The Manchester Rusholme MP, in office since 2022, resigned Friday after criticism from Cypriot officials and UK politicians who said he undermined Britain’s stance on the divided island….reports Asian Lite News
Labour MP Afzal Khan has resigned as the UK’s trade envoy to Turkey following mounting criticism of his visit to the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus last week.
The MP for Manchester Rusholme, who had held the role since 2022, stepped down on Friday after outrage from Cypriot officials and British politicians who said his actions undermined the UK’s diplomatic stance on the divided island.
Cyprus has been split since Turkey’s 1974 invasion, which left the northern third under Turkish military control. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, declared in 1983, is recognised only by Turkey, while the UK and the rest of the international community continue to acknowledge only the government of the Republic of Cyprus. During his visit, Khan met Turkish-Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar. The Cypriot government condemned the trip as “absolutely condemnable and unacceptable,” while its foreign ministry described it as a “provocative action” in direct contradiction with Britain’s position. Christos Karaolis, president of the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK, said Khan’s position was “clearly untenable” after what he called a “deeply inappropriate and unacceptable visit.”
Khan defended his trip, stressing that it had been undertaken privately during the parliamentary recess. He said he travelled to see his nephew and to accept an honorary degree from a local academic institution, and insisted it was “in a personal capacity” and “unrelated” to his trade envoy role. In a letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, he explained that he believed it was “best to stand down at this time so not to distract from the hard work the government is doing to secure the best possible trade deals for this country.” Khan also noted that as many as 20 British parliamentarians had visited northern Cyprus in the past without sparking similar controversy.
Despite his explanation, pressure for his resignation quickly built. Dame Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, called for him to quit earlier this week, while Wendy Morton, the shadow foreign minister, accused Starmer of lacking the courage to dismiss him sooner. The Cypriot foreign ministry issued a strongly worded statement on X declaring that “the recent illegal visit of British MP Afzal Khan to the areas of the Republic of Cyprus occupied by Türkiye, as well as his meeting with Mr Ersin Tatar, were unacceptable and provocative actions.” It added that his resignation was “an important development” of particular significance at this time.
The UK government confirmed his departure on Friday. A spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade said: “Mr Khan has left his position as Trade Envoy to the Republic of Türkiye.” The Foreign Office also moved to underline Britain’s official stance, stating: “The visit was undertaken in a personal capacity. There is no change to the government’s long-standing position regarding the so-called ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.’”
Turkish-Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar later revealed that Khan’s trip followed an invitation after the two men met in Manchester earlier this year. For many in the Greek Cypriot community, however, the MP’s visit risked weakening Britain’s neutrality in long-running efforts to reunify the island. Khan’s resignation ends his tenure promoting trade ties with Turkey, a role complicated by Ankara’s fraught relationship with Cyprus, and leaves Labour facing uncomfortable questions about discipline and foreign policy judgment as the government pursues wider trade deals abroad.
