Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey & Wood Green, and Liberal Democrat European human rights spokeswoman Sarah Ludford MEP have strongly condemned Conservatives MEPs who voted against or abstained in a European Parliament vote on condemning the disgraceful practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

Four Conservative MEPs – Marta Andreasen, Nirj Deva, Sajjad Karim and Timothy Kirkhope – voted against the motion to condemn FGM, and several UKIP and Conservative MEPs including UKIP’s London MEP Gerard Batten abstained.

Lynne Featherstone commented:

“It is deeply shocking that so many Tory and UKIP MEPs refused to condemn female genital mutilation.”

“I have made it a priority of this government to end this horrific practice within a generation. That means working through international organisations like the EU to help shape cultural attitudes worldwide.”

“Sending out mixed signals like this completely undermines the global fight against FGM on which Britain is playing a leading role, in support of the many African countries who have already banned the practice.”

Sarah Ludford added:

“Yesterday’s vote was a betrayal of the millions of young girls who have been subjected to genital mutilation the world over.”

“Tory and UKIP MEPs would do better to put their personal attitudes towards the EU aside when it comes to something as important as the fight against FGM. Surely we should be standing united in condemning this barbaric practice and working together to end it.”