Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Epping Forest, stood up in Parliament to pay tribute to the critical work of the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the Red Cross as King Charles III visits our Pacific allies.
Dr Hudson's comments came during a debate on the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and International Committee of the Red Cross (Status) Bill - a piece of legislation that will, if passed, will formally recognise both groups as international organisations to imbue them with bolstered legal capacities and privileges.
The Bill was introduced to Parliament under the previous Conservative Government and enjoys cross-party support.
In the Chamber, Dr Hudson paid tribute to the CPA which does so much to promote the positive ideals of parliamentary democracies around the world. The CPA is one of the oldest established organisations in the Commonwealth and Dr Hudson is proud to be a member.
Speaking afterwards, Dr Neil Hudson MP for Epping Forest, said:
“I'm incredibly proud of the Commonwealth, of our King and our nation's commitment to international cooperation.
"This small specialist Bill represents our deep commitment to international cooperation and will bolster the UK's position on the world stage.
"Indeed the CPA and the ICRC are pillars of openness and international cooperation that do so much to empower and improve lives of people across the globe. This Bill will help them in their work greatly and I'm proud to support it."
Dr Hudson is keen to bolster the strong relationship between the UK and the Commonwealth. Earlier this year he highlighted ANZAC Day in the Chamber with an intervention to honour those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. You can watch the intervention here: www.neilhudson.org.uk/news/parliament-dr-neil-hudson-mp-honours-antipodean-allies-anzac-day-global-challenges-mount
Full exchange in the Chamber:
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Epping Forest, asked:
"I very much welcome the Bill in support of these two important organisations. With the King currently in Australia as the Head of the Commonwealth, will my hon. Friend join me in paying tribute to the Commonwealth—that family of nations with shared values—and to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, which, as she has said, provides such an opportunity to share best practice and spread the common good of democracy right across the Commonwealth?"
Shadow Foreign Office Minister, Alicia Kearns MP, replied:
" I thank my hon. Friend. It is so rare for us to celebrate the positive in this House, but the Bill does exactly that. We should be proud of how His Majesty has championed the Commonwealth, both before he became our monarch and since. I look forward to his arrival in Samoa in the coming days.
"The Conservative Government proudly ran multiple projects with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association to strengthen the democratic nature of legislatures and how decisions are approached and made. Ultimately, the Bill will amend the legal environment to ensure that the CPA remains headquartered in the UK; again, we can all agree that that is unambiguously positive. In an increasingly dark world, it is worth fighting for those small shoots of light that offer a glimpse of a path to a better future. This is one."
