop sick trophy hunting imports asks you to back his battle Tory MP Henry Smith is calling on every Mirror reader to get in touch with their MP ahead of this Friday's debate in the House of Commons

Henry Smith MP’s Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill is supported by:
- The Government
- The Labour Party
- The Liberal Democrats
- SNP
- Plaid Cymru
- Green Party
- MPs from the DUP, SDLP, Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, Alba Party
- Britain’s leading wildlife and animal charities
- 86% of the 44,000 groups and individuals who took part in the government’s public consultation, including scientists and African community leaders
- The Times
- Daily Mirror
- 9 out of 10 voters

Congratulations to Ranil Jayawardena MP on his appointment as Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra).

Ranil was a strong supporter of the ban on trophy hunting imports at the last General Election and its inclusion in the Conservative manifesto.

We very much look forward to working with him and his team on the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill which is coming to Parliament later this year.