Luke Pollard MP: “It is not safe for someone like me to watch the World Cup in Qatar”
With the World Cup just weeks away, Luke Pollard has raised the issue of LGBTQ+ persecution in Qatar with the UK government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
This year’s tournament has been marred with controversy since it was announced that it would take place in the Gulf state, where homosexuality is illegal and LGBTQ+ people are routinely subjected to discrimination and harassment.
In an oral question to the FCDO on 8 November, Pollard – Plymouth’s first openly gay MP and the current Shadow Armed Forces Minister – highlighted that “it is not safe for someone like me to watch the World Cup in Qatar.” “Because of the human rights abuses of migrant workers and Qatar’s LGBT population, I personally don’t think Qatar should ever have been awarded a major sporting competition,” he told the House of Commons. “So will the Minister back the home nation’s captains in wearing a rainbow armband when they play at the World Cup and can he apologise for the Foreign Secretary’s remarks that LGBT fans should somehow show compromise, because it is never acceptable for a government minister to force LGBT people back into the closet.” David Rutley, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Americas and Caribbean, said the FCDO will be prioritising “the safety of all British nationals who will be travelling to the World Cup.” He continued: “LGBT+ rights is an issue that the UK prioritises internationally and we continue to engage with the Qatar authorities on this issue. “Many sportsmen and women use their platform to do important work across a range of issues – that’s their personal choice. “The UK government stands by our values and our teams stand by our values of our home nations.” Despite his assurances that
