"Many Photos" - Splits in Labour on show as Emily Thornberry says Venezuela needs new elections

Labour's splits over Venezuela were exposed today as Emily Thornberry called for new elections and backed sanctions against the regime.

The shadow foreign secretary said the Foreign Office under Labour would not indulge abuses of human rights anywhere - regardless of the political stripe of its government.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn - a long-standing admirer of Nicholas Maduro's socialist predecessor Hugo Chavez - has strongly condemned outside interference in Venezuela 'whether from the US or anywhere else'.

In a speech today Ms Thornberry said Britain was wrong to join other nations in recognising opposition leader Juain Guaido as interim president.

But she condemned the Maduro regime and endorsed sanctions because 'doesn't involve killing people.

Labour's splits over Venezuela were exposed today as Emily Thornberry (pictured today at PMQs) called for new elections and backed sanctions against the regime

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (pictured last week) - a long-standing admirer of Mr Maduro's socialist predecessor Hugo Chavez - has strongly condemned outside interference in Venezuela 'whether from the US or anywhere else'

Maduro has shown no signs of bowing to the pressure, warning that he could not rule out civil war if the protests against his regime continued

Spain, Germany, France, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Austria, the Netherlands and Lithuania have all joined in recognising Mr Guaido, who proclaimed himself interim president on January 23. 

In her speech today, Ms Thornberry said: 'Under a Labour Foreign Office, I can ... guarantee there will be no indulgence of human rights abuses because they are committed by less powerful countries, or by governments who call themselves 'socialist' but who, by their actions, betray every socialist ideal.'  

Ms Thornberry told an event at the Institute for Government in London on Wednesday: 'What I am saying is that we begin with dialogue.

'That offer has been made, internally and externally we need to ensure that happens.'

She added: 'That's the best way to proceed rather than somebody saying 'that's it, we've had enough, we recognise X, we don't recognise Y any more'.

'That's not the way to treat another country, even a country in as desperate a situation as Venezuela.'

Ms Thornberry said she was a 'great believer in sanctions' as a way of using foreign policy muscle 'that doesn't involve killing people'.

Mr Maduro has shown no signs of bowing to the pressure, warning that he could not rule out civil war if the protests against his regime continued.

'I don't accept ultimatums from anybody. Why should the EU be giving ultimatums to a country?,' he said in an interview with Spanish television broadcast late on Sunday.  

In a speech today Ms Thornberry said Britain was wrong to join other nations in recognising opposition leader Juain Guaido as interim president

Meanwhile the Government faces 'serious questions' over what it will do to ensure any Venezuelan money illegally tied up in the UK is returned to the country's people, a former head of the foreign affairs select committee has said.

Crispin Blunt said Venezuela had been 'systematically looted' by the country's ruling class and warned it was the British government's responsibility to seize any ill-gotten gains within its jurisdiction.

The Conservative MP made the comments after Britain and other European powers announced they were recognising opposition leader Juan Guaido as the interim president of the oil-rich country.

The move follows the failure of the embattled incumbent Nicolas Maduro to call new presidential elections as demanded by the Europeans and other foreign countries.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the people of Venezuela had suffered enough and it was time for a 'new start', while he described the Maduro regime as 'kleptocratic'.

Mr Blunt told the BBC's World Tonight that the UK Government had to take action beyond simply recognising Mr Guaido's legitimacy as leader.

He said: 'With all the funds that the government of Venezuela has in the UK legally, and then the funds that are in the UK illegally having been stolen from the people of Venezuela by the people who are currently running it, there are serious questions to be asked about what our Government is going to do make sure those monies can be returned to the proper service of the people of Venezuela.' 

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News Photo Splits in Labour on show as Emily Thornberry says Venezuela needs new elections
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