Early Day Motion draws broad support, citing extraterritorial impact and humanitarian concerns.
This week, 109 members of the British Parliament have signed a motion rejecting recent measures issued by the U.S. President Donald Trump against Cuba, warning of the severe impact of these policies and their marked extraterritorial nature.
The initiative, formalized through Early Day Motion (EDM) 2739 under the title “New Sanctions Against Cuba,” was introduced by lawmaker Steve Witherden, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cuba.
The legislative action responds to a U.S. executive order issued Jan. 29, which arbitrarily classifies the Caribbean nation as a “threat” to U.S. national security and authorizes sanctions against third-party states that maintain energy supply ties with Cuba.
EDM 2739 is currently the motion with the highest level of parliamentary support in 2026. It includes representation from various political forces, including the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, the Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru, the Social Democratic and Labor Party, and independent lawmakers. In the document, British lawmakers denounce the direct effects on Cuba’s electric power system and its economy.
Witherden has emphasized that the legislative position must be grounded in “the principle that nations have the right to sovereignty and self-determination.” He described as unacceptable the strategy of subduing a sovereign country through the induced collapse of its population’s basic needs.
This concern over the material consequences of the sanctions was supported by firsthand accounts. Lawmaker Richard Burgon, who recently took part in the U.K.-organized convoy to Cuba delivering solidarity aid — a delegation that also included independent lawmaker Jeremy Corbyn — documented the impact of U.S. restrictions.
#Cuba #USA | Ex-Prime Minister of the United Kingdom #UK
— Vicente Blanco (@galacticitizen) March 23, 2026, Jeremy Corbyn, goes to Cuba🏝️ to witness the impact the tightening U.S. blockade 🚢 is having on the lives of Cubans. https://t.co/XtRoP4OVcn
Burgon warned that the ban on fuel imports severely affects the state’s logistical capacity and medical care, a policy he described as a deliberate attempt to strangle the Cuban people through economic asphyxiation.
The progress of this motion has been accompanied by mobilization from British civil society, largely coordinated through the Cuba Solidarity Campaign in the United Kingdom.
The organization’s efforts have enabled British citizens to engage with more than 500 lawmakers, demonstrating that opposition to the sanctions extends beyond Parliament and has strong support among the country’s electoral base.
Opposition to the extraterritoriality of the measures has been central to the debate. In response to questions from constituents, Attorney General Ellie Reeves acknowledged the harmful effect of these policies on Cuba’s economic development.
Reeves stressed that elements of U.S. legislation impose extraterritorial restrictions on British entities, preventing them from carrying out legitimate commercial and financial operations with Cuba.
The motion highlights the position of prominent political figures calling for firmness in the face of measures that violate international law.
Green Party parliamentary leader Ellie Chowns and Liberal Democrat spokesperson Joshua Reynolds agreed on the urgency of ensuring that the United Kingdom does not remain passive in the face of unilateral actions that undermine state sovereignty and generate serious humanitarian implications.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: Minrex
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