Speeches by Foord.

“On the shortcomings of what the Prime Minister proposed from the Dispatch Box earlier, the Cabinet Secretary told the Foreign Affairs Committee back in November: “The only information which was not already in the public domain at the time is a reference to official records which have since been disclosed”. We have obvi…”

“I was contacted by a constituent who is a former civil servant. They waited on the so-called helpline for over two hours on six occasions and were cut off continually. It is a contradiction in terms to call it a helpline. Does the hon. Member agree that that is completely unacceptable behaviour from Capita?”

“It is my understanding that, in addition to employer networks, the CITB is also seeking to redirect funding to the new entrant support team. I declare an interest: my father worked as a new entrant training officer. Does the hon. Gentleman accept that the new entrant support team is good value, and is perhaps a good pl…”

“What we have seen is that the United States has justified the action in terms of its own domestic law enforcement. What is the significance of the US not having sought to justify the operation in terms of international law? Can I put that first to Professor Dill?”

“Is there any exception that would apply in the case of Putin if there were a special tribunal to prosecute the crime of aggression against Ukraine? There has been discussion of a tribunal sitting in Ukraine, which would be one domestic jurisdiction acting against another. Could you comment on that?”

“Are there any exceptions to this doctrine of Head of State immunity?”

“What should we make, then, of the assertions from the United States that Maduro’s presidency is not legitimate?”

“Do you have anything to add on that question, Professor Tzanakopoulos?”

“In response to the unilateral US action in Venezuela, the Government merely said that they were waiting to establish all the facts. Meanwhile President Trump said that he does not need international law, and that he is constrained only by his own morality or conscience. In advance of any US unilateral action against Ir…”

“Is there any exception that would apply in the case of Putin if there were a special tribunal to prosecute the crime of aggression against Ukraine? There has been discussion of a tribunal sitting in Ukraine, which would be one domestic jurisdiction acting against another. Could you comment on that?”

“Are there any exceptions to this doctrine of Head of State immunity?”

“What should we make, then, of the assertions from the United States that Maduro’s presidency is not legitimate?”

“Do you have anything to add on that question, Professor Tzanakopoulos?”

“Can we move on to immunity and the doctrine of Head of State immunity? Does President Maduro enjoy immunity from legal proceedings by virtue of being a Head of State?”

“Could this set a precedent? In particular, are we seeing customary international law change because of that lack of reaction from the rest of the international community?”

“On the international reaction to the operation, what implications are there for international law on the use of force in the reaction that we saw—or didn’t see?”

“Professor Tzanakopoulos, do you have anything to add?”

“What we have seen is that the United States has justified the action in terms of its own domestic law enforcement. What is the significance of the US not having sought to justify the operation in terms of international law? Can I put that first to Professor Dill?”

“The Epstein files suggest that Lord Mandelson was prepared to lobby in the United States in 2009 for a policy position in contradiction to that of Her Majesty’s Government, in which he was then serving as Business Secretary. Will this revelation encourage the Government to find out whether Lord Mandelson lobbied agains…”

“In 2023, the Intelligence and Security Committee reported: “The UK’s academic institutions provide a rich feeding ground for China to achieve both political influence and economic advantage”. Was interference in UK universities raised with President Xi?”