Welsh MP Alun Cairns has received lavish gifts for Qatar and has spoken in the Commons to defend the Gulf state's different culture. The MP's role has been thrown into the spotlight amid criticism of the state's record on human rights during the World Cup.
Vale of Glamorgan Conservative MP Alun Cairns has been given two trips to Qatar this year worth thousands of pounds. Records show Mr Cairns received £9,323 for two trips, one in February and one in March.
The trips apparently included flights (including an upgrade), accommodation, internal travel and meals. The first trip was as apart of the all parliamentary group "to discuss Qatar's humanitarian and political response to the Afghanistan crisis, preparations for the World Cup, workers' rights reform, bilateral relations and broader regional issues".
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During a debate about preparations for the World Cup in October Mr Cairns, who chairs an informal parliamentary group gave a speech “paying tribute” to Qatar as well as posting videos on Twitter quoting Nelson Mandela saying “sport has the power to change the world.”
He went all out praising what he perceived as improvement in how the Qataris were treating migrant workers and their "open approach". He added "The best influence this can bring about to the region is to celebrate different cultures, recognise diversity and move understanding on all quarters in a positive direction." There was seemingly no acknowledge from Mr Cairns in his speech about the ongoing discrimination homosexuals face under the current Qatari regime.
Speaking about concerns over the tournament being used by Qatar for “sportswashing” to improve its reputation, Mr Cairns told the PA news agency: “I think we’ve got to accept the World Cup already has had a major difference in terms of changing laws in Qatar.
“The ambassador himself has said there is more to do, but that has got to be seen as a positive thing. Now, if the influence of people like David Beckham, like parliamentarians who are visiting, like ministers who are travelling press the case, recognise the reforms that have taken place but also press for them to be continued, as well as encouraging other nations in the region to follow suit, then that will be a positive step.
“It’s not up to people like the ambassadors like David Beckham alone, it’s up to the collective effort, but I do think recognition of the changes that have been made is really important, and also working from clear facts because there are so many numbers thrown around in relation to deaths in construction of the stadia, in deaths in the workplace in general, in terms of injuries.
“We’ve got to work from authoritative data and the authoritative data that I can see is the UN-sponsored International Labour Organisation that has completely dismissed some of the numbers that have been presented in some media reports.”
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Mr Cairns' support for Qatar has not gone unnoticed by the leaders of the the country. Sources have told Insider that the Qatari foreign ministry said it wanted the previous chair of the UK all-party parliamentary group (APPG) to be dropped in favour of the Conservative MP.
According to Insider one person connected with the APPG told Insider that its former chair, the Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael, stepped aside after the Qatari government suggested it would be "preferable" for it to be chaired by a Tory. Another source said Carmichael had been "eased out".
Mr Cairns also said that he hoped the World Cup will help people under stand "what is important" to the Qataris. He told PA: “My hope is it’s a great success, that it helps bring cultures together to understand what is important to them and what is the cultural norm, and we influence each other in positive ways.
“I also hope that there will be a legacy in terms of continuing to develop what we consider to be normal employment, human rights practices, and that will equally be transferred to other nations in the region that have yet to make similar progress."
As well as his role as an MP Mr Cairns is currently holding down three jobs for which he is paid £60,000 a year for just over 4 hours work a week.
The member for the Vale of Glamorgan is a senior advisor at the Crumlin based BBI Group (who worked on UK Government contracts to manufacture Covid-19 tests) as well as been senior adviser Newport based company Veezu Holdings Ltd who run Amber Cars and Dragon Taxis. Last summer he took up another job as an adviser to Elite Partners Capital Pte Ltd (a global property investment firm).
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