MP for Folkestone says government must further condemn the imprisonment of couple in Iran
Lindsay and Craig Foreman were detained over six hundred and fifty days ago after being accused of spying in Iran
Last updated 22nd Oct 2026
Speaking to Hits and Greatest Hits Radio MP Tony Vaughan has said that, the government needs to 'call a spade a spade' when it comes to the imprisonment of Craig and Lindsay Foreman.
Lindsay and Craig Foreman were detained over six hundred and fifty days ago after being accused of spying in Iran, a charge both deny.
Their son, Joe Bennet, is a resident in Vaughan's constituency of Folkestone and Hythe.
Speaking to us Tony Vaughan said:
"The government does morally condemn the detention as unjustified, and that's absolutely right.
"I think it's completely clear that these are illegal detentions in international law.
"It's fake charges to justify a detention on the basis of a completely made up set of allegations. And you can't detain somebody based on a load of fake allegations.
"So, it is important, I think, that government make clear their view.
"I think it is important, and I think the family feel that it's very important the government call a spade a spade, and also take the measures that flow from that.
"So things like diplomatic protections, as we have done in other cases, are measures that can be taken to escalate the case and make it a more urgent situation that Iran has to respond to.
"Lindsay and Craig are not diplomats, so it's not a straightforward ask. But it has been done before.
"It is one way the case can be escalated, and it was something I thought it was right to ask the Prime Minister."
The comments were made in response to yesterday's PMQs, where Vaughan asked Prime Minister Andy Burnham to provide the couple with diplomatic immunity.
In the House of Commons the Prime Minister said he would says relentlessly to free the couple, and the family hope to meet with the Foreign Secretary in the near future.
The Foreign Office were asked for comment.