Libya and the Middle East Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Cabinet Office

Libya and the Middle East

Greg Hands Excerpts
Monday 28th February 2011

(13 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

Order. Many hon. Members are still seeking to contribute, but there is pressure on time as we also have a heavily subscribed debate under the auspices of the Backbench Business Committee. Therefore, if I am to accommodate most colleagues, extreme brevity is now required.

Greg Hands Portrait Greg Hands (Chelsea and Fulham) (Con)
- Hansard - -

Returning to the question asked by the hon. Member for Rhondda (Chris Bryant) on close relations with Colonel Gaddafi’s son Saif, was the Prime Minister as surprised as I was to learn that Saif Gaddafi also had many meetings with the previous Business Secretary, Lord Mandelson, and described the former Prime Minister, Tony Blair, as a “close personal friend”?

Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton Portrait The Prime Minister
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My hon. Friend makes a good point that highlights the issues that I raised earlier. It was right to restore relations with Libya, but parameters and judgment needed to be brought to bear as well.