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Plans to ban the sale of fur in the UK stepped up a gear today as the Fur Trade Prohibition Bill got its first reading in the House of Commons.
Whilst Britain banned the farming of fur over 20 years ago, imports are still legal from other countries. However, a wealth of politicians, animal advocates, and celebrities and hoping to change that.
The Fur Trade Prohibition Bill
The reading is the first occasion a bill has been proposed to ban the fur trade since Britain left the European Union, when it became a legal possibility.
First readings are the initial stage a bill can be passed through the House of Commons. It takes place without a debate.
Leading its presentation was Labour MP Taiwo Owatemi.
She said: “More than 100 million animals around the world are still bred and killed for their fur each year, living their short, miserable lives in overcrowded cages. Millions more suffer slow, agonizing deaths after being trapped in the wild.”
Politicians co-sponsoring the bill include Shadow Cabinet ministers Emily Thornberry, Luke Pollard, and Ed Milliband.
Part of Owatemi’s speech involved called for a transition from fur to synthetic bearskin hats currently used in the Queen’s Guard uniforms.
‘Stop bankrolling cruelty’
Calls came after a petition was created under the coordination of Humane Society International UK.
As part of the Fur Free Britain campaign, a slew of celebrities got on board. They include Chris Packham, Ricky Gervais, Brian May, Leona Lewis, and Dami Judi Dench.
Moreover, it garnered over a million signatures.
In a statement sent to Plant Based News, HSI Executive Director Claire Bass said: “Fur-farming is rightly banned in the UK. But we’re now outsourcing the same suffering.
“We thank and commend Taiwo Owatemi for her Bill to correct that double standard by banning fur imports and sales.
“In a world of global trade, it’s not enough to just ban cruel practices in our own backyard. We need to stop bankrolling cruelty in other countries.”
The charity claims the government is considering including a fur trade ban as part of a wider Animal Welfare Bill.
