Queen's Speech delights Gosport campaigner as ban on trophy hunting imports is confirmed

In her speech this morning, the Queen confirmed ministerial plans to put an end to trophy hunting imports in the UK.

While outlining the government’s agenda, she also announced that work is ongoing ‘to promote and protect the welfare of animals, including banning imports from trophy hunting.’

The news comes to the delight of Eduardo Goncalves from Gosport, who founded the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting, launched exactly a year ago today.

‘This is the best birthday present we could have hoped for,’ he said.

‘Our polls show an overwhelming majority of the British public want a ban – there is strong cross-party support for it too.

‘Trophy hunting is cruel, immoral, and is having a devastating impact on some of the world’s most vulnerable wildlife. British trophy hunters are also among the worst in the world for shooting elephants and lions bred in captivity.’

Government ministers have been debating the issue of trophy hunting imports for some time, with minister of state for environment and international development Zac Goldsmith praising Mr Goncalves’ work at a meeting in Westminster Hall earlier this month.

Notable supporters of the campaign include Liam Gallagher, Joanna Lumley and Ed Sheeran.

He said: ‘The combined rate of trophy hunting and poaching is now greater than the birth rate of African elephants.

‘Elephants are also showing signs of reverse evolution. Their tusks are getting shorter on average. This is a sign of a weakening gene pool, and the number of African lions is in free fall.'

With work in the UK now gathering momentum, under Her Majesty’s orders, Mr Goncalves is now turning his attention to the international stage.

He says he now wants to close a loophole in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) global wildlife trade law that allows trophy hunters to shoot endangered wildlife.