Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure that the elections taking place in December 2016 in the Gambia are conducted in a free and fair manner.

​The UK has been vocal in its opposition to crack down on fair and free campaigning ahead of the election on 1 December and has been active in opposing the imprisonment of the Opposition leader, Ousainou Darboe, and his supporters. Our Ambassador will be following the election closely with other diplomatic missions on the ground. We will urge the African Union and Economic Community Of West African States to intervene if there are any reports of the will of the people being ignored or suppressed. We are also disappointed that the EU Electoral Experts Mission has been refused permission by the Government of The Gambia.