Sadiq Khan MP has gained assurances from  the government that they will continue to use their best efforts to secure the release of the last British inmate at Guantanamo Bay, Shaker Aamer. Mr Aamer, who is into his eleventh year of detention at the US run Cuban detention centre, has family in South West London, including Tooting.

Sadiq has made numerous representations on behalf of Mr Aamer since first being elected as MP for Tooting in 2005. Before becoming an MP, as a Human Rights lawyer, his law firm acted for a number of men held in Guantanamo Bay.

Sadiq recently made further representations to the British government. In his response to Sadiq, the Foreign Office Minister for counter terrorism, Alistair Burt MP explained that the current Foreign Secretary has made multiple representations to his US counterparts and also raised the case numerous times with the outgoing US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton as well as Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.

Minister Burt also assured Mr Khan that the British government "believes that indefinite detention without trial is wrong and that they will continue to call for the closure of Guantanamo Bay". You can read a copy of this letter here.

Members of the Save Shaker Aamer campaign also organised a demonstration outside Parliament this afternoon, which Sadiq attended to reiterate his support for the campaign to bring Shaker home.

Sadiq Khan MP said,

"I welcome the assurances I've received from the Foreign Office over the current status of Shaker Aamer. It is encouraging that they have confirmed that they will continue to lobby the American Government.

"Guantanamo Bay is a disgrace and the sooner this institution is closed down the better. We all had high hopes in this regard from President Obama and it is high time that this process of indefinite detention without charge or any prospect of imminent trial is ended for good.

"What remains to be seen now is whether or not the US government will listen to the concerns that British Ministers and diplomats express to them during bilateral discussions.

"To know that the government are listening to the concerns that I and many others have raised over the past eleven years is positive news, but what we urgently need is action. I will continue to campaign for Shaker Aamer's release and I will also continue to call for the closure of Guantanamo."