Meg Munn

Amnesia in Ibiza and Broke in Madrid

Being the minister with responsibility for consular activities means that I am concerned with all the possible events that can happen to Brits abroad. So rather unusually for a minister (or certainly most I know) I found myself in a nightclub in Ibiza at 3am in the morning. To ensure I had the full experience, my plane was delayed by four hours so I got straight off the plane and headed to San Antonio to meet the Chief of Police and the Mayor to see for myself the activities of young British tourists and others. There were certainly plenty of people out and about and plenty of drinking, but generally the atmosphere was good. The island depends on British tourists so tackling any problems is high on the list of the local authorities. We in turn have five consular staff who work long hours over the six-month season to support those for whom things go wrong. I was pleased to open a new consular office for them the next day.

After our stroll round the town it was on to the nightclub – Amnesia. I was surprised to learn that at the height of the season it can hold 5,000 – 6,000 young people so its not hard to imagine the kind of situations that would arise if there was a major incident. Amnesia is well-organised with the latest in surveillance cameras so they ensure they can spot any possible trouble early.

The next morning (which did feel rather too early) I met with the local authorities to talk about their plans for any major incidents and to emphasise the readiness of our staff to participate in planning exercises.

Then onto Madrid where the focus was somewhat different. Spain is not only the favourite holiday destination for Brits but also where the largest number of people who live abroad reside. A life in the sun is the dream but too often as time goes by and people get older, the dream can become a nightmare. Whether it’s a changed exchange rate leading to hardship, property problems or failing health, while our consular staff do what they can, being better prepared would save heartache for so many people. In a workshop, staff representatives from charities and Spanish authorities looked at real-life examples and worked out what they could do and how the services could prevent these problems in the future.

There’s a lot that can be done, not least informing people before they go and once they’re there remind them to prepare for the less good times. So watch out for the campaign – “Don’t be lonely"

Posted at 09:46 29 September 2008 by Meg Munn  |  Comments[1]

Climate change and the Pacific Islands

I attended the Pacific Islands Forum on Niue recently and the main topic for discussion was climate change. I speak on it in the video below:

Posted at 14:27 05 September 2008 by Meg Munn  |  Comments[1]

"PM announces measures to encourage people to have more children"

Not a new eye catching policy to improve our government's standing in the polls but a headline in a Singaporean newspaper. So different is the approach of this South East Asian nation's government to low fertility rates that it funds several dating agencies.

While culturally there are differences there are strong business and educational links between the UK and Singapore and many more areas of common interest. During a short visit I was struck by the determination of an Islamic school not only to ensure good academic standards but to develop their own religious leaders who understood modern Singapore and are therefore best able to help young people live out their faith.  Similarly, in the UK, there is a lot of work underway to develop the leadership skills of young people led by Muslim community organisations.

I also met Foreign Minister, George Yeo who as Chair of the Association of South East Asian Nations played an important part in getting Burma to accept international aid following cyclone Nargis. We discussed the future for Burma and what role neighbouring countries could play in trying to encourage greater democracy.

Posted at 11:50 20 August 2008 by Meg Munn  |  Comments[0]

Commemorating the uprising in Burma

This month marks 20 years since the 1988 uprising in Burma against its military regime. Many were killed and many imprisoned as the demonstrations were brutally suppressed.  On Monday night we held a reception in the Foreign Office to mark the occasion and remember those who died and to pay tribute to all those who then and since have struggled for the freedom of the Burmese people.
 
About 100 people attended including many Burmese people who live in the UK, representatives of non governmental organisations who are working for democracy in Burma and some former UK ambassadors to Burma. It was a real honour and pleasure to meet the sister-in-law and brother-in-law of Aung San Suu Kyi and also some of her friends.
 
I was joined by Shahid Malik MP, minister in the Department for International Development who spoke about our response to Cyclone Nargis and by Mark Canning, our excellent ambassador in Rangoon.

My speech is available to read.

Posted at 13:08 13 August 2008 by Meg Munn  |  Comments[0]

Ambassadors visit Sheffield

I turned to get off the bus having negotiated a pick up point with the driver to discover that the group had disappeared. Not any group, but 4 ambassadors / high commissioners and 9 other diplomats from across South East Asia. The biggest worry of the day was what might go wrong; not would they like Sheffield and my constituency. I rushed round the corner to discover the group wending its way up to my local mosque, led confidently by the Malaysian High Commissioner. It wasn’t so much the pull of Islam, but he had quickly come to appreciate that wherever I took them in Sheffield it involved walking up hill.

I don’t really remember the genesis of the idea of the visit to Sheffield, but as the Foreign Office Minister with responsibility for our relationships with South East Asia I had clearly mentioned several times to the group how they should get out of London and see more of the country. With so much of the UK’s diplomacy traditionally based in London, I am always keen to make sure that the foreign diplomats I work with see more of the UK than just the capital. I was delighted to show this group our civic buildings now situated in a city centre transformed over the past few years. A visit to Sheffield Hallam University demonstrated world class teaching in health sciences. It gave them an opportunity to hear first hand from South East Asian students what they think about Sheffield, and to see some of the many education links between the UK and the region in action.

Then in the afternoon onto the constituency and a chance to learn about my role as a local MP. As well as the mosque they visited Heeley City Farm and saw the wide variety of neighbourhoods that I represent. Sheffield is England’s greenest city and we saw parks, woodlands and the wonderful views across to the nearby Derbyshire hills. We passed the schools I went to and ended up at a local church where they got an opportunity to meet and hear from local people who I work regularly with, constituents I’ve helped and my mum.

By the end of the afternoon the diplomats knew not only the place I come from and represent, but also the place I go back to when my job in London is finished. Speaking for the group the Singaporean High Commissioner thanked us for the day and said he could now see why the people of Sheffield didn’t want to go to London – maybe he was being polite, but I hope they’ll be back for a longer visit. Not least to play a round of golf – the one thing missing from the programme they said they would really have liked!

Posted at 15:28 22 July 2008 by Meg Munn  |  Comments[2]