Overview
- The British-Egyptian activist apologised unequivocally for decade-old posts he acknowledged were shocking and hurtful, while arguing some were misinterpreted.
- Senior Conservatives and Reform UK escalated calls to strip his British citizenship and deport him, with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp dismissing the apology as insincere.
- Downing Street and the Foreign Office condemned the historic posts as abhorrent but defended efforts to secure the release of a British citizen unfairly detained abroad.
- Government sources signalled no immediate legal basis to revoke nationality or deport him, noting deprivation is typically limited to fraud or serious criminality, and said the prime minister was unaware of the posts before his arrival.
- The Foreign Office launched a review into why the posts were not flagged earlier, as officials noted he obtained citizenship in 2021 through his British-born mother and UN investigators had deemed aspects of his imprisonment a breach of international law.