Kenilworth's Mayor has criticised the UK government's 'embarrassing' attempts to free Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe from her imprisonment in Iran.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who has family near to Kenilworth, has been sentenced to another year in prison today.

Mayor of Kenilworth Cllr Richard Dickson, who wrote about this case in his March Nub News column, has said: "Where's our country's leadership here to support this British citizen and this British family?

"For more than five years she's been held hostage during which time our government has failed to negotiate her release. Nazani longs to come home to the UK to be with her husband and young daughter."

It has been claimed by Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's husband, Richard Ratcliffe, that her case is being used as a "negotiating tactic" by the Iranian Government.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that he is committed to seeing Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe return to the UK for the first time since 2016.

He said: "The government will not stop, we will redouble our efforts, and we are working with our American friends on this issue as well."

Cllr Dickson added: "Our government has failed to repay the £400 million plus interest that the UK has owed to Iran for more than 40 years.

"This is personally tragic. For our country it's so embarrassing.

"Clearly the government's approach has failed completely. It's time for something new to be tried."