Nusrat Ghani MP: Remembering those who fought for our freedom

Remembrance brings us together in recognition of all who have served and made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our country, defending the freedoms and values of our great nation and protecting our way of life.

The annual act of remembrance on Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday binds us and the rest of the nation together in a sobering moment of reflection. As I join our communities every year on Remembrance Sunday to pay respects to our Armed Forces past and present, it is always an honour to stand with local veterans and meet those who serve our country at home or abroad today. I will also plant a remembrance cross in the Remembrance Garden at the Houses of Parliament, to represent the many fallen men and women from our constituency of Sussex Weald.

Our British Armed Forces are the ultimate defenders of our security and freedom. They are respected the world over and we depend on them to keep us safe at home and abroad. It is important that we also support our current military personnel, and I will continue to campaign for the recognition, care, and post-service security that they deserve.

This year, we will also continue thinking of our friends and allies in Ukraine and the brave soldiers as they continue to defend their country’s sovereignty against Russian aggression and fight for freedom. But while Putin’s illegal war continues, the rebuilding work is already underway. As Minister of State at the Department of Business and Trade and Minister for Europe at the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, I oversaw the UK’s role in Ukraine reconstruction, co-chaired the UK-Ukraine Infrastructure Taskforce and hosted the Ukraine Recovery Conference, which brought together thousands of representatives from public and private sectors to commit support to Ukraine’s recovery and accelerate restoring its key services.

I continue supporting Ukrainian families living in Sussex Weald, but I know from my many meetings and correspondence with them that what they want most is to return home safely and reunite with their loved ones. The UK’s support for Ukraine must remain steadfast so that our efforts to help with the rebuilding of Ukraine will enable them to do just that.