Foreign Affairs Committee Says Hammond Being ‘Less Than Candid’ in Libya Issue

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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The Foreign Secretary of the UK, Philip Hammond, has been accused of being “less than candid” over Britain’s plans to send troops to Libya as they alleged he was being “wholly and deliberately misleading.” According to the Commons foreign affairs committee, it has rejected Philip Hammond’s assurances that there is no imminent deployment to the turbulent North African state.

The issue has risen after the committee’s visit to Egypt and Tunisia last month, where they are believed to have been informed that the UK is going to contribute 1,000 troops to an Italian-led international force to help train Libyan forces “in the near future.” However, Mr. Hammond promised to the committee that no decision had been made and said “at no point did British diplomats brief you to this effect. Your assertions are wrong on a number of accounts.”

The statement drew critical response from the committee chairman, Crispin Blunt MP, who said Mr Hammond’s letter was designed to be “wholly and deliberately misleading to the uninformed reader”. Mr. Blunt stated that “as you are no doubt aware given your careful choice of words, the briefing came from another British source working at the direction of the defence attache and witnessed by British diplomats,” adding that the committee remained “deeply concerned by potential British military involvement in Libya.” Furthermore, Blunt asserted that “the welcome candour of briefings by all whom we met in Cairo and Tunis contrasts sharply with your less-than-candid reply to my request for further detail on a rapidly developing situation that may require further active British engagement.”