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‘I fear the price could be high’: Inside the German state where the far-right surged

Asking residents in a city where a seismic political event has just taken place ‘How do you feel?’ demands chutzpah – this struck me as I walked around Magdeburg, Germany on Monday. The night before, the far-right populist, anti-immigrant, pro-Kremlin party Alternative für Deustchland (AfD) had landslide 44% win in Saxony-Anhalt’s state elections, sending shock waves to Berlin, across Germany and way beyond. Regardless of how people in the capital voted, it felt like a bit of an affront to probe. Given the radical plans of the victors, a party classified by domestic intelligence as “rightwing extremist”, that is what I wanted to know. But from the 21-year-old Guinean-German paramedic I met at the central bus station, collecting donations for a local hospice, to the elderly couple returning to their apartment after a stroll down the Elbe river, almost everyone I met opened up to me warmly. Judith, 88, was initially reluctant to talk, but shared some of her life story. Her experience as an eight-year-old refugee, forced to leave Poland in 1946 and eventually ending up move with her family in Magdeburg, had shaped her outlook on life, her successful career as a project engineer – as well as her politics. The news that AfD had not only won the election, but by such a wide margin, was “heartbreaking”, she said. Huy, from Vietnam, who runs a newsagents in the city centre, was also reticent, but laughed and rolled his eyes as he sold the last copy of that day’s local paper, Die Volksstimme, and pointed to the headline that read: “Landslide in Saxony-Anhalt”. Shaking his head, he said: “44%!” “I don’t want to think what it might mean … but maybe it will all be OK?” His question hung in the air. A glance at the AfD’s manifesto, in particular its pledge for the first 100 days, focuses the mind. Top of the list: challenging Germany’s post-war memory culture (which it says stands in the way of national pride) – so, “more Bismarck, less Hitler”, as they put it. “From the first minute”, they say, the party will start the deportation of what it refers to as “irregular migrants”. I met Franz-Josef, a 71-year-old retired mechanic and Green voter, on holiday from a small west German town. He called the election a “catastrophe”, particularly in the light of the country’s Nazi past. Luisa, a 34-year-old bank teller told me she hopes “those who voted for the AfD thought about what they were doing”. It was one thing, she said, to “deliver a kick in the shins” to Berlin, over its failure to pull the German economy out of the doldrums. And maybe the AfD would fail to push through its promises in government. “But we cannot know, and I fear the price could be high.” *** Fragrance of power It remains unclear how precisely the AfD, led by charismatic former fragrance salesman Ulrich Siegmund, might take the reins of power in Saxony-Anhalt, if at all. He lacks an absolute majority by a whisker. There have been rumblings for days – even prior to the election – of an AfD charm offensive to try to lure members of chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democrats, to make up the necessary numbers. The CDU denies any defections are expected. Some AfD members have brazenly appropriated Ronald Reagan’s appeal to the Soviets to “tear down this wall”, from his 1987 speech in West Berlin. They are calling on mainstream parties to “tear down the firewall”, a reference to the Brandmauer, or refusal to ever coalesce with the AfD in an effort to prevent the far-right populists from coming to power. Yet an increasing number doubt that the firewall will hold much longer. Especially now that almost one in two of those who cast their votes on Sunday have opted for the party. Turnout at 78% was a record for the state. Whatever the outcome, we can expect weeks, even months of wrangling. Expect stasis in the meantime on the federal government front, as we’re close to elections on 20 September in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin, where the AfD is also expected to do well. Merz will be wary of doing anything that might drive more voters away. At the same time politicos in Berlin are debating how long he has in the job. In the Bundestag today, Merz accused the AfD of seeking “ethnic cleansing”. No wonder Maryam, 16, whom I met as she returned from work experience at a retirement home, said she and her family were on edge. The Syrian teenager, whose father arrived in Germany in 2015, followed by her and her mother, told me she couldn’t stop thinking about what this vote might mean for her family. She wished, she said, for a return to the days of Angela Merkel, the German chancellor who welcomed in a million migrants including Maryam’s father, resentment over which turbo-charged support for the then-fledgling AfD. Across the road, Doreen, a cleaner, who reluctantly admitted voting for the AfD, said: “What on Earth is there to thank Merkel for? It’s owing to her that we are in the state we’re in.” She recalled an attack near the Christmas market in the city centre in 2024, where six people were killed when a Saudi doctor drove a car into the crowd, an incident that helped fuel support for the AfD. “That attack is symbolic for a whole lot of misery, the decision to open our doors to strangers has brought us,” Doreen told me. “I say, good on the AfD for promising to clean up the mess.” For such a small state, home to 2.1 million people, Saxony-Anhalt has managed to create a political maelstrom, the ramifications of which will be felt across Europe. To receive the complete version of This Is Europe in your inbox every Wednesday, please subscribe here.

Germany’s Merz cancels phone call with Trump after social media post celebrating AfD win – Europe live

Gwyn Topham and Mark Sweney The head of the UK air traffic control provider Nats has been given a week to report back on the reasons for the technical failure that has disrupted thousands of flights in the UK and across Europe since Tuesday. Downing Street said the government still had confidence in Nats chief executive Martin Rolfe, who was summoned to meet the UK transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, on Wednesday morning as the number of flight cancellations passed 2,000. Rolfe has been facing increasing pressure to quit after the third large-scale stoppage to flights in just over three years. Hundreds of thousands of passengers had their travel disrupted and delayed, with many stuck on grounded planes for many hours as the incident unravelled. Other passengers were stranded overnight at airports in the UK and abroad. Alexander raised “significant concerns” with Rolfe, according to the prime minister’s official spokesperson, who told reporters: “She’s asked him to carry out a full investigation into what happened to make sure that lessons are learned, so that this doesn’t happen again.” They added: “It’s self-evident that she wants answers and the full investigation to be reported back in a week’s time, and she’s got confidence in him to deliver that.” Pressed on whether the government’s confidence in the head of air traffic control was conditional on the investigation, the spokesperson replied: “We have confidence in him and he’s been tasked with the investigation, which will report in a week’s time.” Airlines including Ryanair and WizzAir have called for Rolfe to resign or be sacked by Alexander.

Merz accuses AfD of ‘ethnic cleansing’ policy and cancels call with Trump

Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has accused the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) of seeking “ethnic cleansing” with its “remigration” drive, after the nativist party’s seismic weekend victory in a state election. In his first public confrontation with the AfD since Sunday’s shock outcome in Saxony-Anhalt, Merz said at a raucous parliamentary debate that the far-right party would take an axe to one of the pillars of the German economy with a racist campaign of mass deportations. “The term ‘remigration’ is nothing but a synonym for ethnic cleansing based on origin and skin colour,” he said on Wednesday to applause from the other parties in the Bundestag lower house. In a fiery speech addressed to the AfD parliamentary group, which repeatedly interrupted him with loud taunts and heckling, Merz said millions of working immigrants were crucial to German society. “If those working in Germany have to leave the country again because you are championing ‘remigration’,” Merz said, “then the skilled trades in Germany will no longer be able to function: not a single care home will remain open, not a single hospital in Germany will remain operational, and not a single restaurant in Germany will be able to stay in business.” He said the AfD’s rhetoric, which propelled it to the strongest showing for a far-right party in a German state since the Nazi period, “is precisely what is dividing our society so deeply”. The AfD has repeatedly called for large-scale expulsions of irregular migrants, a policy that would face stiff challenges under German law. In the election, the party rode an international wave of populism, nationalism and discontent with mainstream parties, underscored overnight by congratulations from Donald Trump. In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US president hailed the AfD’s “really big night” in Saxony-Anhalt. “They finally got tired of the absolutely horrible Immigration rules and regulations which have hurt Germany so badly,” Trump wrote. Merz responded by cancelling a planned phone call with Trump on Wednesday. A spokesperson for the chancellor declined to explain but noted that Merz had always objected “in general terms” to “interfering in or commenting on the domestic political situation, particularly regarding elections”. Support for Merz, a conservative Christian Democrat, has plummeted in the 16 months since he took office at the helm of a coalition with the centre-left Social Democrats, amid disappointment over slow progress on economic growth and the cost of living. He has adopted a hard line on border policy in a faltering effort to win back AfD supporters, and acknowledged Germany still had “problems in the area of migration”. “We still have many people in Germany who should not have permanent residency. This is consensus in the [ruling] coalition, that we need to deport more people,” he said on Wednesday. “But we make a careful distinction between those who work in Germany, who contribute to our prosperity, and who are welcome here, and those who do not have permanent residency in Germany and who must leave our country. Unlike you [the AfD], we take great care to make this distinction.” The AfD won nearly 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt but fell three seats short of an absolute majority. Its chief candidate, Ulrich Siegmund, is seeking potential supporters among the other parties to elect him as state premier. Merz, who has acknowledged his unpopularity played a role in the halving of support for his party in the state, tried to put a brave face on the rout. “Fifty-six percent of voters in Saxony-Anhalt didn’t vote for you,” he told the AfD. He accused Siegmund, whose party is classed as rightwing extremist by domestic intelligence, of “electoral fraud” by already breaking a campaign promise not to seek to govern the state if he failed to win an absolute majority. “And you won’t manage that in Germany either [at the federal level],” Merz told the AfD co-leader Alice Weidel. “Nowhere in Germany will you get a majority. You are and remain a destructive force.” Merz also attacked the AfD for its opposition to military assistance for Ukraine, and accused it of making common cause with Russia, which Berlin has alleged is mounting a sabotage and disinformation campaign on its soil. He said that despite “clear evidence” a failed drone bomb attack at Leipzig airport last month “had been planned in Russia for months and was specifically directed against Germany”, the AfD had remained silent on it. Earlier, Weidel had savoured her party’s resounding election victory from the podium, saying the CDU had been “pulverised” and calling it a referendum on Merz’s leadership. Attacking the government’s migration policy and blaming it for crime and other security problems, Weidel said: “Your time is up. The public want a change in policy, and they will get it,” reiterating her party’s aim to form a federal government in the foreseeable future. Polls show Merz’s fractious coalition would not have a majority in a general election, though the next national vote is not due until 2029. The AfD is polling in first place at 28% to 29%, with the wind at its back before another two state polls this month, in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Nats boss given one week to deliver report into UK flight chaos

The head of the air traffic control provider Nats has been given a week to report back on the reasons for the technical failure that has disrupted thousands of flights since Tuesday. Downing Street said the government still had confidence in Nats chief executive Martin Rolfe, who was summoned to meet the UK transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, on Wednesday morning as the number of flight cancellations passed 2,000. Rolfe has been facing increasing pressure to quit after the third large-scale stoppage to flights in just over three years. Hundreds of thousands of passengers had their travel disrupted and delayed, with many stuck on grounded planes for many hours as the incident unravelled. Other passengers were stranded overnight at airports in the UK and abroad. Alexander raised “significant concerns” with Rolfe, according to the prime minister’s official spokesperson, who told reporters: “She’s asked him to carry out a full investigation into what happened to make sure that lessons are learned, so that this doesn’t happen again.” They added: “It’s self-evident that she wants answers and the full investigation to be reported back in a week’s time, and she’s got confidence in him to deliver that.” Pressed on whether the government’s confidence in the head of air traffic control was conditional on the investigation, the spokesperson replied: “We have confidence in him and he’s been tasked with the investigation, which will report in a week’s time.” Airlines including Ryanair and Wizz have called for Rolfe to resign or be sacked by Alexander. Rolfe earlier ruled out a cyber-attack as a cause for the “technical issue” at air traffic control and defended the resiliency of the systems run by Nats, which provides services to 15 UK airports. “We will be doing a very thorough and full investigation,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “We have at this point ruled out a cyber-attack.” Nats said the problem occurred in its flight processing system but was not the same fault as those that caused outages and mass disruption in 2023 and 2025. However, Ryanair queried the explanation and said lessons had not been learned. The carrier, which on Tuesday said more than 65,000 of its passengers had been disrupted when 50 flights were cancelled, said it had now cancelled more than 250 flights and its costs would run into millions. The airline’s chief executive, Michael O’Leary, said: “Martin Rolfe’s position as Nats CEO is untenable. We don’t need more investigations, we don’t need more reports, and we don’t need another parliamentary committee hearing where Martin Rolfe will promise change, will promise resilience, and will promise an effective backup system.” He said that the UK’s air traffic control services were one of the most expensive in Europe “and yet it keeps repeatedly failing”. O’Leary said Alexander should “today demand that failing Martin Rolfe must quit, or be dismissed”. Yvonne Moynihan, the managing director of Wizz Air UK, called on Rolfe to consider resigning. “In any industry when you’ve had three failures, you need to consider three strikes and you’re out,” she told Today. “A third time and a third excuse is not enough any more. What we need to see from leadership is accountability. ” Luke Petherbridge, director of public affairs at the travel association Abta, said: “While the immediate priority is supporting customers … the industry and the public will want answers as to what has gone wrong, what lessons are being learned, and how the system will be made more resilient to avoid this happening again.” Nats said that the fix it eventually implemented on Tuesday, almost four hours after the incident first occurred, had been a “very complex recovery and has created difficulties for the whole aviation network, from which it will take time to recover”. More than 300 flights were cancelled by Wednesday lunchtime in the continuing fallout from the outage. According to data from the analysts Cirium, nearly 2,100 flights in and out of UK airports have been cancelled because of the failure, including 1,750 on Tuesday out of 5,800 scheduled flights. Of these, 541 were at Heathrow. In a statement on social media on Wednesday morning, Heathrow said: “Following yesterday’s Nats technical issue, flights are operating today, but some disruption may continue as airlines reposition aircraft and crew. “Please check your flight status with your airline before travelling to the airport and only travel if your flight is confirmed to be operating.” Gatwick also said flights had resumed but the disruption was likely to continue. Rail passengers affected by flight disruption can use booked tickets on a different date or to a different airport if needed, or apply for a refund, the Rail Delivery Group said. The breakdown started at about 1pm on Tuesday and affected departing flights at many of Britain’s biggest airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted. London airports, as well as Manchester, were among the most directly affected, with operations effectively suspended for hours in the afternoon. While Heathrow said the fault initially only stopped takeoffs, the airport was soon too full to accommodate more planes, with arriving flights diverted around European airports. Flights to and from other airports around the UK, including Birmingham, Edinburgh and Belfast, were also disrupted. The air traffic control problems follow an “isolated event” a year ago that caused widespread disruption, and appeared less severe than the full grounding of flights in August 2023, which prompted a parliamentary inquiry.

EU unveils ‘buy European’ public procurement rules to counter China

European authorities will be encouraged to buy more domestic goods and services when they spend public money under the EU latest effort to counter China’s economic might. In a further “Buy European” plan, the European Commission published proposals on Wednesday for a sweeping overhaul of EU public procurement rules. National authorities and public bodies, such as schools and hospitals, will be encouraged to buy goods and services made in Europe but, unlike earlier plans to promote domestically manufactured clean tech, there will be no binding “made in Europe” quotas. Brussels officials are concerned that many public agencies think existing EU rules oblige them to choose the cheapest bid when spending public money, which can lead to the contract going to a non-European firm. The European Commission’s lead official on industrial policy, Stéphane Séjourné, told reporters the regulation would give public sector buyers greater legal certainty and clarity about purchasing goods and services made in Europe. “Purchasers can have a more preferential approach to European bids [and] restrict or reject bids from countries which do not have a public procurement agreement or do not play by binding rules in terms of public procurement internationally,” he said. Public procurement is estimated by EU officials to amount to 15% of the bloc’s gross domestic product, about €2.6tn (£2.2tn) a year, and is seen in Brussels as an underused lever already deployed by Washington and Beijing to support their respective domestic companies. The new rules will oblige public buyers in the EU to put more emphasis on quality and metrics such as environmental sustainability and local supply chains, rather than opting for the cheapest bid. Under the proposals public agencies will be obliged to give a minimum 30% weighting to quality when they draw up conditions to award a contract, or explain why they chose to disregard this indicator. Labour-intensive contracts will have a minimum 50% weighting for quality, so purchasers must ensure decent jobs when awarding the contract, not simply the cheapest price. Séjourné hopes the proposals will encourage more democratic scrutiny over the spending of public money by local authorities. “It won’t be the European Commission’s fault if purchasers were to prefer Chinese buses to European buses because … in the [draft regulation] there is every possibility to give preference to European buses.” Brussels is concerned about inroads Beijing is making into European markets for transport and infrastructure, especially Chinese firms benefitting from state subsidies that make them cheaper than European alternatives. In April, the commission blocked a Chinese rolling-stock company from joining a consortium to build a new line on the Lisbon metro after an investigation found the firm had benefited from state subsidies that gave it an “unfair competitive edge”. Last year, Brussels opened an investigation into Chinese security company Nuctech, which has supplied European airports and ports with security scanners. EU officials suspect the company was helped by subsidies and tax breaks that gave it an unfair advantage in the European market, although the investigation has not reached final conclusions. Séjourné – a close ally of France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, who has long championed European preference – said spending public money on goods made in Europe should become “part of public discourse and accountability”. He added: “It should be very clear that it’s not because of European Union rules that a foreign product was preferred over a European one, but because it was a political choice that was made.” The draft regulation, which also aims to radically simplify rules by merging three laws into one, must be agreed by the European parliament and the EU ministers before it enters into force. It is likely to be altered during the legislative process. Séjourné is also spearheading a push for made-in-Europe rules to apply to the public purchase of renewable energy products and electric cars under the the Industrial Accelerator Act. The IAA, which also is likely to be changed by MEPs and ministers, marks a departure for Brussels, long a bastion of open markets. The plans have alarmed the British government, but EU officials said the latest draft rules on procurement would not disadvantage UK firms because existing agreements ensured both sides played by the same rules. Séjourne said the EU had agreements with the UK whereby reciprocal market access was respected. “There should not be any difficulties for the UK,” he added. Non-EU countries that have agreements with the bloc on public procurement are not expected to face barriers. An online tool will allow public purchasers to see which countries are covered by the EU’s web of free-trade agreements and other international deals that cover procurement. Membership of the World Trade Organization’s agreement on government procurement (GPA), which promotes fair competition in markets to supply state bodies, will be an important indicator. The GPA has 22 members including the EU (counted as one), the UK, the US, Canada and Japan. Mainland China is not party to the agreement.

UK airport disruption: what are your rights if you have been affected?

Airports across the UK including Manchester, Birmingham and all those in London were thrown into chaos by a technical failure in the air traffic control system on Tuesday. Although the air traffic control provider Nats fixed the problem within hours, the fallout continued to cause flight delays and cancellations on Wednesday. The total number of cancellations has now passed 2,000 after hundreds more flights were axed. Here we explain what you can expect if you have been affected. Is your flight delayed or cancelled? The Civil Aviation Authority website explains how long the delay has to be before you are entitled to care and assistance from your airline. The timeframe differs by flight distance. This help should cover food and drink and the ability to make phone calls or send emails, plus accommodation and the necessary transfers if the flight is delayed until the next day. Many airlines will provide vouchers to buy food and drink, and overnight accommodation will typically take the form of a nearby hotel (unless you live nearby, in which case your airline may reimburse your costs for getting to and from home). Sometimes airline staff are unable to arrange care and assistance for all passengers, in which case you can sort yourself out and claim the cost back later. But don’t splash the cash – and keep receipts. The CAA says airlines may have guidelines on this, adding: “Airlines are unlikely to consider alcoholic drinks, luxury hotels or luxury meals to be reasonable.” Should I ask the airline for another flight or a refund? If your flight has been cancelled and is covered by UK law – that means one departing from an airport in the UK on any airline, or arriving at an airport in the UK on an EU or UK airline, or arriving at an airport in the EU on a UK airline – your airline must offer you the choice of another flight or a refund. If you select an alternative flight, it is up to you whether you fly as soon as possible or at a later date. If the delay is more than five hours you can choose not to travel and receive a refund. Rory Boland, the editor of Which? Travel, said: “If your flight is cancelled you’re entitled to choose between being rerouted on a different flight or getting a refund. Rerouting will usually be your best option, as once a refund is accepted, your airline has no ongoing responsibility towards you or any costs you may incur for accommodation, meals or transport during your delay. You’ll also avoid paying over the odds for a new ticket if prices shoot up.” He added: “Crucially, if you opt to be rerouted, your airline must get you to your destination at the earliest opportunity, even when that means booking you with a rival carrier. It’s important to stand your ground on this point, as all too often we see examples of airlines flouting the rules and forcing passengers to wait longer for a spot on their own planes.” I am due to fly imminently – should I still go to the airport? If you are due to travel, check the latest advice from your airport or tour operator, or airline apps and airport social media feeds, for the most up-to-date information. In a statement on social media on Wednesday morning, Heathrow confirmed that flights were operating but “some disruption may continue as airlines reposition aircraft and crew”. A Heathrow spokesperson said: “We advise passengers to check with their airline for the latest flight information and to only travel to Heathrow if they have a confirmed flight operating today. We know how frustrating this situation is and apologise to those affected. We have extra colleagues on hand to support across our terminals and are working closely with our local Nats team and airline partners to recover normal operations as quickly as possible.” In a similar vein, a spokesperson for Gatwick airport said: “Flights have now resumed from London Gatwick. However, we still anticipate that it will take time for our operations to fully return to normal. Passengers should continue to check with their airlines for more information regarding their flights.” Travel experts say the best way to rebook flights is via airline apps, websites or call centres rather than at the airport check-in desk. At Heathrow, for example, rebooking is not an option at check-in desks as staff prioritise that day’s operations. Will I be entitled to compensation from the airline? If your flight was cancelled or delayed as a result of Tuesday’s problem, you are unlikely to be owed compensation by the airline. This is because the technical problem affecting flights will be considered an extraordinary circumstance and out of the airline’s control. Causes of disruption classed as outside an airline’s control also include severe weather and security alerts. Coby Benson, a solicitor at the law firm Bott and Co, said: “Air traffic control restrictions are generally considered an ‘extraordinary circumstance’, meaning passengers will not usually be entitled to compensation for delays or cancellations.” He added: While airlines may not be responsible for the initial problem, they should not use it as a reason to leave passengers stranded when reasonable alternative travel options are available.” It also worth consulting the small print on your travel insurance document. Anna-Marie Duthie, a travel insurance expert at the financial ratings company Defaqto, says: “Travel insurance may cover you if you cannot claim costs back from the airline, operator or credit card, but that will all depend on whether your policy includes cover for delay, travel disruption, missed connection or abandonment.”

Tell us: how have you been affected by UK air traffic disruption?

Airports across the UK including Manchester, Birmingham and all those in London were hit by a system issue at air traffic control on Tuesday, which continued into Wednesday. We would like to hear from people travelling about how they have been affected by disruption. What has the experience been like? Have you had to change or cancel your travel plans? If you’re having trouble using the form click here. Read terms of service here and privacy policy here.

Family of British man found dead in Grenada ask local police to work with UK investigators

The family of a British father who was found dead in the Caribbean in January is urging authorities in Grenada to work with UK police to uncover the truth about his death. Andrew Frederick’s body was found in the property he was staying at in Grenada on 4 January. An autopsy, performed in the same week by a privately hired pathologist, concluded that the 47-year-old’s death was a homicide. In June, Grenada’s director of public prosecution, Howard Pinnock, said at a press conference that Frederick’s and another pending case would be sent to the coroner to determine the cause of death “because there is no basis in terms of both investigations that any homicide has occurred”. After a sustained campaign by the family, British authorities became involved and Frederick’s body was repatriated to the UK last month, where a second autopsy was carried out. The UK coroner has noted that Frederick’s organs are missing and the death is currently “unascertained”. At the start of an inquest at West London coroner’s court last week, senior coroner Lydia Brown said the Metropolitan police are now investigating Frederick’s death. The family, who attended the court hearing by video link, said the coroner’s “decision to suspend Andrew’s inquest to allow the Metropolitan police to conduct a criminal investigation marks a significant turning point”. In statement to the Guardian, they urged Grenada and the UK to work together to find out what happened to Frederick. “We are encouraged and grateful that the Metropolitan police investigation is now under way. Justice for Andrew depends on everyone with the power to act, on both sides of the Atlantic, doing what is right,” the statement said. It added: “Andrew was a deeply loved member of a close-knit family; a son, brother, father and grandson. He leaves behind his cherished daughter, who should be growing up with him beside her, not learning to live without him. “Our family remain determined to uncover the truth about what happened to Andrew and to see justice follow. We hope this ruling is the step that finally enables a complete, properly coordinated investigation and that everyone who can assist will now do so.” This year, the family had called for an urgent review of the policies governing UK assistance to the loved ones of Britons killed abroad, after they were forced to launch their own public appeals for information, and commission an independent forensic pathologist and a private investigation. “Eight months have passed since Andrew was taken from us. In that time, we have learned what no family should ever have to learn, and fought battles no family should ever face alone,” their statement said. It added: “We have relentlessly sought answers and support while carrying the weight of Andrew’s loss and the horror of what was done to him. We still do not have a complete account of what happened, and important questions remain unanswered. “We hope the Grenadian authorities with knowledge of the case will now share that information and work collaboratively with the Metropolitan police, allowing the investigation to proceed without further delay. We are also seeking urgent answers as to why Andrew’s organs were absent when his body was returned to the UK for further examination.” In Grenada, the Office of the Commissioner told the Guardian that “the matter will be progressing to the coroner’s court for the parish of Saint George”. A Met spokesperson said: “The Met is investigating the death of 47-year-old Andrew Donald Frederick, who died in Grenada on 4 January. “Mr Frederick’s family are being supported by specialist officers. “No arrests have been made at this stage and inquiries are ongoing.” Officers have contacted the Royal Grenada Police Force to offer assistance and discuss how the investigation can be progressed. Inquest proceedings have been suspended pending the outcome of police investigations.