London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – David Lammy announces plans to appoint a special envoy to manage complex detention cases involving Britons abroad and provide them with a legal right to consular access.
Foreign minister David Lammy proposes appointing an envoy to address complex detention cases.
As stated by The Guardian, the foreign secretary revealed he has been “looking hard” at numerous annual cases involving individuals in need of consular help.
He told the Foreign Affairs select committee on Wednesday, “I do hope to announce an envoy, a special … an individual who will deal with more complex detention cases.”
Mr Lammy praised the efforts of consular staff, and also highlighted the need for a “tightening of grip” by the Foreign Office in complicated cases, adding that plans to grant UK citizens a legal right to consular access for Britons abroad are underway,
Shadow Foreign Secretary David, while speaking to MPs, emphasized the challenges facing British citizens overseas. He said he has been looking hard at the 28,000 people at any one time that come through our system. He added that the cases are varied, ranging from someone arrested for being drunk in Magaluf to the tragic loss of lives abroad for a variety of reasons.
According to the Foreign Office, it supports about 20,000-25,000 British nationals and their families each year, including about 4,000-5,000 who are arrested or detained overseas.
Appointing a special government envoy to secure the release of Britons detained for years without trial would fulfil Lammy’s commitment from his time in opposition.
The Guardian reported concerns from senior UK diplomats have expressed worries regarding the envoy plan, with fears it could impact relationships with other countries and trade deals.
On Wednesday, David Lammy met with the family of Alaa Abd el-Fattah, the British-Egyptian software developer and democracy activist, who is Egypt’s most prominent political prisoner. He was scheduled for release in September but remains in detention, and his mother, Laila, is now on a hunger strike.
During a press conference, Laila Soueif and her two daughters, Sanaa and Mona, told the press that they felt Lammy had listened to their concerns but he had made no firm commitments. They also wished the meeting had not occurred months earlier.
Soueif, who has lost 16kg (35lbs) since starting her strike, told The Guardian, “He listened to me, I hope my message got through. My main message was that I’m on hunger strike, I’m not about to break my hunger strike until Alaa is released. We’ve had a lucky break by the fact that my body has been so resilient and my body has not collapsed.”
Abd el-Fattah has yet to have a visit from the British consulate. “Consular access can be pushed on a ministerial level, and I still want to see progress on that,” Soueif explained, adding that it would “make a lot of difference” to her son’s morale.
Sebastien Lai, son of the arrested media mogul and pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai, attended Lammy’s first committee hearing as foreign secretary. His father, whose trial resumed last week following multiple delays, has been imprisoned in Hong Kong jail for nearly four years, held in solitary confinement, and could face a life sentence if convicted.
When asked about Canada, the US, and Australia securing the release of several of their detained citizens from China in recent years, Lammy stated the UK had been limited by the “lack of engagement” with Beijing under the Conservatives.
Supporters of Lai have accused the UK government of providing “ridiculously” insufficient support for him, as compared to the efforts of the US, Canada, and Australia which have lobbied for this release.
Keir Starmer raised the issue of Lai’s detention during his bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Brazil this month.