Britain is to have the toughest trophy hunting laws in the world as the Government announced they will be tabling a ban on the "morally indefensible" act.

Hunters will no longer be able to bring back endangered animal parts from Africa as part of wide-ranging legislation that will also stop the import of exotic furs and rugs.

The move, announced today by the Minister for International Wildlife Zac Goldsmith could see the lives of thousands of elephants, lions, rhinos and other endangered species saved.

There is said to have been support for this policy within Number 10, and Boris Johnson's partner Carrie Symonds has been campaigning against the issue for some time. Mr Goldsmith's appointment by Boris Johnson was seen by those who oppose trophy hunting as significant, as the animal rights campaigner was effectively put in charge of the issue.

Ms Symonds said in her first speech to the public as "First Lady" earlier this year: "A trophy is meant to be a prize. Something you’re awarded if you’ve achieved something of merit that requires great skill and talent.

"Trophy hunting is not that. It is the opposite of that. It is cruel, it is sick, it is cowardly and I will never, ever understand the motivation to do it."