PM vows to rescue Libya Britons

2011-02-23 11:33:04

23 February 2011 Last updated at 21:58 Share this page Delicious Digg Facebook reddit StumbleUpon Twitter Email Print Libya unrest: Cameron vows to rescue stranded Britons

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He said the workers had contacted British officials to warn them about the situation but nothing had happened.

"We have asked the British government to come here for days now and they are just totally ignoring us," he said.

"They don't reply to e-mails, they have cut off the phones to Tripoli. Basically we have been left without any protection whatsoever."

Mr Coyle said there was no means of escape as all the vehicles had been looted and local people were heavily armed. He also said the camp - where 300 expatriate workers are based - only had about a day's food left.

Labour have said France, Portugal, Russia and Austria had already managed to get charter aircraft into Tripoli and the UK needed to explain why it had not done so earlier.

"There are hundreds of Britons stranded in Libya at the moment in a daunting, fast-moving and highly dangerous situation," shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said.

"That is why it appears the government has been slow off the mark in its response to those citizens."

Tens of thousands of foreigners are trying to leave the country by land and air and many oil companies are attempting to remove their expatriate staff.

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