EditUK faces backlash over Labour MP’s meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader in Northern Cyprus
The controversy has reignited debates over Britain’s delicate balancing act as a guarantor power
A wave of condemnation has swept the United Kingdom following Labour MP Afzal Khan’s controversial visit last week to the occupied territories of Cyprus, where he met Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar and accepted an honorary doctorate from the “American University of Kyrenia.”
Khan, the MP for Manchester Rusholme and UK trade envoy to Turkey, entered the self-proclaimed “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” (TRNC) via the illegal Tymbou airport, prompting accusations of violating international law, undermining Britain’s role as a guarantor power in Cyprus, and calls for his resignation.
Cyprus’ division and Britain’s role
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded the northern third of the island following a Greek-backed coup attempt, leading to the establishment of the “TRNC” in 1983. This entity is recognized only by Turkey and is considered illegal under international law, with the Republic of Cyprus maintaining sovereignty over the entire island. In 2004 the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU with the entire territory of the island being considered EU soil.
The United Nations and the international community, including the UK, do not recognize the “TRNC,” and the northern territory remains under Turkish military control, separated by a UN-patrolled buffer zone.
Britain, alongside Greece and Turkey, is a guarantor power under the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee, which established Cyprus’ independence from British colonial rule. As a guarantor, the UK is tasked with upholding Cyprus’ territorial integrity and constitutional order, a role that includes supporting UN-led efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue through a bizonal, bicommunal federation. The UK also maintains two sovereign military bases on the island, Akrotiri and Dhekelia, further tying it to Cyprus’ geopolitical dynamics.
Khan’s visit sparks outrage
Khan’s visit involved meetings with Tatar at the Turkish Cypriot “presidential” residence, accompanied by his wife and Turkish Cypriot businessman Ziya Emir, as well as engagements with National Unity Party officials, university representatives, and local business and cultural groups.
Turkish Cypriot media highlighted Khan’s receipt of an honorary doctorate in political science and international relations, a move that has fuelled perceptions of legitimizing the unrecognized “TRNC.”
The visit has drawn sharp criticism across the UK. Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel condemned Khan, stating, “This visit undermines the United Kingdom’s credibility as a guarantor power and impartial negotiator in Cyprus.” She argued that it sends a “worrying message” to British Cypriots, many of whom were displaced from the occupied areas, and called for Khan’s resignation.
“Labour’s foreign policy is an embarrassment, and this visit raises serious legal and moral questions,” Patel told the Daily Mail. She demanded clarification on whether the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) was informed or approved of the trip.
Conservative MP Alicia Kearns amplified the criticism, questioning why the UK trade envoy to Turkey was engaging in a region Britain does not recognize.
“There’s no such thing as a ‘personal visit’ to a region claimed by the country you represent as a trade envoy,” Kearns posted online, accusing Khan of overstepping into foreign policy.
Why is the UK’s Trade Envoy to Türkiye holding meetings in Northern Cyprus, a territory we do not recognise, @SDoughtyMP?
There’s no such thing as a “personal visit” to a territory claimed by the country you are trade envoy to.
It seems trade envoys now determine foreign policy pic.twitter.com/reqI2hA8SW
— Alicia Kearns MP (@aliciakearns) August 11, 2025
The National Federation of Cypriots in the UK, representing over 300,000 British Cypriots, issued a scathing letter to the government, calling Khan’s actions a “blatant breach” of international law and UK policy. The Federation accused Khan of meeting with Tatar, described as a “hardline nationalist” aligned with Turkey’s authoritarian President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and demanded his removal as trade envoy.
UK government response and international implications
The FCDO told the Cyprus News Agency that Khan’s visit was personal, not official, and that the government was not informed in advance. A government spokesperson emphasised, “There is no change in the UK’s long-standing position on the so-called ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.’”
However, the controversy has reignited debates over Britain’s delicate balancing act as a guarantor power, its relations with Turkey, and its commitments to the Cypriot diaspora and international law. The incident risks straining the UK’s role in UN-mediated Cyprus talks, particularly as Tatar’s hardline stance, backed by Turkey, has stalled negotiations in favour of a two-state solution, which the international community rejects.
The government of the Republic of Cyprus in Nicosia has not issued a direct public statement specifically addressing Labour MP Afzal Khan’s visit to the occupied territories of Cyprus. Cyprus’ foreign ministry has previously condemned similar actions, such as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to the occupied north on 3 May 2025, describing it as an “illegal visit” that promotes the secessionist entity in violation of international law and UN Security Council resolutions.
The original of this article in Greek by Politis can be found here.
Caption: Labour MP Afzal Khan [L] receives honours from Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar in internationally unrecognised Northern Cyprus. [X account of Alicia Kearns MP]
Updated: August 12, 2025 - 14:25
