​CHELTENHAM MP Martin Horwood MP has backed a campaign to ban the use of wild animals in circuses.

Mr Horwood met with representatives of Animal Defenders International (ADI) and 20 other MPs from all political persuasions who all pledged their commitment to securing a ban on the use of wild animals in UK circuses, and called on the minister Lord Henley to take action.

He is one of 162 politicians who have now signed a parliamentary Early Day Motion (EDM) 403 calling for the wild animal ban to be implemented.

Martin said: “The era in which we use wild animals for entertainment is passing into history. A new generation of circuses that don’t use animals are thriving. This is something the public have realised and politicians are starting to realise.

"It is also time that all of the circus industry realised it.”

Jan Creamer, Chief Executive of Animal Defenders International said: “We applaud Martin for helping strike a blow for wild animals currently languishing in UK circuses. We have been encouraged by the results of our recent political opinion poll and by the results of government’s own public consultation last year that found nearly 100 per cent of the public were behind a total ban.”

“It is now abundantly clear to us that public and political support for a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses has never been stronger. This process has been trundling along for over five years, and it is now time that government listened to the will of the UK people and enacted a ban.”

A recent parliamentary poll conducted by ADI found that 63% of MPs would like to see a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses and only 14% disagreed.

The Government’s own public consultation in March 2010 also found that 94.5% of respondents backed a ban on wild animal acts.

A total of 162 politicians have now signed Early Day Motion (EDM) 403 ‘Wild Animals In Circuses’, tabled by former Defra Minister Jim Fitzpatrick MP, which states there is no obstacle to a ban on wild animals in circuses and a ban should be implemented.

This shows strong cross-party support for a ban on animals in circuses in the UK Parliament, and demonstrates the depth of feeling as this is one of the top number of signatories to an animal welfare EDM.

All present on Wednesday agreed that the use and abuse of animals in circuses is no longer acceptable, and that self regulation of the industry, which is being considered as a viable route by the minister, is totally flawed, a spokesman for Mr Horwood said.