Many constituents have contacted Will to share their views and concerns about asylum accommodation. Below is the response Will has been sending to constituents who have written in on this matter, setting out his position and the Liberal Democrats’ approach.

The Liberal Democrats agree that the UK’s asylum system is broken. Years of mismanagement and neglect have left it in crisis. Wrap-around support for asylum seekers was cut by the Conservatives, a cruel and short-sighted decision that has worsened the situation for thousands of vulnerable people.
 
The Conservatives trashed the asylum system, triggering spiralling backlogs and the costly legacy of asylum hotels, while Labour has so far failed to get a grip on the crisis. The Lib Dems are disappointed that the Labour Government has responded to this rhetoric with counterproductive policies like the immediate suspension of family reunion pathways and reducing the move-on period for new refugees, rather than properly challenging Reform and the Conservatives.
  
This is a humanitarian crisis purposefully created by the former Conservative government. As a direct result of their decision to stop processing asylum claims, more than 90,000 people are now stuck in the Home Office’s asylum backlog awaiting an initial decision. Of these, over half have been waiting more than six months, and over a quarter more than a year. Thousands are living in unsuitable accommodation, unable to work or rebuild their lives, and many now live in fear due to rising protests and intimidation outside asylum hotels.
 
That is why we are calling for:

• The Government to declare the asylum backlog a national emergency.
• The immediate establishment of Nightingale processing centres to clear the asylum backlog within six months.
• An end to the use of asylum hotels by speeding up application processing so people aren’t left in limbo. Those with valid claims should be allowed to work, integrate, and contribute to society, while those without a right to remain should be returned swiftly.
• The lifting of the ban on employment for asylum seekers who have waited over three months for a decision.
• The immediate restoration of family reunification pathways for refugees.

 
Everyone deserves to live free from fear and discrimination, and we remain committed to treating all people with dignity, empathy, and respect throughout the asylum process.
 
The Lib Dems are calling on the UK Government to reject the politics of division offered by Reform and the Conservatives and instead build an asylum system that reflects Britain’s values of compassion, fairness, and decency.
 
Kind regards,
 
Will

Will Forster
Member of Parliament for Woking 

Will is grateful to everyone who has taken the time to get in touch. Hearing directly from constituents helps inform his work in Parliament and his ongoing engagement with the Government on issues that matter to Woking.

Many constituents have contacted Will to share their views and concerns about The Chagos Islands. Below is the response Will has been sending to constituents who have written in on this matter, setting out his position and the Liberal Democrats’ approach.

Thank you for your email about the Chagos Islands. I just wanted to update you on the Chagos deal that is going through Parliament at the moment.
 
The UK government’s plan to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, which was set to be debated in the House of Lords on Monday 26 January, has now been withdrawn, amid warnings it could breach a treaty with the USA. The UK Government seems to be hell bent on expensive measures that harm our public services with less funding, increase the national debt but also pose significant security threats.
 
The Liberal Democrats believe the handling of this deal has been deeply shambolic and we have consistently opposed the Chagos deal.
 
The recent defeat of the Government’s approach in the House of Lords underlines just how poorly this process has been managed. It reflects serious concern across Parliament about the lack of transparency, scrutiny, and democratic accountability surrounding the deal.
 
Because of decisions taken by the Conservatives, Parliament’s hands were tied when it came to the agreement. Under this Labour Government, that lack of scrutiny has continued, leaving the public and the Chagossian community sidelined while uncertainty remains over the future of British sovereign territory.
 
It is also striking to hear concern from the Conservatives now, given it was their Foreign Secretary who first signalled the UK’s intention to pursue an agreement in this form.
 
At the very least, the Government must commit to giving Members of Parliament a final say on any future deal agreed with Mauritius. My party’s foreign affairs spokesperson, Calum Miller MP, has been clear that Parliament must not be bypassed on an issue of this importance, and we hope to defeat the government again in the House of Commons on this matter.
 
Kind regards,
 
Will

Will Forster
Member of Parliament for Woking 

Will is grateful to everyone who has taken the time to get in touch. Hearing directly from constituents helps inform his work in Parliament and his ongoing engagement with the Government on issues that matter to Woking.
 

The prisoner released is a Woking resident whose offences have predominantly taken place within Woking. 

Will Forster, the Liberal Democrat MP for Woking, has slammed the mistaken release of a second prisoner from HMP Wandsworth, describing the situation as “utterly unacceptable” and “distressing for Woking residents that a prisoner wrongfully released might have returned to our town.”  

This is the third such error in less than two weeks, following the mistaken release of an Algerian man from the same prison on 29 October, and another prisoner who was wrongly released from HMP Chelmsford just five days earlier on 24 October. 

Mr Forster said: 

“It’s utterly unacceptable that this person was wrongly released, especially on top of Brahim Kaddour-Cherif’s mistaken release from the same prison last week. 

“I have been informed that the police are actively working to apprehend this person as soon as possible, and they have reassured me that there is no indication of risk to the wider public. 

“I understand that this is distressing for Woking residents that a prisoner wrongfully released might have returned to our town. 

“I urge any residents with any information to contact police immediately via 101 or 999 if necessary. 

“This is yet another grave mistake from the Government. The public deserves a full explanation about how this has happened again. Both the Government and the Prison Service must own up to their failures and guarantee that these mistakes will stop happening once and for all.” 

Mr Forster is continuing to press the Government and the Prison Service for answers and assurances that robust measures are being taken to prevent any further wrongful releases. 

Watch as Woking MP, Will Forster, calls for an urgent review of the UK’s terrorism legislation after over 800 people were arrested during a protest about Palestine — highlighting that proscribing Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation clearly hasn’t worked as intended.

Will Forster MP calls for ban on UK trade with illegal Israeli settlements

The new Liberal Democrat MP for Woking is calling for a complete ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements. The Lib Dems believe settlement expansion worsens the crisis. 

Will Forster, the Liberal Democrat MP for Woking, has tabled a motion in Parliament calling on the Government to prohibit trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories as he believes these settlements are a barrier to peace and a two-state solution. 

The move by the Liberal Democrat MP comes in response to the Israeli Government’s recent announcement of 22 new settlements. An act which the United Nations and the British Government consider a clear violation of international law.  

The Liberal Democrats say that trade with illegal settlements helps entrench and expand them, undermining hopes for two state solution and peace in the region. 

The Early Day Motion (EDM) put forward by Will Forster, urges the Government to bring forward laws to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements and calls on UK businesses to ensure their supply chains are not linked to, or profiting from them. 

Will Forster MP explains why he has called for the ban:  

“These illegal settlements are a flagrant breach of international law and since the 1960s have been a barrier to peace. Every pound made from trading with them sends the message that the UK turns a blind eye to injustice and occupation. 

“People in Woking and across the UK want to see our country standing up for human rights and international law. That’s why I’m calling on the Government to end all trade with these settlements and play its part in securing a peaceful future for both Palestinians and Israelis. 

“We cannot continue business as usual with those who are actively expanding illegal settlements and perpetuating the rhetoric of conflict. The UK must show leadership by acting now.”