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| Libya unrest: David Cameron condemns violence | Libya unrest: David Cameron condemns violence |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The UK has strongly condemned violence carried out by the Libyan regime as anti-government protests there spread. | The UK has strongly condemned violence carried out by the Libyan regime as anti-government protests there spread. |
| PM David Cameron said it was "appalling and unacceptable" and Foreign Secretary William Hague called it "deplorable". | PM David Cameron said it was "appalling and unacceptable" and Foreign Secretary William Hague called it "deplorable". |
| Mr Cameron, who is in Egypt as part of a tour of the Middle East, said aspirations for Libyan democracy should be met with reform, not repression. | |
| The Foreign Office (FCO) has advised against all but essential travel, and is urging Britons to leave if they can. | The Foreign Office (FCO) has advised against all but essential travel, and is urging Britons to leave if they can. |
| 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. |
| FCO officials said the Libyan ambassador in London had been summoned to "underline personally to him" the British government's grave concerns about violence. | FCO officials said the Libyan ambassador in London had been summoned to "underline personally to him" the British government's grave concerns about violence. |
| At least 233 people have died since last Thursday, according to Human Rights Watch, as protests spread to the capital Tripoli. | |
| Meanwhile, demonstrators have been protesting outside the Libyan Embassy in London's Knightsbridge to oppose Col Gaddafi's 42-year rule. | Meanwhile, demonstrators have been protesting outside the Libyan Embassy in London's Knightsbridge to oppose Col Gaddafi's 42-year rule. |
| 'Killing our brothers' | |
| Nine members of the embassy staff left the building to join the protesters outside, the BBC has learned. | |
| Safwan Jammoun, an administrator who works in the cultural affairs unit, said Col Gaddafi was "killing our brothers, our sisters, our families". | |
| He told the BBC: "I just want to send a message to all the guys who work for the embassies all over the world. They can't go home but they should step down, they should protest, they should do whatever they can do to free Libya from Gaddafi's regime." | |
| In Manchester, which has the largest Libyan community in the UK with around 2,000 families, hundreds of expats also protested on the streets, urging Col Gaddafi to step down. | |
| Mr Cameron said: "I call on them [the Libyan regime] 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." | Mr Cameron said: "I call on them [the Libyan regime] 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." |
| Mr Hague said the UK would continue to assess the threat to British nationals in Libya and the need for evacuations. | Mr Hague said the UK would continue to assess the threat to British nationals in Libya and the need for evacuations. |
| He said the credibility of the Libyan government had been undermined by its failure to protect its own people. | He said the credibility of the Libyan government had been undermined by its failure to protect its own people. |
| "The UK is gravely concerned about the situation in Libya which is deplorable and unacceptable," the foreign secretary said. | "The UK is gravely concerned about the situation in Libya which is deplorable and unacceptable," the foreign secretary said. |
| 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 Brussels after a "very useful" meeting of European foreign ministers, Mr Hague urged Libya to begin talking to the protesters. | Speaking in Brussels 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 events progressed. | |
| Mr Hague, who spoke to the Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam on Sunday, 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, said international monitors should be allowed into the north African country as soon as possible. |
| The violence has prompted European governments, including Spain and Portugal, 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 and Portugal, to prepare evacuation plans for their citizens, and the US has advised all non-emergency personnel to leave the country. |
| 'Packed airport' | |
| Oil giant BP, which is carrying out oil and gas exploration in the Libyan desert, said 40 expatriate staff and their families were being evacuated as it suspended drilling operations. | |
| 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." |
| 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. |
| 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". |