Ban Trophy Hunting in the UK: What’s Next for Legislation?

Two efforts in Parliament to legislate for a trophy hunting ban have failed.

A wider international effort to ban trophy hunting has so far been unsuccessful. Wera’s quote above neatly encapsulates the moral imperative for action.

“We need a trophy hunting ban. How we treat animals is a reflection on who we are as a society. It’s critical that we put an end to this cruel practice.”

What is Trophy Hunting?

The Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting describes trophy hunting as a ‘sport’ by those who practice it. It consists of killing an animal for recreation and then displaying its body as an expression of a hunter’s ‘prowess’.

It is distinct from the control or management of wildlife populations, which should be carried out humanely by trained professionals. ¹

Trophy hunting is a business in itself. Around it is a network of supporting businesses, for example farms breeding lions for shooting.

Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting founder Eduardo Gonçalves said: “We often think of trophy hunters as crazed gun-toting Americans, so it’s a shock to many people to learn that large numbers of lions and other animals are killed every year by British trophy hunters. Polls repeatedly show that voters want these sordid mementoes banned and trophy hunting abolished.”

Parallel research also concludes that the UK is a major player in this industry. This is why there are concerted efforts to block any legislative changes in parliament.

Fallow deer hunting trophy mounted on wall

What do the public think?

In 2021, Survation carried out research to gauge whether the public supported efforts to ban trophy hunting. The Survation poll concluded that support for the ban would increase if:
a) it could demonstrate that it was protecting conservation efforts.
b) it helped the rural communities directly affected.

The polling also identified a clear majority for applying the ban across the board, also in the UK.

Efforts to change the law

There have been a number of efforts over many years to change the law. However, none have been government bills. Campaigners have had to put their hopes into bills introduced by backbenchers, most notably as Private Members’ Bills.

The Private Members’ Bills (2022 – 24)

In 2022, Henry Smith MP (Crawley) introduced his Private Members’ Bill. This bill was titled Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill. The bill failed to make progress into law.

On 6th December 2023, John Spellar MP (Warley), re-introduced the bill.

The bill had 5 aims:
1 – Import prohibition
2 – Animals to which the import prohibition relates
3 – Supplementary provision about the import prohibition
4 – Advisory Board on Hunting Trophies
5 – Extent, commencement and short title

The bill as published contained a further 3 pages of detail.

The bill was given its first reading, as usual without debate, on 6th December 2023.

The bill was given its second reading debate on 22nd March 2024.

In the debate, John Spellar acknowledged the delays in the House of Lords that had caused Henry Smith’s bill to fall. He hoped that his bill would have enough parliamentary time to pass into law.

He recognised that his bill had cross party support. He also highlighted public support for the bill from people who he said wanted ‘no part in this vile trade’.

There was much support for the bill, but there were speakers against it as well. At the end of the debate, the decision to grant the bill a second reading was contested and a vote held. The result was 49 votes in favour of the bill and none against.

The bill then moved to the committee stage in the House of Commons. After that it would return to the House of Commons for the third reading. If the third reading was passed, the bill would then move to the House of Lords.

MPs against the bill recognised that, if contested, it would run out of legislative time and fall by the end of the parliamentary session. This was indeed what happened.

Why have the Private Members’ Bills failed up to now?

A comparison to Wera’s Worker’s Protection Bill is helpful here. Both bills were introduced as Private Member’ Bills within the ballot of MPs. Both bills were opposed by some parliamentarians in either chamber. Both bills looked to compromise on amendments that sought to build a consensus so the bill would pass.

The difference was that for the Worker’s Protection Bill, the government were prepared to support the bill’s passage through Parliament in an active way. They scheduled an additional Friday for the House of Commons to consider the amendments from the House of Lords. In the British parliamentary system, a bill must pass in both houses. When the House of Lords changed the bill, the amended bill had to return again to the House of Commons.

Without the government commitment to scheduling the final debate in the House of Commons, the bill amendments would not have been debated or voted on and the bill would have fallen.

For the Hunting Trophies bill, this government support didn’t materialise, arguably worsened by the calling of the general election at the end of May 2024 and the wash up that caused many bills to fall, including government bills.

Will a Labour Government do any better to ban trophy hunting?

Efforts to try again with the bill started immediately with the new 2024 Parliament. The manifesto of the incoming Labour government under the title of ‘Stronger animal welfare’ stated:

‘Labour will improve animal welfare. We will ban trail hunting and the import of hunting trophies. We will end puppy smuggling and farming, along with the use of snare traps. And we will partner with scientists, industry and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing.’

The omission of a bill covering hunting trophies was noted in the House of Lords by Baroness Blakewell of Hardington Mandeville. She expressed disappointment that the Spellar bill had been abandoned by the previous government. She expressed hope that a bill covering these manifesto commitments would be tabled by the new government as no proposal for one had been included in the King’s Speech.

In July 2024, the campaign came again to Parliament to press for government legislation. Wera continued her support. In her remarks, Joanna Lumley again called for legislation to ban trophy hunting:

‘The British people want this. They want a government bill in government time .….it must be a comprehensive bill not one riddled with loopholes and exemptions that allow a British hunter to bring home the trophy of one type of zebra but not another……A government that wants to do this can do this, especially one with this wonderful majority and it will have the backing of MPs in every party of the Commons and of the very people that put it into power. There are many terrible and unforgivable things happening everywhere on earth over which we have no control; but here is something we can put right. It is high time this ban was put in place. You can count on our absolute and undiluted support in helping you to consign this horror show to the dustbin of history. Please help us, please make it happen and make it happen now.’

As part of the campaign to win hearts and minds for new legislation, Wera promoted the campaign across the Bath constituency, saying: “I wholeheartedly support a ban on these sick souvenirs. British trophy hunters must have absolutely no right to kill endangered species, and yet we hear that they are shooting lions bred in captivity.”

Wera Hobhouse MP with Ranulph Fiennes and Bill Esterson MP

“Many residents in Bath write to me frequently, expressing their distress and disgust at trophy hunting. I’m pleased to be able to take a stand against this barbaric behaviour and amplify their voices alongside tireless campaigners like Joanna Lumley and Sir Ranulph Fiennes. How we treat animals is a reflection on who we are as a society. It’s critical that we put an end to this cruel practice.”

Legendary explorer and former Bath resident Sir Ranulph Fiennes added: “I’m 100% behind Wera Hobhouse MP’s work to bring an end to this disgrace. It’s high time we had a comprehensive ban on these sick souvenirs of innocent animals killed for so-called sport. What kind of world are we living in where this is still allowed? I’m really pleased Wera is campaigning to stop this.” ¹⁰

On 2nd September 2024, Graeme Morris MP for Easington, tabled an Early Day Motion EDM97 ¹¹. Early Day Motions demonstrate expressions of support for an issue but are not parliamentary bills. This EDM was signed by Wera Hobhouse and 71 other MPs.

The EDM said: “That this House notes CITES data and investigations by the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting published in the national media showing British trophy hunters are killing and bringing home trophies of threatened species including African elephants, lions, leopards, giraffes, hippopotamuses, zebras, wolves, monkeys, wild cats, lynxes, cougars, bears, and African civets; further notes that several parties made election pledges to ban hunting trophies in their manifestos, including the Government; acknowledges that a Private Members Bill drafted by the previous Government enjoyed strong cross-party support and passed unanimously in the House; recognises that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs conducted an extensive public consultation exercise involving 44,000 stakeholders, 86% of whom back a trophy import ban, that opinion polls show overwhelming voter support for an immediate and comprehensive ban; and strongly urges the Government to now bring forward a Bill in Government time which implements a world-leading ban without any further delay.”

FAQs

What is the UK government stance on trophy hunting?

In 2023, the Conservative Government backed the bill to ban trophy hunting ¹², but it didn’t become law as it was only a Private Members’ Bill and the government didn’t allocate time for debate and contested votes. Therefore, the bill fell.

The King’s Speech for the new Labour government in 2024 did not include a plan to legislate to ban trophy hunting.

Why did the trophy hunting bill fail in parliament?

Repeated efforts to ban trophy hunting through backbencher Private Members’ Bills have failed. This is because there is a group of parliamentarians, particularly in the House of Lords, who oppose the bill. They succeed in blocking the bill because without active government support (or it being a government bill in the first place) the bill, when opposed, runs out of time and does not become law.

How can constituents support the campaign to ban trophy hunting?

Half of the MPs in the new 2024 parliament are newly elected. Bringing the attention of the issue to all MPs is important in keeping the issue in the minds of legislators. For example the Early Day Motion 97 from September 2024 was an opportunity for constituents to write to their MP asking them to sign.

New opportunities will arise.