MADAM – The government’s desire to enact a ban on the UK trade in ivory, including antique ivory, means that they can publicly demonstrate they have stood up to the ivory lobby and ‘bravely’ taken action in the cause of saving the elephant while, at the same time, avoiding the action that they should have taken.
What the government won’t do is stand up to and confront China and the other Asian countries that are responsible for the demand for ivory and the ivory trade.
Nor will they make the financial resources available to help the most impoverished nations of Africa fight the highly organised and heavily armed gangs of poachers who will, no doubt, slaughter elephants to extinction.