If I were Prime Minister: I would make sure no-one gets unexpectedly imprisoned abroad

Our series in the run-up to the General Election – 100 days, 100 contributors, but no politicians – continues with the ‎Chief Executive of Prisoners Abroad

"All too often laws in foreign countries are unknown, and such misunderstandings can end up criminalising people" (Photo: Julian Crowe)

In my work at Prisoners Abroad, I’ve come across various instances of arrest or imprisonment abroad due to what might seem like the most insignificant and innocent of crimes.

You may remember the case of, the teacher arrested in Sudan after her class of six and seven-year-olds chose the name Mohammed for their class teddy bear. Another example that comes to mind is a man who was arrested in Dubai simply for having poppy seeds on his shoe – the remains of a poppy seed bagel he had eaten in a UK airport prior to his flight. In the Middle East, one person we helped was arrested because the authorities did not believe that as a black man, he could be British.

Last month Equalities Minister Jo Swinson wrote to over 70 countries and foreign jurisdictions asking that they recognise the rights of gay Britons travelling abroad. It is regretful that such varying and negative attitudes to homosexuality exist internationally; yet these letters point to a wider need to help British citizens navigate disparate and complex legal systems around the world.

All too often laws in foreign countries are unknown, and such misunderstandings can end up criminalising people who otherwise may never have been in trouble. Given time, I’d like to see it become second nature that when travelling abroad anywhere, we should all expect to be informed of those unlikely, counterintuitive laws, so that otherwise law-abiding British citizens do not find themselves locked up abroad unnecessarily.

In other areas of legislation, I would make it compulsory for all school curricula to contain gardening. This would ensure that all children were exposed to nature and wildlife, as well as fully understanding where the food that they eat comes from. Students would be able to experience the entire annual gardening cycle; seeing plants remain dormant in winter, grow in Spring, mature in Summer, and die back in Autumn.

In the light of the proposed cutbacks, I would also make sure that entrance to museums and art galleries remained free, allowing everyone to take inspiration from the great beauty and historical artefacts within them. I would ensure that each of these museums and art galleries was appropriately funded in order to support this.

If I were Prime Minister, I would prioritise all of these areas so as to create an environment in which all Brits feel adequately supported intellectually, emotionally and financially.

Pauline Crowe OBE, Chief Executive, Prisoners Abroad