Former UK minister visits north and calls for direct flights

Former British minister Sir Iain Duncan Smith visited the north on Friday, meeting Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, and calling for direct flights from the United Kingdom to the north’s Ercan (Tymbou) airport.

Duncan Smith served as the UK’s work and pensions secretary between 2010 and 2016, and previously served as leader of the opposition in the country’s parliament.

He is still an MP, representing the Chingford and Woodford Green constituency continuously since 1992. He is a member of the Conservative Party, the country’s largest opposition party.

He spoke to journalists after his meeting with Tatar.

“The reason I came here is to start a campaign to ensure that Turkish Cypriot British citizens who have extended families here do not experience difficulties in their travels due to the lack of direct flights,” he said.

He added, “it is very important from a humanitarian perspective for British citizens to be able to reach their families in the easiest way possible.”

He said the campaign in the UK’s parliament for direct flights to the north was “cross-party”, and that a letter had been sent to the country’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy to this end.

He added that there is “no valid reason” for the lack of direct flights between the UK and the north.

Asked why his campaign had not produced tangible results, he said there are “many aspects” to the issue.

“This is part of the problem. There needs to be some movement on this issue because the demand is not asking too much. It is a very reasonable demand,” he said.

He added that he had flown to the north via Ercan (Tymbou), and that he had “seen firsthand the difficulties” faced by those travelling to the north in this way.

Tatar described Duncan Smith as an “old friend” and an “influential member of parliament in the UK”.

He added that Duncan Smith had “always had good relations with the Turkish Cypriot community” and said, “we find the interest you have shown in the problems our community faces very valuable”.

“We all want a solution to this problem. The solution must be fair, applicable, and sustainable,” he said.