Yahoo News Boris Johnson is doing ‘immense damage’ to Britain’s reputation abroad, says Labour lord
Boris Johnson is doing “immense damage” to Britain’s reputation abroad, the House of Lords has heard.
The foreign secretary was accused of having a tendency to “speak first and think afterwards”.
In a rare personal attack at question time, Labour’s Lord Soley said Mr Johnson had a “bad reputation” for it at home and overseas.
Foreign office minister Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon leapt to Mr Johnson’s defence, saying he led from the front and represented Britain in “exemplary fashion”.
The issue was raised after the foreign secretary’s trip to Iran in an effort to secure the release of jailed British mother Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.
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Lord Soley said: “Are you aware of the immense damage being done to Britain’s reputation abroad and to the rights of British citizens abroad by the tendency of Boris Johnson to speak first and think afterwards?”
He said Mr Johnson needed to “reverse that process because he has a bad reputation for it both in this country and overseas – and it is damaging Britain’s relationships and damaging individuals”.
Lord Ahmad replied, to jeers: “The foreign secretary, as I’m sure many in this House would acknowledge, represents our country and the foreign office in exemplary fashion.”
He said Mr Johnson’s visit to Iran, Oman and the United Arab Emirates was “testimony to that”, adding: “I’ve seen the foreign secretary in operation directly as a minister within his team.
“He does so with a strategic outlook and in a very positive fashion.”
Mr Johnson will update MPs on efforts to secure the release of Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe following his trip to Iran, as Tehran’s foreign ministry asked the country’s judiciary to examine her case on humanitarian grounds.
Mr Johnson raised the plight of the jailed British mother during his official visit to Iran and will deliver a statement in the Commons on the outcome of his trip.
In Tehran, Iran’s foreign ministry said it would raise the case with the judiciary “out of humanitarian concerns” following the visit by Mr Johnson.
Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said the final decision on whether to release Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who is serving a five-year sentence for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government – something she vehemently denies – rests with the judiciary.
Tehran does not recognise Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s dual nationality and is treating her as an Iranian national.
Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe “is considered an Iranian national and should serve her prison conviction according to the judicial system of Iran”, Mr Ghasemi said.
On Sunday, Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s husband Richard Ratcliffe said there had been “positive consequences” as a result of the talks, including the postponement of a new court case.
Having always been keen to have his wife home for Christmas and for her birthday which follows soon after, he said he was optimistic that this was still achievable.
“But as Christmas gets closer it gets harder to expect,” he added. “I wasn’t presuming that she would come back on the plane with him (Mr Johnson).
“So I think for me, it was always best case scenario that his going would unlock the door and then days later she might be able to come home.
“That is still possible, she has still got that application for early release, she has still got a medical assessment – all those things that were hanging there on the good side are still there.
“The bad stuff that was hanging there seems a bit more remote, the good stuff feels like it is more and more likely to go ahead.
“Of course the bad stuff is still possible, and the good stuff is still not guaranteed, but the balance has shifted.”
