The Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation (CAWF) is disappointed that the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill stalled at its Committee Stage in the House of Lords, led by Conservative Peer Baroness Fookes on the 12th of September.
The Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill, championed by Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation patron Henry Smith MP, had successfully navigated its passage through the House of Commons with bipartisan support. Throughout its journey in the House of Commons, it had received a resounding endorsement from all political parties.
A number of cross-party Peers voiced their support for ending trophy-hunting imports during the Committee Stage.
Earlier this year, Henry Smith MP penned an insightful comment piece on his Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill in Conservative Home. In his article, he emphasized, “Generations to come will look back in disbelief at the treatment of majestic animals like elephants, lions, and rhinos, which need our protection now more than ever. With global wildlife on the decline, we must send a strong message to those who seek to destroy it.”
It is important to note that the commitment to banning trophy hunting imports was a prominent feature of both the Conservative Manifesto 2019 and Defra’s world-leading Action Plan for Animal Welfare, published in 2021.
In March of last year, polling demonstrated overwhelming public support for the policy of banning trophy-hunting imports. Amongst those polled, a staggering 86% concurred that the UK Government should prohibit trophy hunters from bringing back trophies of hunted animals as soon as possible, with this figure rising to 92% among Conservative voters.
Lorraine Platt, Co-Founder of the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, conveyed her deep disappointment, stating:
“Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation is disheartened by the stalling of our Patron Henry Smith MP’s Bill to end trophy hunting imports during its Committee Stage in the House of Lords. Although the Bill faces significant obstacles, it remains evident that there is a robust democratic mandate for the realization of this vital Manifesto pledge. This legislation also enjoys overwhelming support from the British public, who have consistently shown in polling that there is no room for trophy-hunting imports in the 21st century. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Henry Smith and Baroness Fookes for their unwavering leadership in championing this critical Bill, and we urge the Government to fulfill its manifesto commitment and make time available to get the Trophy Trophies ( Import Prohibition) Bill, talked out in the Lords onto the statute book”
Photograph shows:
Cross-party MPs and Peers, alongside campaigners from the Coalition Against Trophy & Canned Hunting gathered outside Parliament with a giant inflatable lion and giraffe to show their support for the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill. The politicians and campaigners came together near Old Palace Yard in Westminster to implore the Government to find the necessary time to allow the Bill – a manifesto commitment – to complete its passage into law
