This week I delivered a petition of more than 1 million signatures to the Prime Minister calling for a Fur Free Britain.

It has been two decades since a Labour Government banned fur farming on moral grounds, but we still allow the same products to be imported from fur farms overseas.

Most people agree: if something is too cruel to produce in Britain, it is too cruel to import and sell.

I delivered the petition with campaigners from the RSPCA, Humane World for Animals, Four Paws, PETA and Open Cages, who are all supporting my Fur (Import and Sale) Bill. Pop star and animal welfare champion Will Young is also urging the government to back my bill.

“With Ruth Jones’ bill,” he said, “there is a real opportunity to make a massive difference to millions of animals enduring mental and physical anguish for fur fashion. The British public don’t support the fur trade, most designers and retailers don’t support the fur trade and the animals most certainly don’t support the fur trade. So, I urge the government to do the right thing and back the bill for a Fur Free Britain.”

My Fur Bill returns to the House of Commons on Friday 13 June. If passed, it would extend the existing ban on fur from cats, dogs and seals to other animals killed for “fur fashion” such as foxes, chinchilla, coyotes and raccoon dogs.

I am grateful for all the support and encouragement I have received and proud to represent the views of so many British people, including lawmakers, designers and retailers who believe it’s time to put fur out of fashion.

A #FurFreeBritain spokesperson said: “Banning fur farming here but then continuing to import fur from overseas is a double standard that millions of British people, and more than 200 cross-party politicians, want to see ended. The fur trade is cruel to animals, dangerous to public health, and totally unnecessary. The Labour Government promised a huge boost to animal welfare and backing Ruth Jones’ #FurFreeBritain bill would be an obvious and fantastic way to start delivering on that.”