Written Question
Monday 1st December 2025
Asked by:
John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question
to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of whether the recent presidential election in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was conducted in a free and fair manner.
Answered by Stephen Doughty
- Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In accordance with the rest of the international community, with the sole exception of Turkey, the UK does not recognise the self-declared 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' as an independent state.
We respect the right of the Turkish Cypriot community to choose their representatives in the UN-led settlement process, and we engage with Turkish Cypriot representatives under our non-recognition policy to support the UN-led settlement process. I will meet Mr Erhürman at the next informal UN-led talks to support momentum towards a just and lasting settlement. We followed his recent leadership election and are not aware of any evidence of irregularities.
Written Question
Monday 1st December 2025
Asked by:
John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question
to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to meet the newly elected President of the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus.
Answered by Stephen Doughty
- Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In accordance with the rest of the international community, with the sole exception of Turkey, the UK does not recognise the self-declared 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' as an independent state.
We respect the right of the Turkish Cypriot community to choose their representatives in the UN-led settlement process, and we engage with Turkish Cypriot representatives under our non-recognition policy to support the UN-led settlement process. I will meet Mr Erhürman at the next informal UN-led talks to support momentum towards a just and lasting settlement. We followed his recent leadership election and are not aware of any evidence of irregularities.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 08 Nov 2022
Oral Answers to Questions
"18. What funding his Department provides to the BBC World Service. ..."John Whittingdale - View Speech
View all John Whittingdale (Con - Maldon) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 08 Nov 2022
Oral Answers to Questions
"Does my hon. Friend agree that the BBC World Service plays an ever more important role in countering disinformation, particularly from Russia and elsewhere? Will he therefore look to increase the amount of support that his Department gives to the World Service, and does he share my concern that the …..."John Whittingdale - View Speech
View all John Whittingdale (Con - Maldon) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 31 Oct 2022
Ukraine
"Will my right hon. Friend make it clear that if, indeed, any attack did take place on the Russian Black sea fleet, the UK had absolutely no involvement in it? Will he confirm that despite the withdrawal of Russia from the agreement, ships bearing grain have nevertheless left Odesa today, …..."John Whittingdale - View Speech
View all John Whittingdale (Con - Maldon) contributions to the debate on: Ukraine
Speech in General Committees - Mon 05 Sep 2022
Republic of Belarus (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2022
"I fully support the measures contained in the SI, although I regret their necessity. In 2018 I led the British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union delegation to Belarus. We went there because at that time there was an assessment that Belarus might be inching slightly further away from Russia, and …..."John Whittingdale - View Speech
View all John Whittingdale (Con - Maldon) contributions to the debate on: Republic of Belarus (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2022
Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 21 Jun 2022
World Press Freedom Day
"I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Damian Collins) on securing the debate, on the second attempt, after Prorogation got in the way last time. As he said, we had this debate last year, when a great number of concerns were expressed. Since then, the freedom …..."John Whittingdale - View Speech
View all John Whittingdale (Con - Maldon) contributions to the debate on: World Press Freedom Day
Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 21 Jun 2022
World Press Freedom Day
"The hon. Member is right to say that No. 33 was a poor placing for the UK but, as I indicated, we are now up to No. 24. There has been an improvement...."John Whittingdale - View Speech
View all John Whittingdale (Con - Maldon) contributions to the debate on: World Press Freedom Day
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 26 Apr 2022
Oral Answers to Questions
"The Minister will be aware that next Tuesday is World Press Freedom Day, yet free media are under greater pressure than ever before, particularly in Russia where independent journalism has been ruthlessly suppressed. Does she agree that the need for independent news providers such as the BBC World Service is …..."John Whittingdale - View Speech
View all John Whittingdale (Con - Maldon) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Written Question
Tuesday 26th April 2022
Asked by:
John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question
to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
What diplomatic steps her Department is taking to promote media freedom globally.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK is a longstanding champion of media freedom globally. We co-founded the Media Freedom Coalition, and continue to work with them, and partners to address the deteriorating global media freedom situation. We commend all journalists for their bravery in these unprecedented times.
In Ukraine we are working with partners to support journalists, providing direct support to enable independent journalism to continue including for example security advice and facilitation of international monitoring (including of potential war crimes).