London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jul 11, 2025

‘Sanction yourself then?’ Top UK diplomat derided after warning ‘global Britain’ will sanction human rights violators

‘Sanction yourself then?’ Top UK diplomat derided after warning ‘global Britain’ will sanction human rights violators

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been roundly ridiculed after announcing a new sanctions regime that will target human rights abusers and boasting that “Global Britain will be a force for good in the world.”

The new “autonomous” global sanctions regime, which was officially unveiled by Raab in the House of Commons on Monday, will initially target individuals or organizations with asset freezes and visa bans, and eventually expand to states and governments.

"Today I will introduce a sanctions regime that will target people who have committed the gravest human rights violations. Global Britain will be an even stronger force for good in the world, in the years ahead," Britain’s foreign minister issued a stark warning to human rights violators around the world on Twitter, seemingly without a hint of irony.


Pre-Brexit, the UK was obliged to follow the UN and EU sanctions regimes. Raab’s apparent notion of London suddenly breaking free from the shackles of Brussels and the UN to become some kind of new moral leader in the world has been met mostly with mockery.

Raab’s championing of “Global Britain” drew comments about how the country is now more of a “little Britain” and “getting smaller,” having decided to leave the EU.

There were also creative edits of Raab’s tweet, suggesting more accurately that Britain would be targeting only the violators “to whom we don't sell arms” and would be a force for greater hypocrisy instead.


Many of the responses pointed out that Britain itself has been accused of human rights violations. “Blimey, this could take out the entire Tory cabinet,” one Twitter user joked, while another wondered if it’s possible for the country to “sanctions itself.”

UN human rights experts have raised red flags about a number of UK policies and proposals in recent years. In January 2016, the draft of the Investigatory Powers bill was said to present a threat to “rights to freedom of expression and association.”

In 2015, the UK government’s decision to impose an under-occupancy charge, or “bedroom tax,” was condemned by UN Special Rapporteur for Housing Raquel Rolnik as breaching the human rights of people with disabilities, by making their housing unaffordable.

Most recently, UN rapporteur Nils Melzer described the British treatment of WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange, currently locked up in London’s Belmarsh Prison, as amounting to “torture.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×