Matthew spoke at the annual Vasilopita ceremony at the House of Commons to celebrate the beginning of the New Year and also the life of St Basil.

Now a regular event in the Parliamentary calendar, the celebration is marked by a cutting of a cake by that has been specially baked containing a coin. When the cake is shared the person who receives the coin in their portion of the cake is said to be granted luck for the rest of the year. 

While the event highlights the achievements of the British-Cypriot diaspora, it also serves as a reminder that the Turkish invasion of Cyprus has not been resolved, with troops still located on the island. 

Matthew said “Cyprus remains an unresolved and unjust situation in Europe. Many politicians simply ignore the thousands of Turkish and Greek Cypriots who were displaced in 1974. These same people lost their homes, land and identity- and in too many cases others lost their lives.

"I shall continue to press the UK Government on the issue of Cyprus to achieve a bizonal and bicommunical federation across the island which removes Turkish troops from the occupied part of the island.