Constituency Report (November 2018) House of Lords International Relations Committee
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Constituency Report (November 2018) House of Lords International Relations Committee On 24th October I gave evidence to the House of Lords International Relations Committee, which is writing a report on changes in the foreign policy world. I outlined the Labour Party’s position on foreign policy; and how we must stand up to the resurgence of “big man” politics. I reiterated my concern that Britain has abdicated it’s position on the world stage, by continuing to back an increasingly authoritarian and erratic American president. It is incumbent on us to pursue the human rights agenda and multilateralism, particularly in the face of the current vacuum of world leadership. I took this opportunity to reaffirm our party’s commitment to our NATO defence spending targets, and the Lords International Relations Committee, importance we place on guarding against 21st century 24th Oct threats such as cyberattacks, propaganda, and political interference. International Parliamentarian Conference on Yemen On the 8th November I went to the National Assembly in Paris to speak at the International Parliamentary Conference for Peace in Yemen. We must continue to press our government to act over the humanitarian disaster Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has orchestrated in Yemen, and this conference was an affirmation that many parliamentarians from many different legislatures feel as strongly as I do about the war. In my speech I confirmed Labour’s support for a six-point pledge proposed for agreement at the conference, calling for an immediate ceasefire, the adoption of a new UN Security Council resolution on the crisis, the delivery and proper funding of humanitarian relief to Yemeni civilians Debate at the Cambridge Union, 6th Nov at risk of starvation, and the investigation of all alleged war crimes committed in the conflict. Foreign Office Questions At Foreign Office Questions I asked the government to address very serious allegations that British intelligence services became aware of the Saudi plan to abduct dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered on 2nd October, before it happened. As the Foreign Secretary was unwilling to comment on intelligence matters in the House of Commons, I urged him to attend an emergency closed door session of the Intelligence and Security Committee, so they can find out what the government knew and when. As more details continue to emerge about the killing of Mr Khashoggi, and the CIA concluding that his murder was ordered by Crown Celebrating 100 Years of Women in Prince bin Salman himself, it is vital that we find out what Parliament, with Dawn Butler MP, 14th Nov the British government knew and when. Standing up forAsylum my constituent for Asia Bibi Shao Jiang The case of Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman who spent eight years on death row for blasphemy charges, came to came to national attention this month, as violent protests against her release made it clear that she and her family would be in danger if they remain in Pakistan. My Shadow Foreign Office colleague Liz McInnes immediately wrote to the government asking if Britain would extend asylum to Asia and her family, and last week we found out that the FCO has warned against offering them asylum, out of fear that mobs in Pakistan would threaten British consulates in the country. At Prime Minister’s Questions Diane Abbott and I demanded assurances that Ms Bibi and her family will be welcomed if they seek asylum here. The government’s Reception for the 80th Anniversary of the actions in this case display a typical dereliction of moral duty, Kindertransport, with Cllr Candida Jones, which we have come to expect, and has become the norm 15th Nov under this Tory government. Interpol Presidency Election In response to the proposed election of Putin agent Alexander Prokopchuk as President of Interpol, I asked the Minister of State what diplomatic efforts she intended to make to build a majority against the election of the Russian candidate. As head of Russia’s national central bureau Major General Prokopchuk has directly orchestrated Russia’s abuse of Interpol’s international arrest warrant system, which he has used to target Putin’s enemies and critics across the world. Fortunately South Korean candidate Kim Jong-yang was elected to this position, and we were not left with a representative of an authoritarian regime which routinely flaunts the rule of law. Meeting with Lolwah Rashid Al-Khater & Qatar Delegation with Fabian Hamilton MP, 24th Oct Media appearances have included 11th Nov - Centenary of the Armistice - National Service of Thanksgiving 17th Oct - New Statesman Book Review of The Women in the Room by Nan Sloane 15th Nov - Thousand Club Defending Democracy Breakfast 22nd Oct - Good Morning Britain 16th Nov - Warrington South CLP Fundraiser 22nd Oct - Victoria Derbyshire 17th Nov - Glasgow Shettleston Labour Women’s 22nd Oct - Nick Ferrari on LBC Campaign Day 31st Oct - BBC World at One 19th Nov - Met with Cllr Claudia Webbe on Cycle 7th Nov - ITV Peston safety and improvements 11th Nov - The Andrew Marr Show 13th Nov - Article on Penny Mordaunt wanting to leave Unesco 19th Nov - Article on Yemen In the constituency and out campaigning 17th Oct - PinkNews Awards 20th Oct - Canvass and Q&A with Crawley CLP 29th Oct - Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy Tree Planting at Bridge Secondary School 30th Oct - Islington Library launch of 'Expectations Exhibition' for Black History Month 2nd Nov - Constituency Surgery Campaigning in Glasgow Shettleston, 17th Nov 3rd Nov - National Campaign Day in Bournemouth 3rd Nov - Labour South East Conference - Southampton Solent Conference Centre 4th Nov - Luton Labour Conference 5th Nov - Meeting with City and Islington College Principal Andy Forbes 5th Nov - Islington 4 Women Meeting at Islington Town Hall 8th Nov - London Labour Fundraising Dinner 10th Nov - Constituency Surgery National Campaign Day in Bournemouth West, 10th Nov - Royal British Legion - Festival of 3rd Nov Remembrance 2018 at Royal Albert Hall 11th Nov - Islington Town Hall - Remembrance Parade & Service 11th Nov - Spa Green - Remembrance Service House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA [email protected] 020 7697 9307 (2-5pm on Mon, Tues, Thurs) Foreign Affairs and Work in Parliament 12th Nov - Met with Egyptian Parliamentarians, with Stephen Timms 18th Oct - Met with Leader of Turkish CHP Party, Kemal Kilicdaroglu with Fabian Hamilton 12th Nov - Foreign Office Briefing on China with 18th Oct - Farewell Dinner for H.E Mr Y K Sinha, Helen Goodman High Commissioner for India 13th Nov - Met with Miguel Díaz-Canel, President 22nd Oct - Statement on the Death of Jamal of Cuba, with Jeremy Corbyn Khashoggi 14th Nov - Met with Bahrain Institute for Rights 23rd Oct - Met with Outgoing Head of Delegation and Democracy for the ICRC in Israel and the Occupied Territories, Jacques De Maio 15th Nov - 80th Anniversary of the 23rd Oct - Met with Joe Dobbs - Policy Analyst, Kindertransport Reception, with Lord Dubs Lords International Relations Committee 16th Nov - Met with Thomas Oppermann, Vice- 23rd Oct - State Banquet for King and Queen of President of the Bundestag The Netherlands 20th Nov - Urgent Question on the Interpol 24th Oct - Gave evidence to House of Lords Presidency Election International Relations Committee inquiry on UK foreign policy in changed world conditions 20th Nov - Spoke at Brazil Solidarity Initiative Meeting 24th Oct - Met with Lolwah Rashid Al-Khater & Qatar Delegation with Fabian Hamilton 21st Nov - Urgent Question on UN Resolution on Yemen 24th Oct - Breast Cancer Care Reception 21st Nov - Met with Lebanese Ambassador Rami 24th Oct - Shadow FCO Team Meeting Mortada, with Jeremy Corbyn 25th Oct - Met with Icelandic Foreign Minister, 21st Nov - 'All Eyes on Yemen' Virtual Reality with Fabian Hamilton Exhibition 25th Oct - Reception for Argentine Minister of Foreign Affairs 26th Oct - Met with Secretary General of UN Association of Mauritius 30th Oct - Foreign Office Questions 1st Nov - Met with Dr Naser Al Shaer, former Palestinian Minister of Education 1st Nov - Spoke at New Statesman-Vodafone Brexit / Business Roundtable 5th Nov - Board of Deputies President’s Dinner 6th Nov - Met with Kristine Beckerle, Human Rights Watch's Yemen researcher Planting a tree at Bridge Secondary School, 6th Nov - Cambridge Union Debate: Is the Special 29th Oct Relationship Over? 8th Nov - International Parliamentarian Conference on Yemen in Paris House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA [email protected] 020 7697 9307 (2-5pm on Mon, Tues, Thurs) .