Downton Abbey star Peter Egan has urged the Prime Minister to fulfil the promise to ban trophy hunting imports, warning that Britain's policies should not be decided by those who defend the "killing of animals for souvenirs".
The actor and animal rights activist, who has long supported the Mirror's campaign against trophy hunting, also criticised the US President over an AI-generated tiger video posted after the attack at Yorkshire Wildlife Park.
Appeal to the Prime Minister
Mr Egan said: "I appeal to Andy Burnham to fulfil the promise to ban trophy hunting imports. Donald Trump's administration may want Britain to abandon a ban on hunting trophy imports, but I encourage the Prime Minister to have the courage to see the manifesto commitment fulfilled."
"Our wildlife policy should never be dictated by those defending the killing of animals for souvenirs," he added.
Doug Burgum, Trump's Interior Secretary, previously wrote to the UK Government opposing the ban on trophy hunting imports, claiming it would hurt local economies, conservation efforts and cultural sensitivities in the US. Trump, whose sons Donald Jr and Eric are trophy hunters, has already scrapped a ban on trophy imports imposed in the US under Barack Obama.
Condemnation of AI tiger video
Mr Egan, 80, blasted the US President, who was already facing a backlash after posting a "tasteless" AI-generated parody online of the Yorkshire Wildlife Park tiger mauling.
The US President posted a clip online showing William Chapman's final moments before he was mauled to death by Altai the Umar tiger. Trump added a message: "Don't ever mess with nature!" and signed "President DJT".
Mr Egan, who played Hugh "Shrimpie" MacClare, Marquess of Flintshire in ITV smash Downton, said: "I found Trump's AI-generated tiger video utterly sickening. To seemingly mock an incident in which a man lost his life is profoundly callous."
"To me, it is the mark of a man who seems not to care for animals at all, and shows a shocking disregard for the people devastated by this tragedy," he said.
Labour's unfulfilled pledge
Labour's election promise to outlaw hunters bringing home parts of animals killed overseas has still not become law, more than two years after the party swept to power.
Dr Jane Washington-Evans, founding campaigner on the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting, said: "Andy Burnham has shown compassion and conviction in supporting a ban on trophy hunting imports as Mayor, and I applaud him for recognising that magnificent wild animals deserve a life beyond a trophy hunter's sights and a dismembered body part on a hall wall."
"I have hope that Andy can turn public concern into legislation by delivering a long standing cross party promises to ban hunting trophy imports from coming into the UK," she added.
Earlier this year, this newspaper revealed a record number of trophy hunting firms were selling trips to slaughter animals at a British shooting show. Nearly a dozen companies, including Somerset-based Pro Stalk, were selling packages to Africa to shoot bears, elephants, giraffes, leopards, lions and zebras.
A Defra spokesperson said: "We remain firmly committed to banning the import of hunting trophies from vulnerable species. We will legislate as soon as Parliamentary time allows."
