At last week’s PMQs (Wednesday 24 February) Kelly Tolhurst MP raised to the Prime Minister the extraordinary issue suffered by one of her constituents, Alex Bagnall; the fight to have his son brought back to the UK after he was taken to Poland by the mother illegally.
Mr Bagnall’s ordeal has gone on for some time, even before Kelly entered Parliament last May, which has led to a protracted court process in Poland and the United Kingdom and limited assistance from within the UK due to EU rules. However, there is scope under the Hague Convention which provides an expeditious method to return a child internationally abducted by a parent from one member country to another.
On being asked what interventions the Government can make to the EU and Polish authorities with regard to the Hague Convention in order to help British families with the safe return of their abducted children, the Prime Minister’s response was encouraging and earnest. While the return decision lies solely with the Polish court and government cannot interfere in the decision process of another country’s justice system, the Foreign Secretary will be made fully aware of the case and does everything he can to help the Bagnalls. Moreover, the Ministry of Justice’s International Child Abduction and Contact Unit has and will remain in constant communication with the Bagnall family in finding the best solution for one of our local children torn away from the home they know.
Commenting on his situation following the Prime Minister’s response, Alex Bagnall said,
“The Bagnall family were very pleased Kelly Tolhurst raised a question about our grandson, a seven year old born and resident in Medway, and is giving her support to his return. Max was abducted for the second time six months ago by his mother to Poland without his father’s consent. We have legal teams in Poland and the UK trying to secure his return under the Hague Treaty.
It has been a very distressing time for our family, but we are heartened that the Prime Minister has stated that he will ask the Foreign Secretary to assist our case, as we may need this if we are unsuccessful in our next court hearing in Poland on 17th March. We hope we can help other British children in the future”.
While avenues remain open towards bring Max back home, it is encouraging for all involved in the Bagnall family’s case that it is being raised and addressed at the highest levels possible.
Kelly will now seek to work more closely with both the Ministry of Justice and Foreign Office in the weeks ahead.