Gordon Brown could have done more, says Iraq hostage's sister

Aug 6 2009

JASON  Swindlehurst’s sister  has told of her disappointment over the way the UK government handled her brother’s kidnapping.

Lizzette Swindlehurst said Prime Minister Gordon Brown could have “done something” to ensure the safe return of the much-loved father-of-one.

When the bodies of Jason and co-captive Jason Creswell, from Glasgow, were returned to the British authorities on Sunday,  June 20, Mr Brown came under heavy criticism and insisted the government left “no stone unturned” in trying to secure their return.

And the Foreign Office has told the Advertiser that Mr Brown was “closely involved” in the efforts to broker a deal over Jason and the four other hostages who were kidnapped in Baghdad in May 2007.

But Lizzette believes Mr Brown could have used his own powerful position in the efforts to bring back her brother.

Lizzette told the Advertiser: “To me he [Gordon Brown] could have done something.

“At the end of the day he is the one with the power in the country, isn’t he?

“I don’t know how my mum and dad feel, but I think a lot more could have been done than they said they were doing.

“I think they knew more as well.”

Lizzette added: “At the end of the day, any questions we asked, they took the policy that they could not say anything. They did not want to build our hopes up.

“But I thought they knew more than they were letting on.