Workington MP Sue Hayman has given her backing to calls for elephants to be better protected from the ivory trade.

Elephant populations are at an all-time low and the species faces extinction due to ivory poaching, which is killing at least 20,000 elephants a year.

Mrs Hayman attended the launch of a new International Fund for Animal Welfare report, which found that the European Union is still a destination for illegal ivory, a major transit route between countries and a key exporter of antique ivory to South East Asian markets.

The IFAW is calling for a UK ban on the ivory trade and a Europe-wide ban.

It is also running an ivory surrender, with the public invited to surrender their own ivory to be destroyed.

Mrs Hayman said: “As Labour’s Shadow Environment Secretary, I am very pleased to support IFAW’s campaign to increase protection for elephants as a matter of urgency. I also encourage members of the public to stand up for elephants by rejecting ivory which should only be valued on a live elephant.

“IFAW’s research shows that the UK and Europe as a whole do play a role in the illegal ivory chain and reinforces the need for an ivory ban here in the UK and right across Europe to close these markets and help save elephants in the wild.”

“The vast majority of the UK public want to protect elephants with a UK trade ban and do not wish to purchase ivory themselves. An overwhelming 95% of respondents polled by YouGov stated that they would not be interested in purchasing antique ivory.

“However, with time running out for these animals we need the Government to announce an ivory trade ban now. With the UK’s largest ivory seizure to date in 2015 at Heathrow Airport weighing an incredible 110 kilos, it is clear the UK plays a significant role in the illegal ivory trade.

“If this Tory Government does not act on ivory, then as Environment Secretary in a Labour government, I will.”