Alistair Burt, the special envoy for British citizens detained overseas, has spoken about the difficulties and limitations of his new role. This comes as families of those detained express concerns regarding the position's mandate in complex consular cases.
In his first public engagement, Mr Burt, a former Conservative Middle East minister, stated, "I don’t make policy. I’m not a minister. I don’t have that authority. It will ultimately be the foreign secretary and the prime minister who will need to make the changes in policy or changes in approach if required." He added that the best he could do was not to disguise the difficulties of the role.
The Foreign Office describes the role's purpose as advancing the government’s commitment to British nationals in the "most difficult and complex detention cases overseas" under the direction of the foreign secretary. The envoy is intended to advocate within and represent government, and engage with families.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was detained in Iran for six years, welcomed the appointment but expressed concern that quiet diplomacy could become an "excuse" for government inaction. Lawyers and campaigners at the event also voiced concerns over the limited mandate of the special envoy role.