Today I joined Labour's shadow DFID and Foreign Office teams to show our solidarity with Burmese political prisoners ahead of the Burmese elections scheduled for the 7 November 2010.

The situation in Burma today is a tragedy. These elections should have been an opportunity for the Burmese people to choose their government in free and fair elections. But the military dictatorship has made sure that will not be the case by preventing Aung San Suu Kyi from standing and for continuing to hold more than 2,200 political prisoners.

We will not abandon the people of Burma - the political prisoners in prison, those who face repression just for speaking out and those who are still suffering the effects of the devastating floods two years ago.

They cannot speak out, so we must and show the people of Burma that they are not forgotten. The international community must continue to put pressure on the Burmese regime and continue pressing for the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi to ensure the return of democracy to Burma.