A SOUTHEND Member of Parliament has delivered a petition to Downing Street calling for a ban on wild animals in circuses.

Sir David Amess, who represents Southend West, joined Animal Defenders International (ADI) at Downing Street today to deliver a 20,000-strong petition to David Cameron, the prime minister, calling on the ban.

He was joined by fellow Tory MPs Mark Pritchard and Tracey Crouch, gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, Labour MPs Jim Dowd and Angela Smith, Green MP Caroline Lucas, conservationist and father of the Mayor of London Stanley Johnson and Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker.

Sir David said: “I have been concerned about the plight of wild animals in circuses for many years.

“With just a few weeks left before the election it is vital that this Bill can become law.”

ADI President Jan Creamer added: “It is difficult to comprehend that while Animal Defenders International is helping to enforce animal circus bans in Peru and Colombia, we are still trying to get this long-promised ban passed in Britain.

“If the Government fails to act on this issue it will have failed the animals and the public.

“We are very pleased that Sir David Amess MP has joined us to urge David Cameron to keep his promise and end the suffering of wild animals in circuses once and for all.”