Ben Everitt, the MP for Milton Keynes North, has backed a Bill in Parliament which would ban trophy hunting imports in the United Kingdom.
The Private Member's Bill, brought forward by Crawley MP Henry Smith, would ban British hunters from bringing ‘trophies’ of endangered and vulnerable animals into Britain.
Ben spoke in support of the Bill in the House Of Commons and it later passed its Second Reading with the backing of MPs from all parties.
The local MP said: "Let me be clear, the practice of killing endangered animals for the purpose of hunting trophies is abhorrent and immoral, and I know many of my constituents in Milton Keynes North feel the same.
"We, in this House, have the power to do our bit in tackling this despicable practice, by introducing one of the toughest bans in the world on the import of hunting trophies. Through this Bill, we can do just that.
"By implementing this strict import ban, the impact is two-fold. First, we can make huge strides towards putting a stranglehold on this damaging practice. Second, by cutting off the ability of hunters to bring back their hunts, we are supporting the conservation of thousands of endangered species.
"We know, for example, that in Kenya, where trophy hunting is banned, the populations of lions, rhinos and elephants are rising fastest. And, as highlighted in the APPG’s report, animal populations have benefitted hugely from trophy hunting bans in Botswana and Zambia.
"In summary, it is clear that there is a strong mandate for a ban on trophy hunting imports. I know members across this House want to see these imports banned, and that public opinion reflects this strongly.
"This Bill is about more than just a ban on trophy imports, but also about dealing a significant blow to the industry and organisations which thrive and profit off trophy hunting. This is an important cause, one which I hope the House will support."
