Ban it now, no excuses

THERE are few issues that people in Britain feel as strongly about as trophy hunting. This sick so-called ‘sport’ should have been banned long ago.

These merchants of death have been allowed to continue killing lions, elephants, rhinos – and practically anything else that takes their fancy despite the public outcry.

British hunting firm owner Carl Knight is now offering deals on slaughtering animals for fun during the coronavirus pandemic.

He is a disgrace to this nation of animal lovers.

Voters in Britain are overwhelmingly opposed to trophy hunting.

Thanks to the efforts of cross-party MPS, exposés by this newspaper and the work of the Campaign to Ban

Trophy Hunting, the Government promised to ban hunters from bringing home gruesome trophies. But when?

The pledge was in the Conservative election manifesto.

It was in the Queen’s Speech, and Boris Johnson promised MPS in the Commons a year ago he would bring it in. We’re still waiting. A public consultation has been and gone. Now special interest groups lobby to get ‘exemptions’ into the law.

Twice I wrote to ministers for a clear timeline and even to the Prime Minister co-signed by cross-party MPS and Peers – yet the Government says Covid slowed the wheels of government.

But the Netherlands banned virtually all trophy imports overnight with the stroke of a minister’s pen.

Why doesn’t our Government do the same?

Carl Knight and other hunting companies who have been operating during the pandemic show there is nothing that will stop these people.

It’s time to ban trophy imports now. No excuses, no exemptions, no delay.