Abducted Childhood Survivor Praises Prime Minister Andy Burnham at Labour Conference for Bringing Her Home from Libya

A woman who was abducted by her father at the age of four and taken to Libya has thanked UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham for his vital work in bringing her back home. Nadia Fawzi spent two years away from her mother in Greater Manchester after being snatched by her father, Fawzi Abuarghub, in 2007, when he drove her to Manchester Airport and bought tickets to Tripoli instead of a local party.

Speaking at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool on Tuesday before Mr Burnham’s first speech as Prime Minister, Ms Fawzi credited him with saving her life, describing him as someone who "gets things done". After the initial abduction, Nadia’s mother, Sarah Taylor, moved to Libya and eventually won full custody in 2008, though it took another year before she was finally reunited with her daughter.

At the time, Mr Burnham served as her local MP and acted as a "tower of strength", even traveling to Libya to advocate for Ms Taylor’s case. The effort also received backing from then-prime minister Gordon Brown, who raised the issue with Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi at a G8 summit.

Reflecting on the eventual reunion, Mr Burnham praised Ms Taylor for showing extraordinary courage, dignity, and patience through every parent's worst nightmare.