Following recent disturbing events in Afghanistan, many constituents have reached out for support to help their loved ones be evacuated to safety.

Many of their cases are utterly harrowing and I am all too aware of the extreme urgency needed in response to the escalating humanitarian crisis in the country.

Therefore, though I welcome the UK government’s commitment to bring 20,000 Afghan migrants to this country over the next five years, it is abundantly clear to me that this offer of support is far too little and too slow to help the thousands already living in direct fear of the Taliban.

While our government shirks its responsibilities to those whose lives the UK’s wars have put at risk; I will not. I will continue to urge the government to explore every option for taking people out of Afghanistan to safety and to open dialogue with international partners who can assist.

An issue of concern on the home front is the double-whammy of the upcoming increase in National Insurance alongside the £20 reduction in Universal Credit payments, which will affect 18,830 families in Ilford South.

I fear this government’s cuts are about to push many families, including many working families already struggling to survive on poverty wages, even further below the poverty line.

Here in Ilford, I have been working hard to support residents who have raised issues of antisocial behaviour that is having a severe impact on their quality of life.

Problems are particularly acute around the York Road area and last week I held a second public meeting to address this issue.

Do not hesitate to contact me on sam.tarry.mp@parliament.uk. For updates on my work in Ilford and Parliament, check out my website at https://samtarry.org.uk/.