A LABOUR MP has been forced to resign as the UK’s trade envoy to Turkey amid controversy over a visit to Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus.
Afzal Khan, who represents Manchester Rusholme, had stepped down from his position on Friday, a government spokesman has told the BBC.
Mr Khan said the trip to the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is not recognised by the UK Government, was to visit his nephew and to receive an honorary degree.
He said he had paid for the trip himself.
The act of freelance diplomacy riled the official Cypriot government in the south who described his actions as “absolutely condemnable and unacceptable”.
Turkish troops have occupied the northern section of the Mediterranean island since 1974.
Shadow foreign minister Wendy Morton told the BBC that she welcomed Mr Khan’s resignation, but said Sir Keir Starmer should have sacked him earlier.
Dame Priti Patel, Shadow Foreign Secretary, told MailOnline: “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 judgement and actions that undermine Britain’s global standing.”
Christos Karaolis, president of the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK, said: “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.
“Mr Khan’s condemnable actions compromised UK foreign policy, undermined the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus and contravened international law.”
A Government spokesperson said: “Mr Khan has left his position as trade envoy to the republic of Turkey.”
