How British MPs operate from behind veil of charity, political activism: Report
Oct 07, 2021
London [UK], October 7 : In the garb of charity and political activism, some British parliamentarians are getting paid to rake up the Kashmir issue during debates about the region, according to an expert.
Writing for the news website InsideOver, Italian political advisor Sergio Restelli claimed that British MPs get paid for spewing "venom" against New Delhi. They get paid either in terms of votes or sketchy donations or all-expenses-paid trips funded by the Pakistan government.
Far from being hauled up for financial gain in exchange for pushing the agenda of their benefactors, Restelli stated that such behaviour is condoned and pushed under the carpet.
While naming British MP Debbie Abrahams, who was deported from India in 2011, the Italian political advisor explained that some British MPs deliberately bring up the rights issue of selective areas.
"Who can take exception to such high principles that the Hon. Abrahams espoused? The only problem is that for the MP in question, human rights are not universal."
Since 2011, Abrahams has raised the issue of Kashmir on more than 20 occasions and in various formats in the British Parliament.
"But how many times has she spoken about the genocide of Uyghur Muslims in China or the horrible human rights situation in Balochistan where thousands have been killed and thousands more subjected to "enforced disappearances" by the Pakistani authorities? Restelli asked.
Following the deportation from India, Abrahams went on a fully-funded trip to Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
According to official papers, after the trip on March 20, 2020, she declared that the Pakistan High Commission paid £15,590 for her trip, along with two staffers.
"Interestingly, on exactly the same dates 6 more MPs who also visited PoK were part of the same delegation (all paid for by the Pakistan High Commission) and they declared that the total cost was £2290. The math does not make sense, does it?"
Predictably, four of the six MPs who visited PoK also "spouted venom against New Delhi" in the Kashmir debate.
The political advisor also named another British MP Angela Rayner, who is reportedly connected to a clear quid pro quo between the 'donations' made by British Pakistani businessmen with the Pakistani government and Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI.
Sergio Restelli asked why in the face of profuse evidence of Pak connection in buying influence in the UK is being tolerated by the British authorities?
He further asked why such "open purchase of MPs by Pakistan is being allowed so blatantly?"