A number of Hackney residents have been stranded overseas because of the grounding of flights due of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Where flights have been available they have been at hugely inflated costs - beyond the reach of most people.
I have been working closely with the Shadow Foreign Secretary, Emily Thornberry as well as the Foreign Office directly.
Emily met the Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, on Thursday 26 March and she pressed him on this issue and the complex individual situations.
The coronavirus pandemic means people are losing their jobs but some are banned from accessing public money, like Universal Credit.
I’ve written to the Home Secretary asking for a clear commitment and today Diane Abbott also raised this issue. People need reassurance now.
I know too many families struggle living in severely overcrowded accommodation. Already children are forced to share beds with parents and some vulnerable families are crammed into single flats with other families. Many live in a single-room hostels. The closure of schools, self-isolation, and family quarantine will make an already unbearable situation impossible.
We can do better than this. Other European countries have stepped up to the challenge – Norway is supporting freelancers/self-employed workers by providing 80% of their average salary over the last 3 years.
The Government needs to announce a proper plan.
Self-isolation for families in overcrowded accommodation and single-room hostels is hard.
We need a better solution than this – what about empty new build homes being provided for people in desperate need?
It’s a worrying time but we can help each other by not panic buying. There are families in Hackney who can’t afford a weekly shop let alone stockpiling.
For further info and advice on coronavirus see: https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response
I know that this may be an uncertain and worrying time for many.
Please be assured that my office remains open and working as normal. Please do get in touch with your views, comments, issues and casework.
If you have an ongoing case and would like an update, or if you wish to update me, please email meghilliermp@parliament.uk, or call my office on 020 7219 5325. Phonelines are open Monday to Friday 10am – 5pm.
Up to 160,000 other Commonwealth citizens could be affected by issues highlighted by the Windrush scandal, including many in Hackney.
See the Public Accounts Committee report here. I continue to press the Government for action.
The Government's post-Brexit immigration system needs to reflect the needs of the tech sector.
I'll be following up with the Home Secretary to make sure Hackney's interests are protected.
Many Hackney residents are impacted by the Cladding Scandal.
They are now mortgage prisoners, facing life-changing bills and an uncertain future. We must find a solution quickly!
Today, I urged the Government to schedule more time in Parliament to discuss this crisis.