Boris Johnson’s dad Stanley accuses Theresa May of betraying voters by ditching pledge to ban wild animals in circuses

BORIS Johnson’s dad has accused Theresa May of betraying voters by ditching a pledge to ban wild animals in circuses.

Prominent Tory Stanley Johnson, an ex-MEP, has slammed the PM for burying the promise, made in the Tories’ 2015 General Election manifesto.

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Brexit-obsessed ministers have told him they will only legislate on the issue if “time allows”, ­environment campaigner Mr Johnson Snr told The Sun.

And he says that has reopened the door to the cruel circus acts touring Britain again.

For the first time in three years, big cats will be on parade in Thomas Chipperfield’s show An Evening with Lions and Tigers — expected to take to the road in spring.

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Mr Johnson, 76, said: “In spite of clear manifesto commitments, the Government now say they’ll only do it ‘when Parliamentary time allows’.

“This is all double-talk, as far as I’m concerned.”

Jan Creamer, president of the Animal Defenders International charity, backed Mr Johnson.

She said: “The Government’s failure to fulfil its promise has let down both the public and the animals it vowed to protect."

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Branding the inaction “a betrayal of the voters”, Mr Johnson said: “In spite of clear manifesto commitments, the government now say they’ll only do it ‘when Parliamentary times allows’.

“This is all double-talk, as far as I’m concerned.

“I take exactly the same view of the government’s failure to come forward with the total ban on the sale of ivory which they also promised in the manifesto.

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“How feeble can you get?”

In an article for The Sun today, Mr Johnson also reveals the ban pledge was made by former Tory leader David Cameron to him personally after cornering the PM on a Westminster street.

The Thomas Chipperfield circus was refused a license to tour England in 2015 because its lions’ living areas were deemed inadequate.

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The Animal Defenders International charity backed Mr Johnson’s tirade.

Its president Jan Creamer said: “The government’s failure to fulfil its promise to ban wild animal acts has let down both the public and the animals it vowed to protect.

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“ADI has repeatedly documented the suffering and abuse of wild animals in circuses.

“Moving from place to place for months on end, it is simply not possible to provide for the needs of wild animals in temporary accommodation in travelling circuses.”

The Scottish government will pass a law to ban wild animals in the summer.