a day ago
Labour axes north Cyprus envoy Afzal Khan after the Mail broke the story of his unauthorised trip
The UK's trade envoy to Turkey was sacked on Friday after causing a diplomatic spat with an unauthorised trip.
Six days after the Daily Mail first reported the story, and following a week of building pressure, Labour MP Afzal Khan was removed from his post following a visit to northern Cyprus.
In common with the rest of the world bar Turkey, the UK does not recognise the breakaway state – and is forbidden from doing so by UN resolutions.
Nevertheless, Mr Khan met its leader in his official residence and posed for photographs beneath the territory's flag – a breach of international protocol.
The act of freelance diplomacy riled the official Cypriot government in the south who described his actions as 'absolutely condemnable and unacceptable'.
They called for UK officials to 'respect' their state and the international agreements that forbid recognition of the self-declared government in the north.
Sir Keir Starmer finally relented yesterday and sacked Mr Khan in a bid to smooth relations with Greek Cypriots.
Dame Priti Patel, Shadow Foreign Secretary, said: 'Keir Starmer should have sacked his trade envoy straight away for his ill-judged travel. Yet again the Prime Minister has serious questions to answer about his poor judgment and actions that undermine Britain's global standing.'
In recent days, the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK called for Mr Khan to go, pointing out that no UK official would visit occupied Ukraine.
Tories branded Sir Keir 'spineless' for leaving him in post for so long, while Labour MPs and Mr Khan's constituents also raised the matter with the Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds.
The row was sparked by Mr Khan's visit to Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar's official residence last week.
Mr Khan, the MP for Manchester Rusholme, told officials that it was a personal visit and ministers are understood to have been unaware of the trip.
On Friday night, Christos Karaolis, president of the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK, thanked the Mail for raising the issue.
'We welcome Afzal Khan's departure as the trade envoy to Turkey. His position was clearly untenable following his deeply inappropriate and unacceptable visit to occupied northern Cyprus,' he said.
'Mr Khan's condemnable actions compromised UK foreign policy, undermined the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus and contravened international law.
A Government spokesman said: 'Mr Khan has left his position as trade envoy to the republic of Turkey.'
