Rt Hon Sir John Whittingdale OBE MP

Member of Parliament for Maldon

House of Commons Speeches & Parliamentary Questions

This page brings together speeches, statements, and parliamentary questions delivered in the House of Commons by Sir John Whittingdale OBE MP. Entries are presented chronologically and include both oral contributions in the Chamber and written questions submitted as part of the formal parliamentary process.

Avian Influenza

John Whittingdale warns avian influenza threatens the poultry industry and urges vaccination of seasonal turkeys, pressing the Minister to follow France’s approach to protect producers.

Victory in Europe and Victory over Japan: 80th Anniversary

John Whittingdale raises concern over the Imperial War Museum’s decision to close its Victoria and George Cross gallery, pressing the Minister to encourage reconsideration of the move.

Trade Negotiations

John Whittingdale welcomes the India trade deal and raises US film tariffs; Douglas Alexander agrees to relay concerns to Lord Mandelson.

Iranian Media Freedom

Sir John Whittingdale highlights threats to journalists at Iran International and BBC Persian, urging the Minister to defend media freedom and consider visiting Iran International to reinforce this commitment.

Ukraine Update

Sir John Whittingdale asks the Secretary of State to confirm increased military support for Ukraine and intensified efforts to counter Russian disinformation following the missile attack on Sumy.

Copyright Protection and AI

Sir John Whittingdale asks the Secretary of State to ensure that AI regulation negotiations with the US do not weaken UK copyright protections, safeguarding creative and news media industries.

Countering Russian Misinformation in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Sir John Whittingdale asks the Minister about rising Russian disinformation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and urges exploring measures, including expanding BBC World Service broadcasting, to counter it.

Live Facial Recognition

Sir John Whittingdale questions Minister on the expansion of facial recognition cameras in Croydon, urging that Parliament debates and approves a clear legislative framework for their use.

Constituents’ Issue in PMQs

Sir John Whittingdale asks the Prime Minister to review the case of constituents fined by Border Force for reporting an illegal immigrant, arguing they should be thanked, not penalized.

International Development Spending

Sir John Whittingdale expresses strong support for increasing defence spending, accepts partial ODA funding, and emphasizes maintaining Britain’s soft power, including BBC World Service, British Council, and global media freedom initiatives.

Ukraine and Baltic States

Sir John Whittingdale questions the Prime Minister about concerns that any settlement accepts Russian occupation of Ukrainian territory and asks for assurances that the Baltic states are included in future European security discussions.

Ukraine Security Guarantees

Sir John Whittingdale highlighted Russia’s breach of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, questioning why Ukraine should trust Putin without concrete security guarantees during any future negotiations.