A soldier who should be serving his country in Afghanistan and Iraq is stuck twiddling his thumbs in Wandsworth - because of a four-year delay in the Home Office processing his new passport.

Peterjohn Williams moved from Jamaica to the UK in 1993 and joined the Territorial Army as an engineer in 1997. He fixes tanks and trucks, and has served in Kosovo.

He applied to the UK Border Agency (UKBA) in 2004 to get his residency extended, and has been waiting ever since.

Mr Williams, known as PJ, said: "It's mad. My expertise is being wasted. It's not fair the Army is still paying me to work on the mainland when I should be out in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I'm not a refugee. I pay my taxes and I want to work - I'm an action junkie. If I die out there that's my business."

His solicitor has written to the UKBA several times to try and hurry up the process. It has sent back the same letter with the same typing mistake twice.

Mr Williams, 38 said: "They are running me round in circles. If I was in the States this wouldn't happen to me, but this country doesn't give a monkey."

Now Labour candidate for Putney, Stuart King, has written to Immigration Minister Liam Byrne to ask him to look into the case as a matter of urgency.

Mr King said: "I cannot understand why it should take so long for the authorities to assess Mr Williams' application and give him a decision. He has served our country in a conflict zone and is ready and willing to do so again in Afghanistan or Iraq.

"The very least we owe him is a decision on an application to remain in this country that is two years over due."

The UKBA said it could not comment on individual cases but a spokesman said: "All applications for further leave to remain are thoroughly considered on a case-by-case basis. More complex cases may take longer to decide.

"While long delays are not acceptable, the UK Border Agency has worked hard to reduce waiting times and improve service standards and quality."

The Home Office has asked for Mr Williams' wife's passport to process his application, but she disappeared while he was on duty. His solicitor explained this in 2004 but they are still waiting for a decision.