ZIMBABWE is perhaps one of the most debated countries in British parliament, especially in the House of Lords.
As it turns out, those making the loudest noises have strong links with the country, either through birth, military career or having spent part of their lives in Zimbabwe or colonial Southern Africa.
Peter Hain, the Shadow Secretary of Wales, has been at the forefront for lobbying wider sanctions on Zimbabwe.
In July 2012 he said: “I am extremely alarmed by this apparent drift in the government’s concern for what’s going on in Zimbabwe…Robert Mugabe has never to date shown any inclination to accept defeat at the polls, and I do not think sanctions should be lifted or relaxed,” (The Observer July 14 2012).
And most of the debates are about land.
On June 10 2010, Lord Hughes of Woodside said, “It has been said in some parts of Africa that we in Britain do not understand the land question.
“I had occasion to tell a high commissioner from southern Africa that the Scots certainly understand the land question, because we have long memories and we remember the 18th and 19th century Highland clearances, when people were thrown off their land in order to provide for sheep.
“It was certainly as brutal as, if not more brutal than, the farmers being thrown off their land in Zimbabwe.
“The greatest sin of the Mugabe Government in regard to the land seizures is that they took fertile land and turned it into wasteland.
“Land is not of value in itself; it is of value in a productive capacity to feed people.”
According to the honourable Lord Hughes of Woodside, giving back land to black Zimbabweans was as good as throwing it away to waste.
Zimbabwe’s land was of value when it was in the hands of the whites.
On June 11 2010, Lord St John of Bletso moved a motion on the need for a full debate on Zimbabwe.
“My Lords, I am extremely grateful to have the opportunity to debate current developments in Zimbabwe.
“The last full debate in your Lordships’ House on Zimbabwe was in March 2005.
“Since then there have been several Questions for Short Debate.
“The other place recently debated the all-party group’s report, Land in Zimbabwe: Past Mistakes and Future Prospects, on the vexed issue… I pay respect to the contributions of the late Lady Park of Monmouth and Lord Blaker, both of whom were ardent campaigners for democratisation and for human rights protection in Zimbabwe.
“They are sorely missed and their contributions were greatly appreciated by all.” (https://www.zimbabwesituation.org/?p=14552).
In addition to these House of Lords debates on Zimbabwe, the UK parliament has an All-Party Parliamentary Group on Zimbabwe, which is chaired by Kate Hoey.
Members of the group include Lord Hughes of Woodside, Lord Avebury, Lord Popat, Sir Malcolm Rifkind , Sir Robert Smith, Nicholas Soames (son of Lord and Lady Soames and grandson of Winston Churchill), Lord Triesman, Lord Morris of Handsworth, Baroness Boothroyd, Lord Luce and Lord St John of Bletso.
What is it with these Lords, Ladies, Barons, Baronesses, and Sirs, with regard to Zimbabwe?
Antony Lord St John of Bletso’s father, Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Beauchamp St John, emigrated to South Africa in 1957 after the Second World War to try his fortunes there, and that was the year that Antony Lord St John of Bletso was born.
Consequently, Antony Lord St John of Bletso grew up in South Africa and studied at the universities of Cape Town and South Africa.
This probably explains his interest in Zimbabwe’s affairs.
Lord Hughes of Woodside was born in 1932 in Scotland, but lived in South Africa between 1947–1954.
He participated in anti-apartheid campaigns and organised a Free Mandela concert at Wembley Stadium in 1988.
He was the first chairperson for the Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) organisation in 1994.
All this probably explains his interest on Zimbabwe.  
Lord Soames, the father of Lord Nicholas Soames, was the last British Governor for Rhodesia, where he served for four months during our transition to independence.
The late Lord Peter Blaker was born in Hong Kong (also a British colony at the time).
He worked for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and during his position as the Foreign Office minister under Mrs Thatcher, he went to ‘Rhodesia’ in 1979 on a fact-finding mission.
According to some British media, he was tolerant of Ian Smith and favoured a negotiated settlement with the Ian Smith regime (The Telegraph and The Independent newspapers).
The late Lady Daphne Park of Monmouth (born in 1921 and died in 2010), had very strong ties with Sothern Africa.
The Guardian newspaper describes her as “the product of the turn-of-the-century British adventurers in southern Africa” (March 28 2010).
Lady Daphne Park grew up in Malawi and Tanzania where the parents had a tobacco farm (Nyasaland) and a coffee plantation in Tanzania.
She was the UK’s consul and First Secretary to Leopoldville between 1959 and 1961.
Lady Daphne Park’s passion for Zimbabwe did not only end in debates, but in 2007 she set up the Phoenix Fund for Zimbabwe.
The Fund supports Zimbabwean asylum seekers in the UK.
George Iain Duncan Smith, who is the UK’s current Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has strong links with Rhodesia.
He served in the Rhodesian Army between 1975 and 1981. 
Peter Hain (Shadow Secretary for Wales) was born in Kenya, but grew up in South Africa.
Although he actively participated in anti-apartheid movements, he is at the forefront of criticising Zimbabwe and lobbying for sanctions against Zimbabwe.
Can Zimbabwe get a fair deal in these debates?
The historical links for most of those moving debates on Zimbabwe make it difficult for them to be impartial.