Will Cameron apologise for his visit to apartheid South Africa?

On the 20th anniversary of Nelson Mandela's release from prison, David Cameron is under pressure to apologise for a visit he made to apartheid South Africa.

On the 20th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s release from prison, the Prime Minister said in a statement that Mandela remains an example that gives people the hope to “struggle anew” for “justice and freedom for all”.

David Cameron, however, was under pressure to apologise for a visit he made to apartheid South Africa from former anti-apartheid campaigners Richard Caborn MP and ex-TUC general secretary Norman Willis.

It emerged in a biography last year that he visited the country as the guest of anti-sanctions lobbyists in 1989, when Mr Mandela was still in jail. According to PA:

“Your trip, paid for by lobbyists against sanctions, was a long time ago,” [Caborn and Willis] wrote. “But it was then, and is now, a question of values and judgment.”

Since the details of this trip became public, you have refused to comment on it, refused to explain why you had to keep it quiet and refused to apologise for your actions.

“We hope that on the anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s release, you will set the record straight and do what is right.”

Last year, Peter Hain told the Independent on Sunday that Cameron’s trip was a “sanctions-busting jolly“.

14 Responses to “Will Cameron apologise for his visit to apartheid South Africa?”

  1. uberVU - social comments

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  2. Henry

    It’s a complete myth that the Labour Party was cuddly with the Soviets (no-one ever accused Ernest Bevin of being soft on commies). Of course you can always find one or two rogue elements, but then Anthony Blunt used to have tea with the Queen.

    By contrast Thatcher called Mandela a ‘terrorist’. And the old bat was famously friendly with corrupt mass murderers like Pinochet.

  3. Joe Walker

    When the Tories are desperate to be seen as the progressive force in politics, and although this is digging up something from twenty years ago, its important that the true Cameron is exposed. As the article in the NS http://bit.ly/cDdxzx states, ‘it was then, and is now, a question of values and judgment’.

  4. GORDON

    Why did David Cameron go to South Africa in 1989.
    Simple. On orders of Margaret Thatcher to recce a deal to Covertly purchase
    3 ex ARMSCOR Pelindaba, Pretoria. South African / Israeli 200Kt Battlefield Plutonium Bombs.
    The whole Criminal Money laundering Deal uncovered in
    HANSARD JUNE22 1993 from 197

    The Weapons dealer John Bredenkamp the “Broker” along with Khashoggi, MI6 Plant ASTRA’s Stephan Kock, DTI’s PETER LILLEY, LORD MCALPINE, LORD LEVENE and a host of WONGA Hungry Tory Grandee’s.

    The whole story fully identified in the article by Peter Eyre in the Palistine Telegraph ” 3 MISSING NUKES”

    There are a lot of IDENTIFIED Politicians and VIP’s that should be jailed for life

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