I am writing to express my deep concern about the far-right, Islamophobic and racist violence that continues to grip large swathes of the UK.

Since the tragic murder of three children in Southport and the subsequent spread of misinformation and rioting, we have seen the political and media establishment fail to acknowledge and tackle the root causes of the violence.

I am deeply concerned by the unwillingness of MPs to go beyond describing these events as “violent thuggery”. It is time to call this out for what it is: Islamophobic and racist violence, which indiscriminately targets non-white communities.

We have already seen far-right mobs attack mosques, Black and brown-owned businesses and racialised individuals. The media has failed to make this explicit, instead placing overwhelming emphasis on their clashes with the police.

Furthermore, attempts have been made to conflate these far-right instigators with counter-protestors, who are being forced to mobilise to defend their families, friends and communities. Such obfuscation is made even more appalling when it is compared to the targeted campaign against the peaceful and democratic Palestine solidarity movement over the past ten months. One cannot help but feel that there is a double standard being applied through which far-right rioting and violence are being accommodated.

The government has lacked clarity in speaking about the far-right’s “understandable fears” around immigration. This mixed messaging legitimises their actions at a time when they need to be confronted. Years of politicising “immigration” to gain votes and policies, such as Prevent, have fanned the flames of the Islamophobic and racist violence that is sweeping our streets.

I am deeply concerned about my safety and that of my family, friends and the wider community. It is time to take concrete steps to protect vulnerable communities.

As your constituent, I want you to use your platform in parliament, on social media and in the media to explicitly label this violence for what it is: racist and Islamophobic; and challenge other politicians and the media that are propagating racist, anti-immigration and Islamophobic narratives. We require you to create an environment that does not blame non-white people for every woe in the country and to use your position to build an inclusive nation in which racialised communities feel safe.