Today we mark Black day For Kashmir where we extend our solidarity and compassion to the people of Kashmir.
India and Pakistan, working hand in hand with the people of Kashmir, must find a long-term, peaceful solution to this ongoing conflict.
Without this approach, the hardship and violence that we have seen escalate over the past year will sadly worsen.
I give my full support to UN resolutions that explicitly grant Kashmiris the right to self-determination through a free and impartial plebiscite. It is a matter of international law. I am also profoundly aware that this conflict is directly linked to Britain’s horrific colonial past.
As a result we, as a country, have a historical duty to ensure that a peaceful political solution is found in Kashmir.
I will always stand with communities that face oppression and state-led repression and I will continue to speak up for the people of Kashmir in Parliament until such time as the Kashmiri population have determined their future.