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British stars call on Boris to ban UK fur sales

Tom Bottomley
23 February 2021

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has received an open letter signed by 50 of Britain’s biggest stars in support of the #FurFreeBritain campaign asking him to implement a UK ban on the sale of real fur.

The long line up of stars to add their signatures to the letter include Dame Judi Dench, Joanna Lumley, Deborah Meaden, Amanda Holden, Simon Pegg, Laura Whitmore, Natalie Imbruglia, Brian May, Leona Lewis, Gary Lineker, James Arthur, Thandie Newton, Imelda Staunton, Alesha Dixon, Ricky Gervais, Mollie King, Dame Twiggy Lawson and Martin Kemp.

Ricky Gervais

Animal protection organisation Humane Society International/UK, which leads the #FurFreeBritain campaign in collaboration with other animal charities, is hopeful that a 2021 ban is possible now that the Brexit transition is completed.

Fur farming was banned in Britain in 2003, as it was deemed too cruel. But, since then, Britain has imported more than £800m worth of fur from countries including Finland, China, France and Poland, where animals experience severe suffering and distress on fur farms.

Recognising the double standards of such actions, the letter reads: “As long as Britain allows the sale of cruel fur from overseas, we remain complicit in an industry that causes immense animal suffering, environmental harm, and also presents risks to human health through the spread of deadly viruses. It is not enough to say that we have banned fur cruelty from our own back yard, we must stop outsourcing that same cruelty from overseas.”

The campaign has also received cross party political support from 140 MPs who have signed Early Day Motion 267 against real fur imports.

Claire Bass, Executive Director of Humane Society International/UK, said: “Fur is cruel and unnecessary, and a fur sales ban would command support from the vast majority of the public, politicians, designers and retailers. This letter, from some of the country’s top celebrities proudly backing a ban on fur cruelty, sends a clear message to Boris Johnson that Britain must no longer be an accomplice in the suffering of millions of animals for frivolous fur fashion. When the selling stops, the suffering will too.”

Comedian, actor and director Ricky Gervais, commented: "Banning the sale of fur in the UK doesn't even require debate, it's a no brainer. Should the UK be selling fur from animals who have been anally electrocuted, gassed to death, beaten to death, and may even have had COVID-19? No, it shouldn't, let's get the ban done."

The British public can also support the campaign by signing the petition at www.furfreebritain.uk

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