Diplomatic team released after rebel capture
William Hague has responded to rumours that a detachment of SAS troops has been captured in Libya, confirming that “a small British diplomatic team has been in Benghazi".
The Foreign Secretary said the team had gone to Libya “to initiate contacts with the opposition” and had “experienced difficulties, which have now been satisfactorily resolved”. He said that the team has now left Libya, adding:
"We intend, in consultation with the opposition, to send a further team to strengthen our dialogue in due course. This diplomatic effort is part of the UK's wider work on Libya, including our ongoing humanitarian support.
"We continue to press for Qadhafi to step down and we will work with the international community to support the legitimate ambitions of the Libyan people."
Reports suggest the troops are now on board HMS Cumberland, which left Benghazi harbour this afternoon. Libyan state television has broadcast what it claims is a phone call between the British Ambassador for Libya and a rebel leader, discussing the team's release.
Mr Hague told the Politics Show this morning that he is "in touch with both sides" in Libya, and that the British Government is "getting the message through to them [the Gaddafi] regime that there will be a day of reckoning". He added that Britain's military is not "toothless", and said that having an aircraft carrier off the coast of Libya was unnecessary.
Defence Secretary Liam Fox told Andrew Marr that there was a "spearhead element made ready to deal with humanitarian aid" but that there were no plans to send in British ground forces to the Middle East. The Department for International Development announced that the UK would be airlifting 500 Bangladeshis stranded in Tunisia.
David Miliband told the BBC that it was "horrific" that Saif Gaddafi had been able to lecture at the LSE under his father's name and he pressed for an inquiry into whether the university's academic independence had been compromised as a result.
The Sunday Telegraph reports that as many as 100 officers from Gaddafi's police force are currently training in the UK on a postgraduate course at the University of Huddersfield. A former Scotland Yard Commissioner is set to gain £ 4m from the deal. The Home Office said it was a "private agreement between the Libya police force and the university."
The Foreign Secretary said the team had gone to Libya “to initiate contacts with the opposition” and had “experienced difficulties, which have now been satisfactorily resolved”. He said that the team has now left Libya, adding:
"We intend, in consultation with the opposition, to send a further team to strengthen our dialogue in due course. This diplomatic effort is part of the UK's wider work on Libya, including our ongoing humanitarian support.
"We continue to press for Qadhafi to step down and we will work with the international community to support the legitimate ambitions of the Libyan people."
Reports suggest the troops are now on board HMS Cumberland, which left Benghazi harbour this afternoon. Libyan state television has broadcast what it claims is a phone call between the British Ambassador for Libya and a rebel leader, discussing the team's release.
Mr Hague told the Politics Show this morning that he is "in touch with both sides" in Libya, and that the British Government is "getting the message through to them [the Gaddafi] regime that there will be a day of reckoning". He added that Britain's military is not "toothless", and said that having an aircraft carrier off the coast of Libya was unnecessary.
Defence Secretary Liam Fox told Andrew Marr that there was a "spearhead element made ready to deal with humanitarian aid" but that there were no plans to send in British ground forces to the Middle East. The Department for International Development announced that the UK would be airlifting 500 Bangladeshis stranded in Tunisia.
David Miliband told the BBC that it was "horrific" that Saif Gaddafi had been able to lecture at the LSE under his father's name and he pressed for an inquiry into whether the university's academic independence had been compromised as a result.
The Sunday Telegraph reports that as many as 100 officers from Gaddafi's police force are currently training in the UK on a postgraduate course at the University of Huddersfield. A former Scotland Yard Commissioner is set to gain £ 4m from the deal. The Home Office said it was a "private agreement between the Libya police force and the university."
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