Last night the genocide amendment to the Trade Bill was narrowly defeated by the government. Labour supported the amendments in Parliament yesterday to ensure Britain never turns a blind eye to genocide. The genocide amendment would have been a watershed moment for the Uyghurs and would have ensured that the UK is not trading with a genocidal state.

The treatment of Uyghur Muslims is one of the world’s most horrific ongoing crimes. Evidence has shown gross human rights violations, including forced labour, detention, sterilisation, organ harvesting and denouncement of religion. These horrors are a sobering reminder of the reality on the ground and that the international community must help end these atrocities.

Last week I challenged the Foreign Secretary and urged him to address the suspected genocide in Xinjiang. Whilst the Secretary of State condemns China’s actions and even describes all the hallmarks of a genocide, he still refuses to call it one. Last night the government disgracefully failed the Uyghurs. I’d like to thank the immense cross-party effort and to those MPs who supported the amendment. As for those who voted against it, history will remember. The words “Never Again” have little meaning unless we take action.

The US government declared yesterday the Chinese government’s persecution of Uyghur Muslims a genocide. The UK must now follow suit.

The helpless Uyghur Muslims desperately deserve justice. As the Vice-Chair of the APPG on Uyghurs, I reaffirm my commitment to the Uyghur cause and will continue highlighting the mass atrocities that are taking place and fight for justice.