UK calls for ‘urgent investigation’ into Francesca Albanese

"The government has called for an ‘urgent investigation’ into Francesca Albanese over a ‘series of comments’ made by the United Nations rapporteur on the Palestinian territories.

Britain is joining France and Germany in expressing concern over Albanese’s conduct and is calling for a probe into her comments under the institution’s code of conduct to ‘restore confidence’ in the independence of the UN position.

Albanese has repeatedly come under fire for extreme social media posts, including one in which she stated the Hamas-led attack on October 7 was a ‘reaction to Israel's oppression.’

Last month, more than 40 peers wrote to the government to ask for the UK to call for her resignation from the UN post following inflammatory comments she made at a meeting in Doha.

The Italian diplomat accused international governments of enabling a ‘genocide’ and referred to a ‘common enemy of humanity’ when speaking about Israel.

Chris Elmore, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign Office, said: ‘Along with several other countries, we have raised concerns about a series of comments made by the Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

‘Ministers have raised these concerns directly with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the UK has asked that the comments of the Special Rapporteur be urgently investigated against the Code of Conduct for her post, and for action to be taken to restore the confidence of the international community in the independence and objectivity of this important role.’

Labour MP Luke Akehurst, who asked Elmore about the government’s position on Albanese, said: ‘I welcome the Government's response and that it is taking this unacceptable behaviour seriously. The UN clearly must sack Francesca Albanese, as France and others have already called for. Her record of virulent anti-Israel hate is outrageous and longstanding.’

The move followed calls from France and Germany for her removal, along with similar demands from the Czech Republic and Austria..."