Georgia

Debate between Catherine West and Stephen Gethins

Tuesday 3rd December 2024 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Gethins (Arbroath and Broughty Ferry) (SNP)]

(Urgent question): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the parliamentary elections in Georgia.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Catherine West)]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. Following the elections in Georgia on 26 October, the Minister for Europe, North America and the Overseas Territories, my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff South and Penarth (Stephen Doughty), made clear our support for the findings of the OSCE office for democratic institutions and human rights’ election monitoring mission preliminary report on the election. That report highlighted a range of concerns, including frequent breaches of voter secrecy, procedural inconsistencies and reports of intimidation and pressure on voters, which had a negative impact on public trust in the process. This has seriously damaged Georgia’s international reputation. I hereby reiterate our call on the Government of Georgia to implement the recommendations issued by the OSCE monitoring mission after the publication of its final report.

Georgia and the UK have enjoyed a long history of close bilateral relations, and we have fully supported Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations in line with the strong will of the Georgian people and previously supported the Georgian Government’s reform agenda. However, since gaining EU accession status almost one year ago, several measures introduced by the Georgian Government have taken the country on a harmful trajectory away from European values, and we have seen an increase in anti-western rhetoric by the Government.

The Minister for Europe, North America and the Overseas Territories spoke to Georgian Foreign Minister Darchiashvili on 9 October to relay the UK’s concerns about the introduction of a law on transparency and foreign influence and a law on family values. On 11 October, we reiterated our concern as to how that contributed to pressure on civil society and human rights. Those actions undermine Georgian citizens’ clear ambition for a modern, inclusive Euro-Atlantic future and jeopardise the UK's close partnership with the Georgian Dream Government. People in Georgia are making clear their opposition to Georgian Dream’s decision to pause the country’s further moves towards a European future.

I am deeply concerned by reports of excessive use of force by Georgian police against protesters exercising legitimate democratic rights. This morning, the Minister for Europe, North America and the Overseas Territories released a statement condemning the use of brutal force that has continued over recent days. We have called on the Georgian authorities to de-escalate the situation and reverse their harmful trajectory away from European values. Continued steps away from democratic norms and freedoms will serve only to harm Georgia’s international reputation and risk fundamentally damaging relations with Georgia’s friends and partners. The UK Government have already decided to review their relations with the Georgian Government, including by freezing our annual Wardrop strategic dialogue until we see signs of a reversal of this anti-democratic slide.

--- Later in debate ---

[Stephen Gethins]

First, thank you for granting this urgent question, Mr Speaker. As you will be aware, people across the Chamber have friends in Georgia, who will be reassured that we have taken the time to discuss this matter. I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests as a trustee of the John Smith Trust, which has done fantastic work in Georgia and elsewhere. I hope you do not mind me mentioning that.

Georgia is a country in which I have lived and worked; I know that other colleagues have done so as well. Like others in the Chamber, I care for it deeply. I thank the Minister for her statement. I highlight the work that she mentioned of her ministerial colleagues, the excellent work of the embassy in Tbilisi, and UK-based international non-governmental organisations, who have done fantastic work for years.

We have been so disturbed in the aftermath of the elections. The dangers of destabilisation in Georgia are acute when 20% of Georgia’s territory is still under Russian control—it is occupied.

Further to her statement, will the Minister tell us what discussions she has had with European partners over Georgia’s EU accession, which is vital to its long-term stability, and what work is ongoing to ensure that the rule of law is enshrined and fortified and to protect the freedom of the media and journalists and the freedom to protest? Finally, having visited the border with Russia recently, I ask the Minister what work is being done to ensure that Georgia maintains sanctions on Russia regardless of the Administration in Tbilisi.

[Catherine West]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his commitment to and intimate knowledge of Georgia. I underline the importance of his points on the freedom of the press—we need to know what is happening—and the freedom to protest. Emotions were running high following the election campaign, but police brutality is never acceptable. It is so important that people who wish to are able to express their views safely. I thank him for putting that on the record.

On the discussions the Minister for Europe, North America and the Overseas Territories has had, the hon. Gentleman underlined the importance of UK support for the democratic process and spoke about the irregularities during the election campaign, which worried us, as partners during the election proceedings. As he will be aware, we have called for an investigation into those irregularities so we can be clear that the results were correct. We have taken the decision to pause our discussions at a political level until there is more stability; in that time, we will see how things develop with the forming of the new Government, and so on. The hon. Gentleman is right to lay out his concerns. We will relay them not just from ourselves as a Government, but from this Parliament.

Ukraine

Debate between Catherine West and Stephen Gethins

Tuesday 3rd December 2024 Commons Chamber

[Catherine West]

My hon. Friend will be aware that just last week, Germany made an important announcement about continuing military support. There has been a step change, particularly in light of the importance of the defence of Europe. Having a war on European soil is so instructive, and I think people are slowly coming to the table. It is clear that the UK has a real leadership position, and that is why the EU-UK security pact work is so important. The Europe Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff South and Penarth (Stephen Doughty), is working hard to develop that. As Members will be aware, we have just announced more collaboration with Germany where possible, and specifically in relation to Ukraine. In general, the UK has so much to offer the EU in that regard. We know that the ongoing conversations we are having more holistically about EU-UK relations are enriched by our defence capability.

[Stephen Gethins (Arbroath and Broughty Ferry) (SNP)]

I congratulate the shadow Foreign Secretary, the right hon. Member for Witham (Priti Patel), on securing this urgent question, and I thank the Minister for her statement. We are just past the anniversary of when Ukraine voted for independence. To remind everybody, every single part of Ukraine voted for independence. Does she agree, and will she remind any incoming Administration anywhere—perhaps in the United States—that the territorial integrity of Ukraine is set in international law and must be respected?

[Catherine West]

The key words are “respecting borders”, and that is where the neocolonial philosophy of President Putin, as he laid out originally in that seminal essay before the war, shows how completely at odds with the modern viewpoint he is. Yes, we will support Ukraine on its vision of its own borders, its own strength and its own sovereignty.

EU Nationals

Debate between Catherine West and Stephen Gethins

Wednesday 29th November 2017 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Gethins]

There is one way to get rid of scaremongering: to vote with us tonight and give EU citizens certainty. This Parliament has the power to put an end to that uncertainty.

Let me talk about some of the key industries. On the NHS, the Conservatives should be ashamed. Anyone who has spent time in hospital recently or had relatives who have done so, will tell of the outstanding care from all staff in the NHS, including EU nationals. Very few of us will not have been treated by an EU national at some point. Yet the British Medical Association reports that 45% of doctors are considering leaving and 19% have already made arrangements to do so. That is damaging for us all—each and every one of us.

Seasonal workers make an absolutely crucial contribution on our farms. Just a couple of weeks ago I was speaking to a farmer in my constituency who plants broccoli. He told me that it has to be harvested by hand, and that if the number of seasonal workers continues to go down, the harvest cannot be taken in. That uncertainty is being created for industries in my constituency and, I suspect, in rural constituencies across the UK.

[Catherine West (Hornsey and Wood Green) (Lab)]

There are not many rural elements to my constituency, but does the hon. Gentleman agree that the same principle applies to construction, where we could also face a lack of skilled workers, holding up the building of more affordable homes, which are urgently needed, including in my constituency?

[Stephen Gethins]

The hon. Lady makes an excellent point about the construction industry.

The University of St Andrews is a big employer in my constituency, with 22% of its academic staff and 31% of its research staff coming from other EU countries. That is absolutely critical.

I want to touch on the human angle now. It is all very well to talk about statistics and the big impact; that is something that we are all aware of. I have asked colleagues across the House about EU nationals in their constituencies, and I want to give hon. Members some examples. In Glasgow North, for example, Michèle Gordon, a Scot who is originally from Germany, runs the Language Hub, which helps young and old people to learn new language skills. In Rosyth, in the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Dunfermline and West Fife (Douglas Chapman), Dace Stutane, a Scot who is originally from Latvia, volunteers in the community garden to cultivate vegetables to give to local children. In St Andrews, Silvia Paracchini, a Scot originally from Italy, works with a team of five other EU nationals on ground-breaking neurogenetics, including vital work on dyslexia. That work will benefit us all. Nanodent in Glenrothes and Edinburgh has Spanish and Greek dentists who are plugging a gap in that vital service. My hon. Friend the Member for Central Ayrshire (Dr Whitford) is married to a German Scot who has worked in the NHS in Scotland for 32 years. The former Member of the Scottish Parliament, Christian Allard, is a Scot who was originally from France. He set up a fishing business and is now in Aberdeen.