Search

23 Oct 2025

MP resigns as trade envoy over northern Cyprus visit

MP resigns as trade envoy over northern Cyprus visit

A Labour MP has resigned as the UK’s trade envoy to Turkey amid controversy over a visit to Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus.

A government spokesman told the BBC Afzal Khan, who represents Manchester Rusholme, had stepped down from his position on Friday.

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.

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.

To continue reading this article,
please subscribe and support local journalism!


Subscribing will allow you access to all of our premium content and archived articles.

Subscribe

To continue reading this article for FREE,
please kindly register and/or log in.


Registration is absolutely 100% FREE and will help us personalise your experience on our sites. You can also sign up to our carefully curated newsletter(s) to keep up to date with your latest local news!

Register / Login

Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.

Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.