After a quiet couple of weeks in terms of parliamentary business it was busier in the Commons with Monday of course dominated by the Privileges Committee’s recommended sanctions against Boris Johnson. I am unequivocal in my view that they were correct to find that he had lied to the House of Commons and supported the Report in full. I also sat in for much as the debate as a number of senior MPs from all parties spoke in favour and made clear their faith in the members of the Privileges Committee. I hope now that we can start to move on from the circus of Johnson, but I won’t hold my breath. Other activity on Monday included my regular Select Committee meeting in which we discussed growing child and rural poverty and heard evidence from a number of experts including the Child Poverty Action Group.
On Tuesday we completed the remaining stages of the Finance Bill which deals with much of the changes needed after the Budget. I was also again busy with two sittings of the Energy Bill Committee, which reaches its conclusion on 28th June. I’ve learnt a lot from being on my first Bill Committee and hope to be on another one soon – indeed, I’ve requested to be one of the Labour members on the forthcoming Renters Reform Bill.
Wednesday as ever saw PMQs and I have to say I thought Keir Starmer delivered a ruthless performance, taking the Prime Minister to task about the mortgage crisis that is now unfolding. In Stretford and Urmston I am being contacted by families whose mortgages have increased by several hundreds of pounds a month and for the Prime Minister to simply say ‘I’m on it, just keep going’ is absolutely dire. Later on Wednesday my colleagues on the Labour Frontbench brought forward an Opposition Day motion on the Kept Animals Bill. This is a Bill that was initially introduced by the Government and was quite a way through its parliamentary journey before the Tories – who had promised the measures set out in the Bill in their 2019 manifesto – got cold feet and complained that it was being broadened. Of course it’s perfectly normal that opposition parties and backbenchers would seek to amend a Government Bill as part of the usual legislative process: it’s obvious therefore that the Government didn’t want to give their own backbenchers the chance to push for pro-hunting amendments.
I received a huge number of emails asking me to vote in favour of placing the Bill back on the table, which I did. I also spoke in the debate to point out that the Government’s delaying of this legislation has led to hundreds more puppies being smuggled. The Tories have totally abdicated responsibility on this and it’s disappointing that they didn’t take the firm offer of opposition support as a way to face down the extremists on their own side.
On Thursday it was another day of the Energy Bill. The debate on Thursday was interesting as we considered proposals around community energy, no new coal mines and the requirement for Ofgem to consider the Net Zero duty in their work. I spoke in the debate to support the Net Zero obligation and against new coal mines as well as in favour of guaranteeing that energy suppliers would buy from local community energy producers who need this certainty to give surety for the investment such schemes require. Before the Bill Committee I also attended Business Questions where I asked Penny Mordaunt – with no satisfactory answer – when we would see progress on the long-awaited Renters Reform Bill.
My other activities last week included a meeting with Generation Rent on the aforementioned Renters Reform Bill, and an introductory meeting with the Association of British Insurers. I went to a brilliant Barnardo’s event where we heard testimony from child refugees, and to a session on delivering the homes older people will need in the future. On the subject of housing I also spoke at a Fabian Society event on increasing housing supply and tackling the housing crisis on Wednesday night, and met with UNICEF to discuss the next steps in my Healthy Start campaign.
The highlight of the week by far was welcoming the Trafford African Caribbean Over 50’s group to Parliament. Thursday was Windrush Day – the 75th anniversary of the HMT Empire Windrush arriving to the UK – so it was wonderful to do a Q and A with more than 40 constituents themselves either of the Windrush Generation or direct descendants. I was pleased to arrange a tour of Parliament for the Group and I hope a fantastic day out was had by all!