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Category: Foreign Affairs

  • Catherine West – 2024 Statement on Bangladesh and Attacks on Hindu Community

    Catherine West – 2024 Statement on Bangladesh and Attacks on Hindu Community

    The statement made by Catherine West, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on 2 December 2024.

    The UK has a long-standing commitment to the protection of human rights. The UK champions freedom of religion or belief for all; no one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. We are working to uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief through our position at the UN, G7 and at other multilateral fora, and in our important bilateral work.

    Just last month, as my hon. Friend the Member for Brent West (Barry Gardiner) is aware, I visited Bangladesh, where, as part of our programme, I met Chief Adviser Professor Yunus and Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain. At the meeting with Chief Adviser Yunus, I discussed the full range of bilateral issues, including the importance of protecting religious minorities in Bangladesh. The UK Government support freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression in Bangladesh through both our political advocacy and development programme funding, providing up to £27 million from March 2023 to February 2028 under the Bangladesh collaborative, accountable and peaceful politics programme for protecting civic and political space.

    On the Hindu community in Bangladesh specifically, I was given assurances by the interim Government in Bangladesh that support was available for minority communities in Bangladesh in the lead up to Durga Puja —a national festival. We were pleased to see the establishment of a special policing unit, which was active in protecting mandaps—the Hindu worship sites—as I am sure my hon. Friend is aware.

    The UK Government will continue to monitor the situation, including making representations from this House, and will engage with the interim Government in Bangladesh on the importance of freedom of religion or belief specifically as it affects the Hindu community.

    Barry Gardiner

    Thank you for allowing this urgent question, Mr Speaker.

    Since the fall of the previous Government in August, Bangladesh has seen more than 2,000 incidents of violence, most of which have been targeted against the minority Hindu community. Hindus make up less than 10% of the population of Bangladesh. As my hon. Friend will be aware, anti-Hindu violence has been a recurrent event in Bangladesh. Indeed, earlier this year, the Jamaat-e-Islami party was banned after riots in which 200 people were killed.

    While Bangladesh no longer has the secular constitution of 1971 and became an Islamic state in 1988, there are none the less supposed to be protections for minority religions under the constitution, including articles 28 and 39. However, these appear not to be being enforced. There are reports of police and army standing by, as more than 20 places of minority Hindu and Sufi worship were vandalised and their worshippers attacked. This came to a head on Friday, when extremist groups from the Jamaat-e-Islami party attacked two Hindu temples in Chittagong and conducted a campaign of orchestrated violence against the Hindu population.

    A leading Hindu monk, Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness has been arrested. ISKCON is a worldwide branch of modern Hinduism with its UK headquarters at Bhaktivedanta Manor in Bushey, many of whose worshippers live in my constituency of Brent West and the surrounding areas of north-west London. People are concerned that while he was engaged in exclusively peaceful protest, he has been denied due process, charged with sedition and refused bail, yet none of the individuals who attacked the temples has been apprehended or charged. On Saturday, senior Bangladeshi journalist Munni Saha was taken into police custody following an attack on her car by a large mob in Dhaka, and released only under the provisions of the criminal code.

    The situation is clearly on a knife edge. With such large diaspora populations in the UK and large Hindu communities with strong links to the community in Bangladesh, I ask my hon. Friend what more she can do to have discussions with the Bangladeshi Government and other partners in the region to ensure that tensions are lowered, the rule of law put into effect, and calm and order restored.

    Catherine West

    My hon. Friend is right to raise these concerns. Our high commission, based in Dhaka, is in detailed discussions with the interim Government of Bangladesh on how to verify and record the number of incidents or attacks against communities, and indeed small businesses, where there have been reports of such attacks, as well as taking remedial action and indeed working on prevention.

    That is why, in the week we visited, we were pleased to hear that the special policing unit had been set up. We stand ready to offer advice on law and order, but know that that is part of the road map towards a more stable Bangladesh. We are aware of the statement of concern from the Indian Government following the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a well-known Hindu leader, on sedition charges. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office desk is closely monitoring those developments.

  • Bernard Jenkin – 2024 Speech on the Chagos Islands

    Bernard Jenkin – 2024 Speech on the Chagos Islands

    The speech made by Bernard Jenkin, the Conservative MP for Harwich and North Essex, in the House of Commons on 2 December 2024.

    First, may I ask, what is the rush? Why is the Minister in such a hurry to get this done? May I suggest that it would be to the Government’s advantage, if their case is so strong, to allow this House to debate the agreed text in public before it is signed? May I also suggest that it stretches incredulity for him to tell the House that there have been no discussions at all with the incoming American Administration? Can he at least tell the House what informal dialogue there is with the incoming Administration about what their view really is? Can he report that to the House, please?

    Luke Pollard

    As a long-standing Member of this House, the hon. Gentleman will be familiar with how treaties are debated and agreed by this House. After signature, they come forward for ratification. This process was started a number of years ago by the Government that he supported. Eleven rounds of negotiation have taken place. We have secured a deal that is in support of the UK and US base on Diego Garcia, which will continue to operate well into the next century. When he and others see the detail of the deal, I am sure they will back it.

  • Calum Miller – 2024 Speech on the Chagos Islands

    Calum Miller – 2024 Speech on the Chagos Islands

    The speech made by Calum Miller, the Liberal Democrat MP for Bicester and Woodstock, in the House of Commons on 2 December 2024.

    We, and all those who care about the resolution of this issue, are deeply disappointed about the way we have been led to this point, with 11 rounds of negotiations under the Conservatives, and more under the new Government. Just four weeks ago, the Foreign Secretary presented his deal to the House. Now the new President-elect and the new Prime Minister of Mauritius are expressing doubts. Is it not striking and shocking that it has unravelled so quickly? Does the Minister agree that whatever happens next, it is vital that the voices of the Chagossians are finally injected into the process, and that they are able to fulfil their rights of self-determination?

    Whatever lies ahead in these talks, the Liberal Democrats have strongly argued that all treaties should come before the House before signing, and I believe that members of the Government, including two who are on the Front Bench today, supported that in the past. Will the Minister commit to allowing meaningful opportunities for parliamentarians to examine the detailed proposals, including the necessary assurances on elements of the deal relating to our national security, before anything is signed?

    Luke Pollard

    We will follow the normal process for treaty ratification, which is that after signature, the treaty will come before this House, with details given to colleagues and with the ability for full parliamentary scrutiny, as would be expected as part of the normal process. The hon. Gentleman is right to raise the Chagossians. My ministerial colleague, my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff South and Penarth (Stephen Doughty), who is sat next to me, has been meeting Chagossian communities in the UK. He will continue to meet those communities. This Government deeply regret how they were treated and removed from the islands originally. It is one reason why we have made the relationship with the Chagossians such an important part of the future of the islands, as the Foreign Secretary has previously outlined to the House.

  • James Cartlidge – 2024 Speech on the Chagos Islands

    James Cartlidge – 2024 Speech on the Chagos Islands

    The speech made by James Cartlidge, the Conservative MP for South Suffolk, in the House of Commons on 2 December 2024.

    Thank you, Mr Speaker, for granting this urgent question.

    At a time when we face the most challenging military threats for years, surely our top priority should be to preserve the strongest possible US-UK relations, given that this is so vital to our national security, yet it appears that the Government are seeking to agree a deal surrendering the sovereignty of the Chagos islands before President Trump is formally in post. We know that the new US Administration are concerned about the Government’s deal because presumptive nominee US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that the deal

    “poses a serious threat to our national security interests”.

    He has also suggested that

    “it would provide an opportunity for communist China to gain valuable intelligence on our naval support facility”.

    Let us be clear: our military base on Diego Garcia is a vital strategic asset for the UK in the Indian ocean, and it is critical to our presence and posture in the Indo-Pacific region. In particular, it is an especially important base for the United States, and we believe that anything that damages its defence posture, particularly in relation to China, also undermines our national security. We understand that the new Mauritius Government have now launched a review of the deal.

    Will the Minister therefore confirm that the Government’s policy really is to try to rush through their Chagos deal before President Trump’s inauguration? Does he not see how that would be hugely disrespectful to the new Administration and President Trump’s democratic mandate? Given that we now know it is common for the MOD to state the cost of overseas bases, will he be transparent and finally tell the House how much we will have to pay to rent back the vital military base that we currently own?

    Finally, although we would prefer the Government to cancel the whole deal, at the very least will the Minister pause any further ratification until the new US Administration are in place and the Mauritius Government have concluded their review?

    Luke Pollard

    I thank the hon. Gentleman for his questions and his strong focus on this matter. I think he has a bit of amnesia from when the Government he was a part of started these negotiations. They held 11 rounds of negotiations, and it took a Labour Government to conclude them. We have done so in the best interests of our national security, and the national security concerns of our closest allies. It would not have been possible to secure a deal and the support of the United States if all parts of the US security apparatus were not in support of it, and as a former Defence Minister, the hon. Gentleman will know that to be true, regardless of the politics he must play today.

    The hon. Gentleman asked two quick questions. We intend to continue our dialogue with the new Mauritian Government and our friends in the United States. He will be aware, of course, that it is illegal under US law for us to engage directly with the new Administration until they come into place, but we will continue to have dialogue with our US and Mauritian friends.

    I am surprised that as a former Defence Minister, the hon. Gentleman is asking about costs. He will know that it is usual for us to declare the operating and running costs of overseas bases, but it would compromise our operational security and long-term relationships if we were to declare the Government-to-Government payment for overseas bases. We have declared the operational running costs of our overseas bases, and we will continue to do so in response to parliamentary questions. Detailing the security payments for Government-to-Government interactions is not something that this Government do, and was not something that his Government did either.

  • Luke Pollard – 2024 Statement on the Chagos Islands

    Luke Pollard – 2024 Statement on the Chagos Islands

    The statement made by Luke Pollard, the Minister for the Armed Forces, in the House of Commons on 2 December 2024.

    I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing this urgent question. The Secretary of State has asked me to respond on behalf of the Department.

    On 3 October, the UK and Mauritius reached an historic agreement to secure the important UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, which plays a crucial role in regional and international security. The agreement secures the effective operation of the joint facility on Diego Garcia well into the next century. The agreement is strongly supported by our closest friends and allies, including the United States. It has been supported by all relevant US Departments and agencies, following a rigorous scrutiny process.

    This base is a key part of UK-US defence relationships, as it enables the United Kingdom and the United States to support operations that demonstrate our shared commitments to regional stability, provide a rapid response to crises and counter some of the most challenging security threats we face. The President of the United States applauded the agreement. To quote him directly:

    “It is a clear demonstration that through diplomacy and partnership, countries can overcome long-standing historical challenges to reach peaceful and mutually beneficial outcomes.”

    Several other countries and organisations, including India, the African Union, the UN Secretary-General and others, have welcomed and applauded this historic political agreement.

    Our primary goal throughout these negotiations, which started over two years ago under the previous Government, was to protect the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia. There will be clear commitments in the treaty to robust security arrangements, including arrangements preventing the presence of foreign security forces on the outer islands, so that the base can continue to operate securely and effectively. The operation of the base will continue unchanged, with strong protections from malign influence.

    For the first time in 50 years, the base will be undisputed and legally secure. Continued uncertainty would be a gift to our adversaries. That is why the agreement has been welcomed by all parts of the US system, and other critical regional security partners. Agreeing the deal now, on our terms, meant that we were able to secure strong protections that will allow the base to operate as it has done. We look forward to engaging with the upcoming US Administration on this and many other aspects of the UK-US special relationship.

    Finally, hon. Members can be reassured that the long-term protection of the base on Diego Garcia has been the shared UK and US priority throughout, and this agreement secures its future. We would not have signed off on an agreement that compromised any of our security interests, or those of the US and our allies and partners.

  • David Lammy – 2024 Speech at the Asian Development Bank Event

    David Lammy – 2024 Speech at the Asian Development Bank Event

    The speech made by David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, on 13 November 2024.

    Thank you, President Asakawa, for bringing us all together today.

    I am really very, very pleased to see such a strong line-up as we launch this important initiative.

    In my first major speech as Foreign Secretary, the Kew Lecture, I spoke about the need to put tackling the climate and nature crisis at the heart of our foreign policy.

    I passionately believe this is the right course for Britain – given the size of the threat, and the scale of the opportunity.

    And we are putting climate at the centre. Already domestically, we have got rid of the onshore wind ban. Already domestically, we have set up GB Energy – the first public utility to really harness and race us forward on that clean energy mission. Later on today, our Prime Minister will announce an ambitious NDC target, and we have already said that there will be no renewal of oil and gas licenses in the North Sea and we’ve seen the end of coal in the United Kingdom. We have got off to a major, major start. I passionately believe that this is the right course for Britain given the size of the threat then and the scale of the opportunity.

    But clearly, no one country can tackle this problem alone.

    So it is very important to see countries from the Indo-Pacific and the Euro-Atlantic, all working together, all recognising that our security is indivisible, and that this is a true climate-nature moment where we come together and we see that acutely in conflicts like the conflict that we see in Ukraine.

    I am also delighted that the UK will be playing its part, announcing today a 280 million dollar guarantee as part of this collective effort.

    I said it in my Kew speech and I have heard it frequently at past COPs, but it really bears repeating.

    Words are not enough. If we are to avoid the worst, all of us need to take action. And for countries like those on this panel, whose economies prospered in the age of hydrocarbons, that means putting our money where our mouth is.

    But it’s not just about what we commit, it’s also about making the most of that money.

    All of us on this panel will have experienced difficult conversations with our finance ministries.

    And at the same time, all of us will have heard again and again in conversations with partners in the Global South the shortages in climate finance and how big they are, and they risk getting bigger.

    The best way to manage this is through innovative and multilateral solutions like this finance facility. Whether we say we want to get our penny’s worth or bang for our buck, the point remains the same – this is about maximising our impact.

    I congratulate the Asian Development Bank and our friends here today for their work in reaching this milestone.

    Thanks to the design of this Facility, you will be able to use every pound, dollar, krona, yen or won from us, and lend four and a half times as much.

    As a result, we will have leveraged eleven billion dollars between us.

    And we are going a long way towards fulfilling your ambition to be the climate bank of Asia.

    This is urgently needed.

    Over half of our global emissions come from Asia, almost half from developing Asia.

    This is not surprising given the region’s size and impressive growth in recent years.

    But it highlights the need for climate action.

    Not least given how climate change risks reversing development gains particularly in the region, with over 40 million people at risk of falling back into extreme poverty because of the impact of the climate emergency.

    Ultimately, like all the work we do at COP, this event is about them, not us.

    It’s about taking the action they need.

    It’s about getting them access to the finance they deserve.

    It’s about changing their lives for the better.

    And preserving a planet on which they and we can live in harmony with our natural environment for generations to come.

    Thank you.

  • Keir Starmer – 2024 Statement at COP29

    Keir Starmer – 2024 Statement at COP29

    The statement made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 12 November 2024.

    The United Kingdom is determined to stand alongside those countries on the frontline of the climate crisis today…

    And to seize the opportunities of tomorrow.

    Because action on climate now is the route towards economic growth…

    Energy security…

    Better jobs….

    And national security in the long term.

    To deliver on the Paris Agreement…

    And keep 1.5 degrees within reach.

    In the first 100 days of my government…

    We launched Great British Energy – to create clean British power…

    We created a National Wealth Fund – to invest in the green industries and jobs of the future…

    We scrapped the ban on onshore wind…

    Committed to no new North Sea oil and gas licences….

    And closed the UK’s final coal power plant at the end of September – becoming the first G7 economy to phase out coal power.

    In line with the international agreement at COP28 to transition from fossil fuels…

    and the UK’s ambitious goal to be the first major economy to deliver clean power by 2030.

    Today I can confirm – three months ahead of deadline…

    The UK’s 2035 international target –

    Our nationally determined contribution –

    to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions by at least 81% on 1990 levels….

    Aligned with 1.5 degrees.

    And we urge all Parties –

    To come forward with ambitious targets of their own…

    As we all agreed at the last COP.

    We will work in partnership…

    to support other countries to develop their own commitments…

    And transition through our forthcoming Global Clean Power Alliance –

    And finance will be its first focus.

    We will honour the commitment made by the previous government…

    to provide £11.6 billion in of climate finance between April 2021 and March 2026….

    But we must use public finance as a multiplier…

    To unlock much more private investment…

    And reform our international financial institutions.

    Today we launch the new CIF Capital Market Mechanism, listed on the London Stock Exchange…

    With the potential to mobilise up to $75 billion…

    in additional climate capital for developing countries over the next decade.

    Putting the UK’s role as a global financial centre…

    at the service of driving the green finance and green energy transitions.

    Climate action is at the heart of this government’s mission for the protection and prosperity of Britain and the world.

    Writ large across our domestic and international priorities…

    We are taking the urgent action needed – to protect our planet and its people.

  • Ed Davey – 2024 Statement on Donald Trump Winning Presidency

    Ed Davey – 2024 Statement on Donald Trump Winning Presidency

    The statement made by Ed Davey, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, on 6 November 2024.

    This is a dark, dark day for people around the globe. The world’s largest economy and most powerful military will be led by a dangerous, destructive demagogue.

    The next President of the United States is a man who actively undermines the rule of law, human rights, international trade, climate action and global security.

    Millions of Americans – especially women and minorities – will be incredibly fearful about what comes next. We stand with them.

    Families across the UK will also be worrying about the damage Trump will do to our economy and our national security, given his record of starting trade wars, undermining NATO and emboldening tyrants like Putin.

    Fixing the UK’s broken relationship with the EU is even more urgent than before. We must strengthen trade and defence cooperation across Europe to help protect ourselves from the damage Trump will do.

    Now more than ever, we must stand up for the core liberal values of equality, democracy, human rights and the rule of law – at home and around the world.

  • Charles Michel – 2024 Statement on Donald Trump Becoming US President

    Charles Michel – 2024 Statement on Donald Trump Becoming US President

    The statement made by Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, on 6 November 2024.

    Congratulations to President-elect Donald Trump. The EU and the US have an enduring alliance and a historic bond. As allies and friends, the EU looks forward to continuing our constructive cooperation.

    The EU will pursue its course in line with the strategic agenda as a strong, united, competitive and sovereign partner while defending the rules-based multilateral system.

  • Keir Starmer – 2024 Statement on Donald Trump Becoming US President

    Keir Starmer – 2024 Statement on Donald Trump Becoming US President

    Congratulations President-elect Trump on your historic election victory. I look forward to working with you in the years ahead. As the closest of allies, we stand shoulder to shoulder in defence of our shared values of freedom, democracy and enterprise. From growth and security to innovation and tech, I know that the UK-US special relationship will continue to prosper on both sides of the Atlantic for years to come.