Hunting imports continue despite Labour’s promise to ban trophies

Sunday, June 21, 2026

Since July 2024, the Labour government has issued 33 import permits for hunting trophies despite its election promise to ban such imports in the UK. This delay in legislation, facing public opposition and cross-party support, has drawn criticism as endangered species trophies continue to enter the country while the proposed ban remains stalled in Parliament.

Since Labour assumed office in July 2024, 33 import permits have been issued for hunting trophies, despite the party’s election pledge to ban the practice in the United Kingdom. Data obtained from the Animal and Plant Health Agency, covering the period from July 1, 2024, to May 31, 2026, reveals that these permits were granted under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The permitted trophies include 18 African bush elephants, classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), along with five hippopotami, three black bears, two brown bears, a Nile crocodile, a giraffe, and two panthers. It is important to note that a single permit does not necessarily correspond to one individual animal, as some cases require multiple permits per animal.

Labour’s 2024 manifesto committed to prohibiting the importation of hunting trophies, but related legislation has been delayed in the House of Lords and was notably absent from the King’s Speech in May 2026. Public sentiment appears strongly opposed to trophy hunting, with a 2024 poll indicating that approximately 90% of the British population find the practice unacceptable.

The controversy has drawn attention from various public figures, including the late singer Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon, as well as actress Dame Judi Dench. Eduardo Goncalves, founder of the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting, criticized the government for issuing permits contrary to its promises. He emphasized the widespread political and public support for a ban, highlighting that legislation has been drafted and enjoys cross-party backing, yet remains stalled.

The proposed legislation, informally known as “Sally’s Law,” is named after a rescued tiger cub taken from the trophy hunting industry. The Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting has released a documentary detailing the industry’s practices, including breeding animals specifically for hunters to shoot in enclosed spaces, as well as Sally’s rescue and subsequent life in sanctuary.

Liberal Democrat MP Liz Jarvis, who submitted parliamentary questions on this issue, described the delay in enacting the ban as unacceptable. Jarvis condemned the continued import of trophies from species such as rhinos, elephants, and leopards, calling for urgent ministerial action instead of what she described as “half-hearted promises.”

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) stated that the government remains committed to introducing a ban on the import of hunting trophies for species of conservation concern and will advance the legislation when parliamentary time permits.