The Labour and Manchester MP Afzal Khan has resigned as a trade envoy to Turkey after a controversial trip to Northern Cyprus last week.
The Cypriot Government said that his behaviour was “unacceptable” after his visit to a territory which isn’t recognised by the UK government.
In a letter to the Kier Starmer Mr Khan said he felt it was ‘best to stand down at this time so not to distract from the hard work the government is doing to secure the best possible trade deals for this country’
However he insisted in the letter that his visit had been ‘in a personal capacity during the parliamentary recess’ and was ‘unrelated to his role as a trade envoy.’
Mr Khan told the BBC he paid for the trip himself and was visiting his nephew and picking up an honorary degree
