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LONDON – British MPs have defended taking gifts paid by the Qatari government as a corruption scandal in Brussels focuses on lobbying by the country ahead of the World Cup.
The Qatari government has spent more than £260,000 on gifts, hospitality and travel on British MPs since October last year.
Human rights campaigners have criticized the access granted to the Qatari government following the arrest of European Parliament Vice-President Eva Kelly and three others in connection with an alleged illegal influence campaign by Qatar. A series of raids by Belgian federal police resulted in the detention of five people for what it said were “criminal organisation, alleged crimes of corruption and money laundering” and €600,000 in cash, plus phones and computers.
All the trips by MPs were declared in accordance with parliamentary rules but human rights campaigners have questioned their legality.
Sacha Deshmukh, chief executive of Amnesty International UK, said: “No politician should take money or lavish trips from Qatar. Instead, they should speak out against the regime’s widespread human rights abuses.”
Rose Whiffen, research officer at Transparency International UK, said: “MPs should ask themselves why governments with poor human rights records are offering them paid trips abroad before deciding whether it is worth accepting them.”
While there is no evidence of bribing UK MPs, some MPs who benefited from the Gulf state currently hosting the FIFA World Cup were criticized for opening a debate in which they praised Qatar’s record on human rights in the House of Commons.
Alun Cairns, a former cabinet minister and chairman of the Qatar All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), delivered a debate on the country in the House of Commons in October in which he praised its progress on human rights in a lengthy speech. He quoted Nelson Mandela’s words that “sport can change the world” and spoke of the “importance of bringing cultures together to better understand, influence and progress” so that “every nation respects, recognizes and upholds human rights.”
Analysis by POLITICO as part of a wider investigation into APPGs shows Cairns visited Qatar twice in 2022 on trips totaling £9,323, including flights, accommodation and meals.
David Mundell, another former cabinet minister and vice-chair of the Qatar APPG, in the same debate, referred to criticism of Qatar’s record on gay rights, saying: “Many people who express opinions on this issue should also focus on their strengths. Managing LGBT Issues in Professional Football in the UK”.
Mundell visited Qatar last year worth more than £7,000.
Lisa Cameron, an SNP MP who is the other vice-chair of the Qatar APPG, said: “Understanding [mental health issues] Progress is being made all over the world including Qatar. She made one visit this year worth £3,865.
In total, 36 MPs have accepted Qatari government hospitality since October last year, with three MPs receiving benefits worth more than £13,000 each. The average trip cost was £5,922.70.
Deputy Commons Speaker Nigel Evans received the highest total despite his status, which prevents him from speaking or asking questions in any debate.
These MPs rarely criticized Qatar. Conservative Mark Pritchard raised questions about the funding of the Eritrean regime back before they began accepting hospitality in 2010, and Labour’s Chris Bryant condemned the decision to host the World Cup in Qatar as he regretted taking their money.
An analysis of APPG records shows that the group consisted of only six to ten parliamentarians from 2015 to 2021, when the membership increased to 14 and then again to 17 this year.
Eight of the MPs benefiting from Qatar are members of the APPG, while several others have declared the reason for their visit as “APPG business” despite not being registered members of the APPG.
MPs who responded to requests for comment defended their actions as a way to hold Qatar to account.
Doyle-Price said: “It’s precisely to challenge them on their human rights record that we go on these trips … if we’re going to bring morality to Qatar we have to be a bit more honest with ourselves about our own shortcomings.”
Furniss said she went there “to have a full and frank discussion with political leaders on their human rights record,” adding that she was “disappointed with the lack of progress.”
Bryant noted that the MPs attended a center for Afghan refugees and that they “forcefully put our human rights concerns to the Qatari authorities.” However, he added that “they didn’t want to listen and it all felt wrong,” which led him to conclude that he shouldn’t go.
The Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament stipulates that they may not initiate any parliamentary proceedings that “would have the effect of conferring any financial or material benefit on a foreign government … which, in the previous six months, has funded or provided them with a visit they have made. Hospitality together.”
The opening of talks on Qatar in October after a visit to Cairns in March appears to fall outside the six-month rule. He did not respond to a request for comment.
Earlier this week MPs backed proposals to strengthen the code of conduct to “avoid placing oneself under any liability to people or organizations who may seek to improperly influence one’s work”.
Foreign Secretary James Smart and Minister for Sport and Equality Stuart Andrew have attended World Cup games in Qatar, although there is no suggestion that their trips were funded by organizers.
In the UK, gifts accepted by MPs and declarations of their business interests can be completed after 28 days and so the rules do not require MPs to accept hospitality during the World Cup.
Graham Lanctree contributed reporting.
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