Responding to Conservative MPs voting down changes to the Trade Bill which would have put human rights at the heart of UK trade policy, Liberal Democrats Foreign Affairs spokesperson Layla Moran MP said: “Today the Government turned down a crucial opportunity to say ‘never again’ and put ending genocide and protecting human rights at the heart of the UK’s trade policy, despite clear cross-party support.
“On the same day that the US recognised what is happening in Xinjiang as genocide, the Government has chosen to turn a blind eye and to not put human rights first. But this isn’t over – we will support a new amendment when the Bill goes back to the Lords.
“The Liberal Democrats will always fight to protect human rights around the world, and we’ll continue to push this government to do everything it can to end the genocide being committed against the Uyghurs and other persecuted peoples.”