THE PALM D'OR AWARD
Goes to...
Salford MP Hazel Blears
Yes, back in April, Hazel Blears went on a five day jolly, sorry, fact finding trip to Bahrain as a guest of the repressive kingdom which forked out £5,427 (flights £4,630, accommodation £797) for the Salford MP.
Hazel went along with fellow Labour Party chums Baroness Scotland of Asthal, Lord Gulam Noon, Lord Patel of Bradford and Lord Clive Soley. Lord Noon, in particular, has a strong love-in with the country, declaring: "I personally consider Bahrain as my second home and look forward to settling here..."
The purpose of the visit was `to discuss governance, security and human rights issues and promote UK-Bahraini relations', and there were plenty of human rights issues to discuss. Human Rights Watch is constantly slating the regime for its "widespread repression and intolerance of public criticism" and for locking up peaceful dissidents...
"Security forces continued to arrest scores of individuals arbitrarily in towns where anti-government protests regularly take place" the organisation states "High-profile critics of the government remain in jail on charges that relate solely to exercising their rights to freedom of expression and assembly. The judicial system, headed by ruling family members, has yet to hold any senior official responsible for serious human rights violations that have occurred since 2011, including torture-related deaths in detention."
There's lots more too, particularly the regime's `lavish use of tear gas' against those who take to the streets in opposition. Hazel, along with the other Labour Party acolytes happily posed with members of the Bahrain Government, under photos of the ruling Al-Khalifa family.
The delegation's report on its trip hasn't been made public but Alastair Sloan of MEMO Middle East Monitor has seen it, apparently, and called it a `whitewash'... "it's a perfect case study of Bahraini reputation laundering".
"Each of the delegates demonstrates interests that illustrate the cunning of the Al-Khalifas and how they have tried to spin the revolution firstly through false accusations of terrorism, and secondly that the pro-democracy movement is anything but, instead being secretly influenced by theocratic Iran" he adds "Both are myths but the report shows that the delegates were happy to accept and propagate them nonetheless."
It's not like Hazel had her head in the sand. There have been lots of Parliamentary Early Day Motions criticising Bahrain signed by fellow Labour MPs, including Diane Abbott, Glenda Jackson and Bolton MP David Crausby.
In the month before the Bahrain trip, there was a Human Rights In Bahrain motion noting "the ongoing deterioration of the human rights situation in Bahrain as observed by multiple international human rights organisations" and urging the Government "to designate Bahrain as a country of concern and to make strong representations to the Bahraini government to end its human rights abuses, hold individual human rights offenders accountable and release all prisoners serving sentences that relate to their exercising their rights to free expression and association..."
There was one trying to stop the Formula 1 race taking place in Bahrain because of human rights abuses, and another this month asking MPs to agree "That this House is appalled that Britain has signed an agreement with the government of Bahrain to establish a permanent military base at Port Mina Salman in Bahrain; believes that this announcement will be deeply upsetting to all those who have suffered human rights abuses by the government of Bahrain and its officials, and will serve to send a message that the UK Government is not interested in justice, rule of law and reconciliation in Bahrain; notes the protests in Bahrain since the announcement was made; believes that the increased British military presence is likely to exacerbate tensions in the region; and calls on the UK Government to play a much more constructive role in Bahrain to help end, and ensure appropriate redress for, serious human rights violations, and to encourage meaningful dialogue leading to substantive political reform."
Pretty strong stuff from MPs of parties including Labour, LibDems, Greens, SNP and Plaid Cymru...
...Unfortunately Hazel Blears didn't sign any of these motions. Perhaps it's something to do with that £5,427 freebie to Bahrain?
So ladies and gentlemen, flagrantly violate your human rights, arrest your beliefs and have fun in the Arab sun for the winner of the Salford Star Mary Burns Palm d'Or Award...
Ha-a-a-zel Bl-e-e-e-ars!!!
If Hazel would like to apologise to the people of Bahrain, or make an acceptance speech please use the comments box below...
The eighth annual Salford Star Mary Burns Awards ceremony will run throughout the festive season
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