More than eighty constituents from across Warwick and Leamington have signed an open letter to MP Matt Western, requesting a public meeting to discuss the situation in Gaza.

Leamington resident and author of the letter, Angela Walsh, has previously contacted Mr Western several times seeking to arrange such a meeting, but without success.

She has contacted Mr Western, requesting that a public meeting take place, and has been to several events and protests, hoping he might attend and "engage with his constituents."

Mrs Walsh said: "There is a real strength of feeling on this matter in the constituency, and across the country.

"It is vital that elected members of Parliament do not hide away from the scrutiny of those who they work for and represent."

"I do not feel that my voice is being heard, or that my questions are being answered, and I am certainly not alone in thinking that. It seems to me that there is a concerted effort to ignore people on the issue of Gaza, and to silence them as far as possible".

In her letter to Mr Western, Mrs Walsh stated: "As our elected representative for Warwick and Leamington, and a member of the governing party, it is vital that we hear directly from you in respect of this matter, and that we have an opportunity to ask questions.

"Many of us have received emails from you on this issue, but given the severity of the ongoing and escalating situation, we are strongly of the view that a public meeting is necessary.

"In the past, in respect of other important issues, you have called public meetings. We do not believe that this situation should be any different."

More than eighty constituents from across Warwick and Leamington have signed an open letter to MP Matt Western, requesting a public meeting to discuss the situation in Gaza (image supplied)

Another signatory, Liam Noonan from Warwick, said: "Mr Western has been willing to hold public meetings in the constituency on a variety of issues in the past, but seems reluctant to hold one on the urgent issue of Gaza.

"With a UN Commission having now declared that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, it is vital that we hear what our MP has to say on the matter".

Pressure is building both locally and nationally on this issue.

In August, the Palestine Youth Movement organised a well-attended 'pots and pans' protest outside the Leamington Town Hall in response to Israel having imposed a complete blockade on Gaza.

Mrs Walsh's letter also coincides with the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, at which members forced through and backed a motion accepting the UN finding that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, urging the UK government to act.

Those who would like to add their names to Mrs Walsh's letter, or would like to be kept up to date with information about the proposed meeting with Mr Western, should email [email protected].