An MP has blasted suggestions that a proposed ban on the import of animal parts to Britain is “racist legislation”.
Tory MP Henry Smith called trophy hunting “a neo-colonial import” as the Commons approved the revived Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill at its second reading on Friday.
The Bill, sponsored by Labour former minister John Spellar and supported by the Government, aims to ban the import of hunting trophies from species of conservation concern into Great Britain.
Mr Smith, who sponsored a previous Bill blocked by the Lords, said of trophy hunting: “It is not a natural practice of people in southern Africa. This is a neo-colonial import that was brought to that continent during the time of colonialisation and is not something that is native.”
Mr Smith added: “It’s not unique to Africa. There have been some claims that somehow this is some racist legislation, this is telling countries around the world how to act and how to conduct their own hunting policy.
“Let’s just remind ourselves that this is a piece of import legislation. This legislation is saying we in this country by a clear majority choose not to want to allow the importation of body parts of endangered species slaughtered and killed by hunters into Great Britain; that is the territorial extent of this Bill, that is what it is designed to do.”
Conservative MP Sir Bill Wiggin said he wanted to amend the Bill to “take any risk of racism away” from it.
He said people should consider what African representatives have said about the proposals, telling the Commons: “I don’t believe anybody in this House intends to be racist but this Bill crosses the line.
“The Namibian environment minister Pohamba Shifeta has written to our Environment Secretary denouncing the Bill as a regressive step towards neo-colonialism, ‘Your Bill implies that your judgments supersede our insights and expertise’.”
Officials from Botswana this week said a ban would negatively impact safari hunt revenue, hamper wildlife conservation, make anti-poaching efforts more difficult, and impoverish African villagers who make their living from such tourism.
A similar Bill was blocked by a group of peers in the last parliamentary session, despite clearing the Commons.
At least 190 hunting trophies were imported into the UK in 2020, figures show.
