Oral Answers to Questions

John Cooper Excerpts

Tuesday 27th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Ed Miliband]

Let me deal directly with the most substantive part of the hon. Member’s question. I think it is a view shared across the House that the ill-gotten gains of Russia and Russian oligarchs must be used for the right purposes, not the wrong purposes. On the question he raised about Chelsea, I will be careful what I say because of legal processes, but we are absolutely determined to take action on that. More broadly, we will be urging in the coming months that our EU partners, along with Britain, move on Russian sovereign assets more generally, because we know that one of the most important things we need to do is give proper support to Ukraine through this winter and beyond, and Russian sovereign assets are an ideal way to do that.

[John Cooper (Dumfries and Galloway) (Con)]

2. What assessment he has made of future levels of uranium enrichment planned by Iran.

[The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Stephen Doughty)]

We have raised the UK’s serious concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme, and that includes the Foreign Secretary raising it directly with Foreign Minister Araghchi. Iran has accumulated over 400 kg of uranium enriched to 60%—a level that goes beyond any credible civilian justification. Iran’s ongoing lack of International Atomic Energy Agency co-operation led us, together with 22 countries, to vote to report Iran to the UN Security Council for its continued non-compliance and refusal to allow inspectors access. A negotiated solution remains the way to address Iran’s nuclear programme, and we are working with partners on that.

[John Cooper]

Iran is tiptoeing towards a bomb. It is an existential threat for our friend and ally Israel. I cannot understand how glad-handing the despotic Tehranian regime and making fake TikTok videos in New York helps world peace. Surely we can do more.

[Stephen Doughty]

With the greatest respect, the Foreign Secretary raised very serious concerns at the highest levels about Iran’s nuclear programme and a series of other issues, just as previous Foreign Secretaries—including many Conservative ones—have raised serious concerns directly with Iran. We are absolutely clear: Iran must never have a nuclear weapon. We are committed to working with others to ensure that it does not.

--- Later in debate ---

[Kirsty McNeill]

We do not currently have plans to expand UK Aid Match beyond the Disasters Emergency Committee funding appeals, which, as my hon. Friend rightly said, are focused on crises that require a large-scale rapid response. She is right, however, that the British public continue to care deeply about equality and the human rights of those overseas. The FCDO formally supports that through our women’s rights organisations programme, our grassroots sexual and reproductive health and rights programme and our LGBT+ rights programme. I would be delighted to talk to her and, indeed, any other hon. Members across the House about what more we can do to give life to the British public’s impulse towards deep solidarity on questions of equality.

[John Cooper (Dumfries and Galloway) (Con)]

T7. The Foreign Office facilitated a trip to Dublin for the Scottish First Minister, John Swinney. There, he met the egregious Mary Lou McDonald of Sinn Féin to discuss the break-up of Britain. Why are British taxpayers paying for such nonsense?

[Ed Miliband]

Our belief in the United Kingdom and in keeping our United Kingdom together is absolute and clear. The First Minister of Scotland can have his visits.