MPs on the FCDO’s approach to state level hostage taking

The commons foreign affairs select committee today heard evidence from ministers in the foreign commonwealth and development office. The committee was scrutinising the department’s approach to state level hostage taking.

Labour MP Liam Byrne focussed his line of questioning on the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. He said: “It took five foreign secretaries over six years to bring home Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe. … Over the course of 2019 through to March 2022, it looks like that has been the opposite of a whole of government approach”.