Ms Elay Ershad MP
18 August 2021
Dear Elay,
Re: Westminster women MPs pledge support for Afghan women MPs
You inspired us when, as a woman MP from Afghanistan, you joined us in the Chamber of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament in 2018 and spoke of your hopes of freedom and security for the people you represented.
We are dismayed at the situation that now faces you and in particular women in Afghanistan and send you our admiration for your commitment to democracy, to women’s rights and above all for your remarkable courage as a woman politician in staying in Kabul, resolute in the face of the Taliban takeover.
As women MPs in the UK Parliament we want you to know that we are looking out for you and we stand in solidarity with you and with all women politicians in Afghanistan who have stepped forward to be in public life and who, in particular, speak out for women and bring the representation of women into politics.
Best wishes,
Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP Rt Hon Theresa May MP
Rt Hon Diane Abbott MP Hannah Bardell MP Dawn Butler MP Debbie Abrahams MP Paula Barker MP Lisa Cameron MP Rushanara Ali MP Harriett Baldwin MP Maria Caulfield MP Rosena Allin-Khan MP Mhairi Black MP Wendy Chamberlain MP Fleur Anderson MP Kirsty Blackman MP Sarah Champion MP Catherine Ansell MP Olivia Blake MP Joanna Cherry QC MP Tonia Antoniazzi MP Lyn Brown MP Feryal Clark MP Sarah Atherton MP Felicity Buchan MP Daisy Cooper MP Siobhan Baillie MP Karen Buck MP Rosie Cooper MP
Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP Rt Hon Dame Margaret Hodge Kate Osborne MP Claire Coutinho MP Sharon Hodgson MP Kirsten Oswald MP Stella Creasy MP Kate Hollern MP Taiwo Owatemi MP Tracey Crouch MP Rupa Huq MP Sarah Owen MP Janet Daby MP Christine Jardine MP Jess Philips MP Alex Davies-Jones MP Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson Lucy Powell MP Dehenna Davison MP MP Victoria Prentis MP Marsha De Cordova MP Ruth Jones MP Anum Qaisar-Javed MP Thangam Debbonaire MP Sarah Jones MP Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP Caroline Dinenage MP Barbara Keeley MP Christina Rees MP Anneliese Dodds MP Liz Kendall MP Ellie Reeves MP Flick Drummond MP Rt Hon Dame Eleanor Laing Rachel Reeves MP Rosie Duffield MP Pauline Latham MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP Dame Angela Eagle MP Kim Leadbeater MP Rt Hon Liz Saville Roberts Maria Eagle MP Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP Selaine Saxby MP Ruth Edwards MP Emma Lewell-Buck MP Naz Shah MP Florence Eshalomi MP Carla Lockhart MP Tulip Siddiq MP Laura Farris MP Julia Lopez MP Cat Smith MP Margaret Ferrier MP Holly Lynch MP Karin Smyth MP Katherine Fletcher MP Caroline Lucas MP Amanda Solloway MP Yvonne Fovargue MP Shabana Mahmood MP Jo Stevens MP Vicky Foxcroft MP Seema Malhotra MP Zarah Sultana MP Nusrat Ghani MP Kerry McCarthy MP Alison Thewliss MP Jo Gideon MP Alison McGovern MP Rt Hon Emily Thornberry MP Preet Kaur Gill MP Siobhain McDonagh MP Kelly Tolhurst MP Mary Glindon MP Catherine McKinnell MP Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan Kate Green MP Anne McLaughlin MP MP Sarah Green MP Rt Hon Maria Miller MP Laura Trott MP Kate Griffiths MP Layla Moran MP Rt Hon Valerie Vaz MP Louise Haigh MP Jessica Morden MP Claudia Webbe MP Claire Hanna MP Joy Morrisey MP Heather Wheeler MP Emma Hardy MP Jill Mortimer MP Munira Wilson MP Carolyn Harris MP Rt Hon Lisa Nandy MP Beth Winter MP Sally-Ann Hart MP Charlotte Nichols MP Rt Hon Dame Rosie Winterton Helen Hayes MP Rt Hon Caroline Nokes MP MP Dame Meg Hillier MP Sarah Olney MP Wera Hobhouse MP Abena Oppong-Asare MP