UK – The Guardian, July 16, 2025
David Lammy said he hopes to appoint special envoy for British nationals detained overseas
Families and lawyers of prominent British prisoners detained abroad have called for the government to deliver on promises to help secure their release and appoint a special envoy.
Last week, David Lammy, the foreign secretary, said he hoped to appoint a special envoy for British nationals arbitrarily detained overseas by the end of the year, after vowing to do so in November 2024 and as part of a Labour manifesto pledge.
But families have criticised a lack of government action to secure the release of British nationals while they wait for an envoy to be appointed and raised concerns that some cases could be left out of their purview.
Heather Cornelius, the wife of Ryan Cornelius, a property developer arrested in Dubai 17 years ago, said: “I have always tried to keep faith in the British government, but they have given us no reason to.”
