The Foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt has asked Bishop Mountstephen to lead a review on the persecution of Christians and other minority groups stating…
‘I have asked the Rev’d Philip Mounstephen, Bishop of Truro, to lead an independent review of whether we are doing all we can. I would like this exercise to consider some tough questions and offer ambitious policy recommendations: Britain has – in my view – the best diplomatic network in the world, so how can we use that to encourage countries to provide proper security for minority groups under threat? Have we been generous enough in offering practical assistance, and does the level of UK support match the scale of the suffering?’
Hunt also states in his report Britain’s commitment to protecting minority groups:
‘Britain has a strong history of standing up for the rights of all religious communities. I am proud of the way the UK has led the world in condemnation of the ethnic cleansing of the Muslim Rohingya community in Burma; as well as our response of passionate anger to the recent resurgence of anti-Semitism in our own society.’
Of specific note is the following sentence from Hunt’s statement:
‘It is not in our national character to turn a blind eye to suffering. All religious minorities must be protected.’
It is crucial that Yezidis are not forgotten in this review as they are already inexplicably refused asylum in the UK.