Guardsmen spend thousands on bearskins as fur ban considered
GUARDSMEN have splashed out thousands of pounds on new bearskin hats ahead of ministers launching a consultation on prohibiting the sale of fur in post-Brexit Britain.
The ceremonial headdress can only be worn by foot soldiers in the Grenadier Guards, the Coldstream Guards, the Scots Guards, the Irish Guards and the Welsh Guards.
The hats, made from bearskin pelts, have long been a target for animal rights activists. George Eustice, the Environment Secretary, is to launch a consultation on banning fur sales after pressure from figures including Carrie Symonds, Boris Johnson’s fiancée, and Lord Goldsmith, the environment minister.
Ms Symonds, who is presently animal charity Peta’s activist of the year, has said people who wear fur are “sick”.
Up to 100 of the hats, used by the military since the 1815 defeat of Napoleon, are bought annually by the Army and cost about £650 each. But following a Freedom of Information request, the Ministry of Defence said it spent £145,000 on bearskins last year. The MoD is uneasy about replacing them with a synthetic version after trials in 2014 exposed flaws. In a letter to the British Fur Trade Association the Army Secretariat stated: “The faux alternative showed an unacceptable rate of water absorption which would lead to caps becoming waterlogged and heavy – the bearskin is an iconic image of Britain. Guardsmen take great pride in wearing this unique item. Ensuring it remains both practical and smart is vital.”
Frank Zilberkweit, the association’s chairman, said: “A third of Brits own a fur item. It should not be for unelected individuals and a cabal of activists to dictate what people should and should not wear.” An MoD spokesman said: “Bearskins are sourced from the byproduct of a necessary cull of bears in Canada. The bears are not bred for the purpose of fur and should not be confused with fur farming.”
ButMimiBekhechi,aPETAvice-president, said undercover investigations showed bear cubs were being orphaned by the culling, adding: “All this suffering is for a piece of old-fashioned ceremonial headgear that serves absolutely no military purpose whatsoever; an aberration in a country of animal lovers where even the Queen is now fur-free.”