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| Libya unrest: UK continues to assess threat to Britons | Libya unrest: UK continues to assess threat to Britons |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The UK will continue to assess the threat to British nationals in Libya and the need for evacuations, Foreign Secretary William Hague has said. | The UK will continue to assess the threat to British nationals in Libya and the need for evacuations, Foreign Secretary William Hague has said. |
| He said the credibility of the Libyan government had been undermined by its failure to protect its own people and the situation was "deplorable". | He said the credibility of the Libyan government had been undermined by its failure to protect its own people and the situation was "deplorable". |
| The Libyan ambassador in London has been summoned to the Foreign Office. | The Libyan ambassador in London has been summoned to the Foreign Office. |
| The Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel, and is urging Britons in Libya to leave if they can. | The Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel, and is urging Britons in Libya to leave if they can. |
| Anti-government protests have spread to the capital Tripoli and, according to Human Rights Watch, at least 233 people have died since last Thursday. | Anti-government protests have spread to the capital Tripoli and, according to Human Rights Watch, at least 233 people have died since last Thursday. |
| 'Packed airport' | 'Packed airport' |
| There are about 3,500 British citizens resident in Libya, mostly in Tripoli, although many are thought to have left. | There are about 3,500 British citizens resident in Libya, mostly in Tripoli, although many are thought to have left. |
| Mr Hague said: "The UK is gravely concerned about the situation in Libya which is deplorable and unacceptable." | Mr Hague said: "The UK is gravely concerned about the situation in Libya which is deplorable and unacceptable." |
| He added that the pursuit of democracy and stability in North Africa and the wider Middle East was a "major test" for the European Union. | He added that the pursuit of democracy and stability in North Africa and the wider Middle East was a "major test" for the European Union. |
| Speaking in Brussells after a "very useful" meeting of European foreign ministers, Mr Hague urged Libya to begin talking to the protesters. | Speaking in Brussells after a "very useful" meeting of European foreign ministers, Mr Hague urged Libya to begin talking to the protesters. |
| He said British nationals in the country, particularly in the east, would get "every possible assistance in leaving". | He said British nationals in the country, particularly in the east, would get "every possible assistance in leaving". |
| The UK Foreign Office is urging anyone without a pressing need to remain in the country to leave by commercial means where possible. In line with this advice, dependents of British embassy staff will be flying home with commercial airlines. | The UK Foreign Office is urging anyone without a pressing need to remain in the country to leave by commercial means where possible. In line with this advice, dependents of British embassy staff will be flying home with commercial airlines. |
| "Of course, we have changed our travel advice to make it clear that people should not travel to Libya except for all but essential travel and those who are there should leave if it is safe to do so," he said. | "Of course, we have changed our travel advice to make it clear that people should not travel to Libya except for all but essential travel and those who are there should leave if it is safe to do so," he said. |
| Earlier, he said the situation was under constant review, and the UK would assess the need for evacuations as things progressed. | Earlier, he said the situation was under constant review, and the UK would assess the need for evacuations as things progressed. |
| Mr Hague, who spoke to the Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam on Sunday, called for an end to the violence and "full protection" for foreigner nationals. He also said international monitors should be allowed into the north African country as soon as possible. | Mr Hague, who spoke to the Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam on Sunday, called for an end to the violence and "full protection" for foreigner nationals. He also said international monitors should be allowed into the north African country as soon as possible. |
| The violence has prompted European governments, including Spain, to prepare evacuation plans for their citizens, and the US has advised all non-emergency personnel to leave the country. | The violence has prompted European governments, including Spain, to prepare evacuation plans for their citizens, and the US has advised all non-emergency personnel to leave the country. |
| BP, which is carrying out oil and gas exploration in Libya, has 140 staff - 40 expatriates and 100 foreign nationals - in the country. The company is preparing to evacuate families and non-essential staff over the next two days. | BP, which is carrying out oil and gas exploration in Libya, has 140 staff - 40 expatriates and 100 foreign nationals - in the country. The company is preparing to evacuate families and non-essential staff over the next two days. |
| Tony, from Liverpool, who has been working in Libya for two years in the oil and gas industry, is trying to get home from Tripoli. | Tony, from Liverpool, who has been working in Libya for two years in the oil and gas industry, is trying to get home from Tripoli. |
| "Coming through the city centre, there's boulders in the road, burnt-out cars and such," he told BBC Radio 5 live. "I'm at the airport which is absolutely packed with people trying to leave. | "Coming through the city centre, there's boulders in the road, burnt-out cars and such," he told BBC Radio 5 live. "I'm at the airport which is absolutely packed with people trying to leave. |
| "A lot of people thought the trouble would just blow over in Tripoli, because it is pro-Gaddafi and there's been a lot of protests for Gaddafi. But now people are starting to get a bit worried because once you get a handful protesting against him, they reckon a lot of people will just join in." | "A lot of people thought the trouble would just blow over in Tripoli, because it is pro-Gaddafi and there's been a lot of protests for Gaddafi. But now people are starting to get a bit worried because once you get a handful protesting against him, they reckon a lot of people will just join in." |
| Another Briton, Nigel, says he is "totally isolated" at a construction site in the Sahara. | Another Briton, Nigel, says he is "totally isolated" at a construction site in the Sahara. |
| "The only method of communication we have at the moment is the internet connection. Some of our equipment has been stolen. Three jeeps were taken away." | "The only method of communication we have at the moment is the internet connection. Some of our equipment has been stolen. Three jeeps were taken away." |
| "Our company is trying to arrange to get everybody out but we don't know whether it's safe to travel", he said. "The supplies are not coming in any more. We're getting short, it might start to get desperate. We're just hoping that EU governments can do something." | "Our company is trying to arrange to get everybody out but we don't know whether it's safe to travel", he said. "The supplies are not coming in any more. We're getting short, it might start to get desperate. We're just hoping that EU governments can do something." |
| 'Implement reforms' | 'Implement reforms' |
| Prime Minister David Cameron, who is in Egypt as part of a tour of the Middle East, condemned the "completely appalling and unacceptable" violence carried out by the Libyan regime. | |
| "I call on them even at this late stage to stop. People's aspirations for greater democracy, for greater freedom, for greater rights should be met with reform not repression," he said. | |
| Foreign Office officials in London said the Libyan ambassador in London had been summoned to "underline personally to him" the British government's grave concerns about violence. | |
| Demonstrators have again gathered outside the Libyan Embassy in London's Knightsbridge to protest against Col Gaddafi's 42-year rule. | Demonstrators have again gathered outside the Libyan Embassy in London's Knightsbridge to protest against Col Gaddafi's 42-year rule. |
| Arms exports | Arms exports |
| According to the EU, ambassadors in Tripoli have been told that if European governments "encourage" protests, Libya will suspend the co-operation it has given on curbing illegal migration across the Mediterranean. | According to the EU, ambassadors in Tripoli have been told that if European governments "encourage" protests, Libya will suspend the co-operation it has given on curbing illegal migration across the Mediterranean. |
| BBC Panorama reporter Paul Kenyon, who has written about the issue, said Libya had been a major transit route from sub-Saharan Africa for many years. | BBC Panorama reporter Paul Kenyon, who has written about the issue, said Libya had been a major transit route from sub-Saharan Africa for many years. |
| "Out of a population of seven million people in Libya, about one million are thought to be sub-Saharan African," he said. "About three-quarters of those would like to leave and come across to Europe." | "Out of a population of seven million people in Libya, about one million are thought to be sub-Saharan African," he said. "About three-quarters of those would like to leave and come across to Europe." |
| Up to 40,000 people used to travel across to the Italian island of Lampedusa every year, he said, but after the co-operation deal was struck last year, the numbers had reduced by 96%. | Up to 40,000 people used to travel across to the Italian island of Lampedusa every year, he said, but after the co-operation deal was struck last year, the numbers had reduced by 96%. |
| Thousands of Tunisian migrants have been arriving on Lampedusa since Tunisia overthrew its president last month. | Thousands of Tunisian migrants have been arriving on Lampedusa since Tunisia overthrew its president last month. |
| "The fear with Libya is that sub-Saharan Africans will try to leave and there are more of them," our reporter added. | "The fear with Libya is that sub-Saharan Africans will try to leave and there are more of them," our reporter added. |
| Responding to criticism over Britain's commercial interests with the country, Libyan-British Business Council chairman Lord Trefgarne said trade with the UK was not "a reward for good behaviour". | Responding to criticism over Britain's commercial interests with the country, Libyan-British Business Council chairman Lord Trefgarne said trade with the UK was not "a reward for good behaviour". |
| "We are a great trading nation, we trade with a great many nations around the world, many of whom we have sharp disagreements (with)," he said. | "We are a great trading nation, we trade with a great many nations around the world, many of whom we have sharp disagreements (with)," he said. |
| Lord Trefgarne pointed out that bringing Col Gaddafi back into the international fold led to Libya abandoning its weapons of mass destruction programme. | Lord Trefgarne pointed out that bringing Col Gaddafi back into the international fold led to Libya abandoning its weapons of mass destruction programme. |
| Britain's "very strict licensing regime" over arms exports was "rigorously applied" to Libya, he added. | Britain's "very strict licensing regime" over arms exports was "rigorously applied" to Libya, he added. |
| Meanwhile, the London School of Economics says it is reconsidering its links with the Libyan government "as a matter of urgency". | Meanwhile, the London School of Economics says it is reconsidering its links with the Libyan government "as a matter of urgency". |
| Saif al-Islam Gaddafi received his PhD from the institution and donated £1.5m to support its Centre for the Study of Global Governance in 2009. | Saif al-Islam Gaddafi received his PhD from the institution and donated £1.5m to support its Centre for the Study of Global Governance in 2009. |