MPs’ Round-Up

A Christchurch-based charity is marking six months of providing independent living for young adults with autism. Autism Wessex opened the house in Southbourne to give independence and create new friendships for the highly marginalised group. Aspire was opened by Inclusion Housing in March, with Autism Wessex providing care to the people living there. The modern house comprises three self-contained studio apartments, four en suite bedrooms and communal areas and is designed specifically for adults with autism. It enables them to live independently, with privacy, freedom and social interaction and their own tenancy agreements –alongside appropriate care from the staff team who help with things such as cooking, cleaning, housework, personal care, shopping and community activities. Xavier, 18, was living with family before moving into Aspire in June. He said: “I’m enjoying being independent and I’m not really struggling so far. I’ve surprised myself. “The team are there if I need them day or night. “Eventually I want to get a full-time job so I can upgrade my phone, my internet and get a new bike.” Brandon, also 18, was living in foster care before moving into Aspire. He said: “Knowing I have support if I need it is good. I’d also like to get a job and that now feels possible.” Some of the staff team at Aspire are also exploring new challenges. Support worker Phil Donaldson said: “As soon as I started, I made a connection with one of the people we support who likes gaming and I’m learning a lot about autism and how complex it can be. I’ve surprised myself with what I’m achieving.” Another support worker Sian Saunders said: “My dad has a form of autism and I have always been able to recognise it and calm him down. I’m also around the same age as most of the young people here and I think they relate to me because of that. “There is lots of training available and we have had workshops in everything from first aid to safeguarding and epilepsy.”

MPs’ round-up Afghans claiming refugee status must be given priority

The speed with which the government collapsed and the Taliban regained control in Afghanistan is both a shock and a disaster. As the full consequences are yet to be seen, we can only pray that the Taliban show more respect for human life than they have hitherto. The emergency debate in the House of Commons was both sombre and compelling. It was a privilege to be able to listen in a packed Chamber to colleagues from across the House with experience of service in Afghanistan. Their conclusion was that the premature withdrawal of all support for the Afghan army was both reckless and wrong. It has irreparably damaged the credibility of ‘the West’ in our ability to defend and promote our values of freedom, democracy and the rule of law. It has also created a power vacuum which Russia, China and Iran will exploit. Where, for example, does this leave the citizens of Hong Kong, Ukraine and Taiwan? The chaos in Afghanistan has shown NATO, with its series of grave, strategic and tactical errors, to be a toothless tiger. Why did our Government not insist that the United States properly consult its allies including the Afghan government before giving up its support role? Were the likely consequences even considered? Where does this leave the UK/USA special relationship? Constituents are right to be worried about those who remain in Afghanistan at risk of Taliban reprisals. Our Government needs to prioritise claims for refugee status on their merits so that those at immediate risk inside Afghanistan are helped first. There is now a strong humanitarian argument for putting a total stop to crossChannel migration by insisting that those already in France are given refuge there. This will enable us to increase our capacity to take refugees direct from Afghanistan. n The need for governments to ‘get a grip’ also extends to local government and to Dorset Council. The farce over the new cycle lane in Wimborne between Leigh Road and Canford Bottom could have been avoided. I expressed concern about the traffic implications to the lead councillor, Ray Bryan, as long ago as last November. Twelve weeks later I received a response which asserted that the road ‘is currently far wider than it needs to be which can encourage faster road speeds and inappropriate overtaking. ‘A reduction in width to the level proposed will have limited impact on its ability to accommodate traffic. This corridor will still function as one of the main vehicular routes into Wimborne from the A31’. Let us hope that our councillors explain why the outcome is so different to what was forecast and what remedial action is to be taken to rectify the matter.

Christchurch & East Dorset: Chris Chope

MPs’ round-up

MPs’ round-up Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory

MP for North Dorset Simon Hoare

Those who have seen the film Zulu may recall Michael Caine’s answer to the question, after the battle, ‘how do you feel?’ He replies: ‘Ashamed. I feel ashamed’. Given the events unfolding in Afghanistan (and who knows what it will look like between my writing and you reading this) there are reasons for the West to feel ashamed. We appear to have singularly failed to grasp the import of intelligence reports. President Biden (of whom many of us had such high hopes of a new internationally engaged American) has signalled the retreat to isolationism. His message this week to the Taliban, and to any other actual or potential foes was terrifying: America will only act when America is in danger. The White House cannot expect all of the trappings of being the sole democratic global Superpower while divesting itself of all its responsibilities. Whether it likes it or not, America has a Values leadership role. How the enemies of liberty, human rights and the Rule of Law must be rubbing their hands with glee. Russia and China will take heart but Nato is increasingly in danger of becoming a superannuated talking shop –it needs to recalibrate itself to reflect the new semidetached nature of the States. I understand why American taxpayers get annoyed when it is only the US, UK and France that meets its two per cent target on defence spending. Too many Nato members have over-relied on American largesse. Nato cannot only act if America is ‘in’. So we should feel ashamed that we have so lightly dealt with a defence of our values. As my friend and colleague Tom Tugendhat said in the House this week – this damned well feels like defeat. We should also feel ashamed and saddened that we have marched, rather like the Grand Old Duke of York, the Afghan people up to the top of the hill and left them there. I hope I am wrong but I do not believe that the narrow ideology of the Taliban can change or wish to change. They win through fear, intimidation, torture and subjugation. As a father of three daughters I quake to think of how women’s and girls’ rights will retreat to the point of non-existence under these brutes. We pledged we’d be there for the long haul and we abandon them after the first leg of what should always have been understood as being a long journey. From my inbox I know all too well the raw anger of many who have served or are serving in our military locally and who are asking: ‘What was the point of our sacrifice? We sent good people to serve and die. Why?’ As one said to me: ‘It’s rather like beating the Nazis in 1945 and then letting them march back in to Berlin a few years later.’ I am afraid I don’t have an answer to their question save to say I see and empathise with their assessment. They feel let down. They feel their fallen comrades have been let down. They are appalled we have let down the people of Afghanistan. When the Asian population of Uganda came under persecution from Idi Amin, UK Prime Minister Ted Heath did not say: ‘well, we will take some now and some more over the coming years’. He acted swiftly and this only a few years after Powell’s Rivers Of Blood Speech, when race relations were far tenser than they are now. Those most fearful of torture and death in Afghanistan do not have the luxury of waiting a few years before they toddle off to the travel agent to book a flight. We need to get them out NOW. If we don’t, the Taliban will very quickly turn down the lights, draw the curtains to avert the prying of international eyes and unleash a pogrom of revenge best reserved for Game Of Thrones. We in Dorset must play our part in rescue endeavour. As they helped us so we must help them. I know Dorset Council is already engaged in this process. Let us all seek to rise to the occasion and play our part. Let us try to lessen this horrible feeling of shame.

TAKING FLIGHT: Afghans aboard a USAF Boeing C-17 USAF