The last few weeks have brought some important changes, but they have also made it very clear how much still needs to happen.
The five-day fast was an extraordinary show of solidarity with Mum and Craig, and I remain incredibly grateful to everyone who took part, shared it or supported us during those days. It helped bring a very difficult chapter to a close, but our attention now has to be firmly on what comes next.
We are hearing that Mum and Craig have struggled with eating again as their bodies begin to recover from such prolonged hunger strikes. That is obviously a huge worry for us. Starting to eat again does not mean their bodies simply return to normal, and we need reassurance that they are being properly monitored, assessed and supported through what could be a difficult recovery.
The British Embassy is now back in the country, which makes consular access even more important. We need them to see Mum and Craig, understand their condition firsthand and make sure their welfare is being properly accounted for. After everything they have been through, this cannot continue to be managed from a distance.
We are also continuing to push for a meeting with Ed Miliband. For us, that meeting is about much more than being heard. We need the opportunity to put the reality of Mum and Craig’s situation directly in front of the Foreign Secretary, to understand what is being done and to push for the kind of action that can actually move this forward. There has been constructive engagement with members of the new Government, but ultimately the situation remains unresolved and Mum and Craig remain detained.
At the same time, something quite incredible is happening with the petition. We are now very close to 100,000 signatures.
That number is difficult to properly take in. Nearly 100,000 people have chosen to put their name alongside our family and say that Mum and Craig matter. To everyone who has already signed, shared it, sent it to friends or asked others to get involved, thank you. If you have not signed yet, or if you can share it one more time, getting beyond 100,000 would send an incredibly powerful message that this cannot simply be allowed to fade from view.
The same applies to the GoFundMe. The support there continues to help us with the practical costs of keeping this work going, whether that is travelling to meetings, accessing professional and specialist support, maintaining the campaign or making sure we can continue putting Mum and Craig’s case in front of the right people. There is absolutely no pressure on anyone to donate, particularly those who have already done so, but every donation and every share gives us more ability to keep pushing.
We have seen throughout this campaign that public support matters. The petition, the messages, the letters, the donations and the people who have stood beside us have helped keep Mum and Craig’s names in the room.
We are nearly at 100,000 voices now. The next step is making sure those voices lead to action.