Rushanara Ali MP, Shadow Minister for International Development, today called on companies such as Primark to take urgent action to address workers’ conditions and take responsibility for safety standards following the collapse of an eight storey building on the outskirts of Dakha, Bangladesh, in which over 200 hundred garment workers employed in factories that supplied high street shops to the West have been killed.

Rushanara Ali MP has condemned a serious homophobic incident which took place in Whitechapel. Responding to a video of the incident, filmed in her constituency, Rushanara said: “This kind of intolerance and intimidation has absolutely no place in modern Britain, and absolutely no place in our capital city.”

Following the Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, Ivan Lewis MP’s visit to Burma, Rushanara Ali MP, has urged the UK Government to take further steps towards ending violence in Burma. 

Following news of the horrifying outbreak of violence and conflict in Gaza, Rushanara Ali, MP for Bethnal Green and Bow said “I am gravely concerned about the current situation in Gaza and southern Israel and horrified by the news that over 90 Palestinians and three Israelis have died since Operation Pillar of Defence began. Action is urgently needed to put an end to the violence on all sides and prevent this crisis from escalating further. I strongly condemn both the continuing Israeli air strikes and the rocket attacks into southern Israel. I urge the Israeli authorities to act in accordance with international law and to immediately cease taking action that exacerbates the conflict and puts further civilian lives at risk.

Shadow Minister for International Development, Rushanara Ali MP, chaired an urgent press conference with Labour MPs, Peers and representatives from campaign groups, to discuss how the international community can apply pressure on the Burmese authorities to address the plight of the Rohingya and facilitate immediate humanitarian access to affected areas.

Following news in the last week that violence has once more broken out in Rakhine State in Burma, Shadow Minister for International Development Rushanara Ali MP said “Just last week violence broke out again in Rakhine State in Burma following weeks of violence in June that saw at least 100,000 people displaced. Unlike last time however, the Burmese Government has asked for help and the British Government must step up to answer that need.

Rushanara Ali MP, Shadow Minister for International Development, has spoken in a Westminster Hall debate to call for an end to the violence and discrimination against the Rohingya community in Burma.

On 23rd February, the UK Government will host a conference on Somalia to pull together international effort to address the conflict and humanitarian challenges facing Somalia. Senior representatives from over 40 governments and multi-lateral organisations will come together in London with the aim of delivering a new international approach to Somalia. 

As Pakistan attempts once more to deal with serious flooding and the resulting humanitarian crisis, Rushanara Ali joined the call for the international community to provide the help and support so desperately needed.