David Lammy has said London’s relationship with Cairo is “important”, as he faced questions about possible economic threats amid efforts to free a dual-national citizen detained in Egypt.
The Foreign Secretary said the UK Government must continue to “speak to our Egyptian friends who have obviously real proximity” to the war zone in Gaza.
Alaa Abd El-Fattah, a 43-year-old British-Egyptian pro-democracy writer, was detained in September 29 2019, and in December 2021 was sentenced to five years in prison after being accused of spreading false news.
The Free Alaa campaign said he should have been released in September 2024 and his 68-year-old mother Laila Soueif is on hunger strike in protest over his continued imprisonment in Egypt.
In the Commons on Tuesday, Labour MP Brian Leishman (Alloa and Grangemouth) asked Mr Lammy: “Will the Foreign Secretary guarantee that the UK Government will put a hold on any new economic or financial partnerships with Egypt unless and until British national Alaa Abd El-Fattah is freed?”
If you are a UK national and you find yourself in this awful situation, you're essentially on your own when compared to other nationals
Mr El-Fattah’s mother Laila and cousin Omar Robert Hamilton watched from a side gallery as Mr Lammy replied: “I want to reassure him personally that I share his determination and resolve to see Alaa reunited with his family.
“And their love and dedication to him I think is obvious to many parliamentarians who they have met and campaigned with over this last period.
“He will understand that with the terrible situation in Gaza, it is important that this Government continues to speak to our Egyptian friends who have obviously real proximity to Gaza particularly.
“But I understand the strength of feeling and that’s why the Prime Minister’s raised this, I have raised this on successive occasions, and we will continue to lobby – he’s a dual-national – we will continue to lobby on his behalf.”
Mr Lammy earlier told MPs: “The Prime Minister raised this with President (Abdel Fattah el-) Sisi on August 8 and I last raised it with the Egyptian foreign minister (Badr Abdelatty) yesterday.”
Independent MP John McDonnell, who had the Labour whip suspended in July for backing an SNP motion on welfare policy, said: “The reality is this family has suffered enough, and the reality is also that President Sisi will only move if there is an economic threat.”
Mr Lammy said he urged Mr Abdelatty to “look at what parliamentarians are saying about this case”, adding: “We have continued to do that with the Egyptians, it’s obviously sensitive because of the situation in Gaza, but I don’t think they’re under any doubt how serious this is taken by the British system, the Government and this Parliament.”
I'm proud to be a citizen of this great country and let me say that we've got some outstanding diplomats and officials in the FCDO
The SNP’s Brendan O’Hara (Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber) said: “If you are a UK national and you find yourself in this awful situation, you’re essentially on your own when compared to other nationals.
“Does the minister recognise that depiction and if he doesn’t, what could he point to as being a unique advantage of having a British passport for someone who finds themselves arbitrarily detained?”
Mr Lammy replied: “I recognise that (Mr O’Hara) has got some problem with having a British passport but I haven’t got a problem with having a British passport.
“I’m proud to be a citizen of this great country and let me say that we’ve got some outstanding diplomats and officials in the FCDO. We did recognise, of course, in opposition that there are issues there. That’s why we’ve said that we will come forward with a special representative to work with hostage families.”
Mr El-Fattah’s sister Mona Seif previously told the PA news agency she feared Cairo “will use current context” including conflict in Gaza “to their advantage” in discussions with the UK, as a result of its proximity to the Middle East.
“The continuing flourishing relationships with Egypt enrage me every day because I feel that they are enforcing the real message that they are sending, so asking about Alaa is just a checklist, but the reality is Egypt’s relationship is not altered or shaken a bit by the violations committed against my brother,” she said in September.
