Last week the Government brought forwards it’s appalling Illegal Migration Bill. This is a disgraceful Bill – likely in time to become known as the Illegal Migration Bill – which does little more than whip up hatred and fear whilst allowing criminal gangs to flourish. I was disgusted by the Home Secretary’s rhetoric in the Chamber as she gave an urgent statement on the Bill: we know what the Tories are doing with this, and they should not be playing politics with peoples’ lives.
The other major business in the House last week was what is known as ‘Estimates Day’ debates. These are debates on the likely budgets for specific departments and focused in two areas, social care and childcare. Both are key areas in need of fundamental change. Long promised social care reform has been delayed yet again, while an extension to free childcare is not just a huge help to parents suffering from spiralling costs in difficult times but would increase productivity and support economic growth. I hope both will feature prominently in this week’s Budget.
I should also mention that we considered House of Lords amendments to the Public Order Bill because this was quite controversial, and included a proposal to scrap planned buffer zones around abortion clinics. I’m very clear where I stand on this: I absolutely support a woman’s right to choose and was pleased to vote with the majority of the House of Commons in ruling that the buffer zones should remain part of the Bill.
Outside of the goings on in the Chamber I was delighted to welcome a group from Flixton Girls School to Parliament last week. They enjoyed a tour of the Houses of Parliament after which I met them for a Q&A session in one of the House’s committee rooms. It was lovely to see them all in London, but there were certainly some challenging questions for me! I was also pleased to meet with my constituent Kim in Westminster Hall who had come down to London to join a protest/lobby in support of state pension equality for women born in the 1960’s.
I attended my first All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Wednesday and I am now an officer of the APPG for Regeneration and Levelling Up. This links to my keen interest in housing and I was very pleased on Wednesday night to be asked to address the Fabian Society’s Housing Group. I set out my commitment to supporting much needed house building and will be working with them in the months ahead on a quote “deliberately provactive” policy pamphlet looking to contribute to Labour policy ahead of the next election.
By far the most important session I attended last week was a Breast Cancer Now event in Portcullis House. This focused on the recent drop-in screening rates since a national change to the way women are invited for screening since the pandemic. I am very concerned that Stretford and Urmston’s screening levels are below the national average and have offered to work with Breast Cancer Now to raise this issue in Parliament and push for a return to appointment-led invites to screening.
Given the number of residents who write to me about transport issues I should also mention that I attended a roundtable event for Greater Manchester MPs with the GM Transport Commissioner, Vernon Everitt. I raised the issues we are experiencing with Transpennine and Northern trains and also highlighted the importance of long-term aspirations to bring tram/train services out to Urmston, and ultimately to Partington and Carrington. This is some way off but I will continue to press for a change that would be transformational for our communities.
Back in the constituency I was delighted to host a coffee morning for Stretford Foodbank at Christ Church in Davyhulme. We collected donations of both cash and food and I was stunned that the event was so well supported. Huge thanks to everyone who attended and especially to Cllrs Karina Carter and Shirley Procter who baked for the occasion!
After the coffee morning I headed to Bath Crescent in Old Trafford where I am disgusted to say the Housing Association have left residents without heating and hot water since mid-January. This is a development with many very elderly and vulnerable residents and I will be raising this issue in Parliament this week given my representation thus far have not elicited the response I would have hoped for.
Finally it was great to be out on the doorstep in Lostock and Partington over the weekend talking to residents. We are less than two months away from the local council elections where we have boundary changes meaning the whole Council is up for election. This mean residents will have three votes this time. I would obviously encourage everyone to cast all three votes for Labour but more importantly I want to remind constituents that the Government has changed the law around voting. From May, you will need photo ID to vote: please don’t forget to take this and if you don’t have it please do think about getting yourself a postal vote so you don’t lose your right to have your say!