When public finances are tight the Ministry of Defence thinks it is OK to splash out over £1million on bear skins for the Queen’s Guard.

Documents released under a Freedom of Information request show that 23 furs were purchased in 2021 at a cost of £39,330. Also back in 2020 officials laid out the princely sum of £145,000 for another 110 bearskins. All in all since 2014 914 skins have been purchased costing over £1 million.

Animal rights campaigners argue that the ‘hats’ should be replaced with ones made from an alternative material that looks just as good and given today’s technology is available to replicate the original; so much so that no one would even notice the difference.

The hats are currently made from the fur of Canadian wild black bears and protesters including the Prime Minister’s wife Carrie Johnson and the animal rights group Peta says it is time the furs were banned.

An Army spokesman said these bearskins have been worn by Guards as part of our proud military history and identity and no way could they be replaced.

Personally I would have thought that seeing the military have faced harsh spending cuts the top brass in their wisdom would have been more wise on spending in this instance.

Mrs L M Jackson