Britain will remain close to Turkey after Erdogan election win, says No 10

0 Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been re-elected president Britain looks forward to continuing a “close association” with Turkey following the reelection of president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Theresa May’s official spokesman has said.

Mr Erdogan was elected on Sunday for a further five-year term as president under new constitutional arrangements which give him new executive powers and make him head of government as well as head of state.

Second-placed presidential contender Muharrem Ince accepted the result but warned that Turkey had “cut off its ties with democratic values” and become “a one-man regime”.

Mrs May’s official spokesman said: “The United Kingdom looks forward to contin- uing its close association with Turkey following the result of elections yesterday. Turkey and the UK have a wide range of shared interests, including regional security, counter-terrorism and bilateral trade and investment.

“We will work with President Erdogan and his government to develop this important bilateral relationship.”

Mrs May has visited Mr Erdogan in Ankara in 2017, where she agreed a £100 million deal to help develop fighter jets for the Turkish air force. She welcomed the Turkish president to the UK on a state visit last month.

Downing Street declined to comment on the conduct of the election ahead of the release of the findings of independent monitors.

Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokeswoman Christine Jardine said: “Erdogan’s re-election cannot be regarded as truly democratic. He has consistently infringed on the democratic and human rights of the Turkish people in order to maintain his power.”

Mrs May spoke to the president by telephone to congratulate him.

A Downing Street spokesman said: “The Prime Minister reiterated the importance of the bilateral relationship between the UK and Turkey.”