Foreign Secretary pressed on UK aid to Cuba and delay to PDCA ratification
Campaign News | Tuesday, 14 July 2026
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper answering questions on Cuba during Foreign Affairs Committee session
The UK government has been challenged over its response to Cuba's deepening humanitarian crisis, following a series of questions put to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper by Emily Thornberry MP, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, on Tuesday 14 July.
Thornberry highlighted the scale of the humanitarian situation after meeting with Cuba's Ambassador to the UK, Ismara Vargas Walter. She described the suffering in Cuba as "really shocking", pointing to the worsening impact of shortages, prolonged electricity blackouts and the impact on infant mortality.
Thornberry questioned whether Britain had effectively chosen to distance itself from Cuba, noting that while the UK had provided aid to Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa, no equivalent bilateral assistance had been offered to Cuba despite the severe damage it suffered.
Cooper acknowledged that the UK is "not heavily involved" in Cuba. She did, however, note that Britain had voted in favour of the debate proposed by Cuba at the United Nations last week.
Thornberry pressed the Foreign Secretary on the UK's failure to ratify the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement. The agreement, which mirrors the cooperation framework that existed between Cuba and the European Union before Brexit, was signed by the UK and Cuba in 2023 but has yet to be ratified by Parliament. Cooper admitted she did not know the reason and told the committee she would need to "get back" with an answer on the ratification process.
Thornberry also pressed ministers on whether Britain would now consider providing additional humanitarian aid to Cuba, noting that Canada, Spain and the European Union have all provided direct assistance in response to the country's worsening crisis.
In response, Cooper said the government keeps humanitarian assistance "under continuous review" and is prepared to respond to emergencies where necessary. Senior Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) official Nick Dyer added that the UK already contributes funding through multilateral mechanisms. When asked if the UK was in a position to give “additional assistance given how desperate the situation is” Dyer responded that the FCDO would keep that in mind and “have a look at that.”
You can watch the exchange in full here.
CSC Director Rob Miller said:
“Britain and Cuba have over 120 years of diplomatic relations and strong cultural, educational and commercial ties. The Cuban people are suffering in the face of the US siege on the island. The British people have already raised around half a million pounds through the Cuba Vive appeal. The British Government should step up too and help, just as the Japanese, Spanish and Canadian governments have done. The Foreign Secretary says she will ‘review’ the possibility of Britain providing emergency assistance to the island and we strongly urge her to quickly do so. Helping the people of Cuba now is the right thing to do and such a move would be applauded across both countries.”
