News story

PM calls for Egypt reform

David Cameron has voiced his support for "reform and progress" in Egypt and expressed his hope that the violence of recent days will subside.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Speaking to US broadcaster CNN, the Prime Minister said that real democracy was about more than the holding of elections and required “building blocks” to be put in place to create a country that is “democratic, strong, accountable”.

The Prime Minister said:

I think what we need is reform in Egypt. I mean we support reform and progress in the greater strengthening of their democracy and civil rights and the rule of law. Clearly there are grievances that people have and they need to be met and matched.

I don’t think it’s in anyone’s interest that people are being killed on the streets of Egypt as we speak at the moment and so I hope the violence will cease. But clearly, when you have people who have grievances and problems that want them responded to, it’s in all our interests that these countries have stronger rule of law, stronger rights, stronger democracy.

Yesterday Foreign Secretary William Hague called upon the Egyptian government to “respond positively to legitimate demands for reform” and to respect the rights of people to free assembly and freedom of expression.

Read more: Egypt travel advice on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website

Published 28 January 2011