The Labour Government is facing mounting pressure to explain its decision to remove Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from the UK list of proscribed terrorist organisations, after Conservative Party Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel demanded an urgent statement to Parliament.
In a letter sent to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Patel said the Government must account for what she called a “significant foreign policy development” and criticised ministers for not making an oral statement in the House of Commons before announcing the decision.
HTS, an Islamist militant faction operating in north-west Syria, has previously been linked by Western governments and researchers to al-Qaeda. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) recently issued a press release confirming the decision to de-proscribe the group, prompting strong political reaction from the Opposition.
Patel: Parliament “denied an opportunity to debate”
Patel said Parliament had a longstanding interest in Syria policy and accused ministers of avoiding scrutiny.
“Neither you nor any of your ministers thought it fit to come to the House of Commons to make an oral statement… so you could face questioning over this decision and its impacts,” she wrote.
She added that a speech delivered by the UK’s Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, Ambassador James Kariuki, “is no substitute for a statement in the House”.
Patel asked Cooper to confirm whether she intends to make a statement to MPs, saying members had been “denied an opportunity” for debate.
Questions raised over security assessment
The shadow foreign secretary pressed the Government for clarity on when the de-proscription process began and whether any new threat assessments had been carried out, particularly since the collapse of the Assad regime in late 2024.
Her letter asks whether ministers have evaluated the backgrounds of senior HTS figures, whether the group made representations to the UK, and whether any conditions were attached to its removal from the proscribed list.
Patel also asked the Government to update MPs on its assessment of the security and humanitarian situation inside Syria, including levels of sectarian violence and risks to minority groups.
She cited comments made in the Commons last month by the former Foreign Secretary, who said he was “concerned about the increase in terrorist activity and about the protection of minorities”. Patel asked whether that assessment had changed since HTS was de-proscribed.
Chemical weapons, organised crime, and Iran’s influence
The letter further requests updates on UK efforts to ensure the disposal of any remaining Syrian chemical weapons capabilities and on international attempts to counter people-smuggling, drug trafficking, and Iranian influence in the region.
Patel warned that the Government’s decision “appears… not in our national interest and could increase risks to our defence and security,” calling for clarity about the policy rationale.
She also requested that a confidential Privy Council-level briefing be provided.
Government yet to issue detailed public explanation
As of publication, the FCDO has not provided a detailed public explanation outlining the full reasoning behind its decision or responding to Patel’s specific questions. The department’s press release announcing the de-proscription referred to the UK’s broader policy approach toward Syria but did not elaborate publicly on intelligence assessments or diplomatic considerations.
Conservative MPs are expected to continue pressing for an oral statement in the Commons.
