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Stephen Morgan MP has launched his “Stop Dodgy Shops” campaign, calling for an end to illicit and exploitative shopping street activity.
Research has found that, in recent years, mini-marts, vape shops, barbers, souvenir stores and other cash-intensive businesses have increasingly been used as fronts for organised crime and tax evasion across Britain, including in Portsmouth.
Additionally, it has been reported that many of these businesses have been ripping off customers by selling unsafe goods and charging inappropriate prices.
Mr Morgan has launched this new campaign in response to the rise of illicit and exploitative shopping street activity that is swindling Portsmouth people and undermining honest local businesses within the city, and following his time on the frontline with Trading Standards and local police on raids to local shops
Action already taken by the Government on this matter since coming into office include:
The city MP is keen to hear views and ideas on what further action could be taken to prohibit and prosecute illicit activity across Portsmouth’s shopping streets.
Announcing this campaign, Stephen Morgan, MP for Portsmouth South, said:
“In recent years we have seen rogue traders taking advantage of loopholes or weak enforcement and illicit vape shops selling unsafe products to young people. Meanwhile, across the country, fake ‘American Candy’ stores have been able to rip off customers.
“I know from conversations with local people that these shops are both damaging the reputation of our shopping streets and driving away families and shoppers.
“Portsmouth’s shopping areas should not be overrun by fake shops and for criminal activity. Instead, they should be safe, vibrant places for families and communities.
“That’s why I’ve launched my “Stop Dodgy Shops” campaign to build community support to crack down on rogue traders and protect our city’s shopping streets”.
Local people and small businesses are encouraged to sign the city MP’s petition, to do so, click here.
The post Stephen Morgan MP launches “Stop Dodgy Shops” Campaign appeared first on Stephen Morgan MP.
A major youth employment drive backed by £1 billion will help create 200,000 jobs for young people, alongside the biggest transformation of apprenticeships in a decade.
It comes as apprenticeships starts amongst young people are down 40 percent in the last decade and almost one million young people are not earning or learning – a rise of 248,000 between 2021 and 2024.
To be announced today (Monday 16 March) in a speech by Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden at Waltham Forest College, a “New Deal” for young people includes:
It is the latest step in the Government’s commitment to ensuring every young person aged 16-24 has the opportunity to earn or learn. These changes are backed by an additional £1bn, taking the total investment into the Youth Guarantee and the additional investment in the Growth and Skills Levy to £2.5 billion over the next three years. This will support almost one million young people and help deliver up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.
Amanda Martin MP for Portsmouth South welcomed the news: “When our young people succeed, our area succeeds. I refuse to write off a generation of young people to a life on benefits. It’s an injustice for them and harms our local economy.
“Labour’s Youth Guarantee means that more young people will be able to access training or an apprenticeship. I’m really pleased the Government has pledged £2.5 billion in investment into these new pathways for young people.
“This will mean more opportunities for young people living here to get on in life and to earn or to learn.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “Backing young people is one of the most important investments we can make in this country’s future.
“We are determined to tackle the rise in youth unemployment by expanding practical routes into work, boosting apprenticeships, and giving employers the clarity they need.
“These reforms underpin our ambition to create an economy that works for everyone, closing the skills gap and supporting more young people into meaningful employment.”
These changes are the biggest reforms to apprenticeships in a decade. For the first time, employers will have more flexibility to upskill their staff through seven new apprenticeship units aligned to Industrial Strategy priorities including artificial intelligence, engineering, clean energy and construction, and we will develop further Units informed by ongoing input from industry.
Foundation apprenticeships, supported with an incentive for employers, will also expand into hospitality and retail from April 2026, building on foundation apprenticeships launched in engineering, manufacturing and digital. These entry-level opportunities will support young people aged 16 to 21 as they take the first step on the career ladder and move from education into lasting employment.
The reforms are backed by Michelin Star celebrity chef Tom Kerridge, who has provided dozens of apprenticeships at his pubs.
Alongside this, the Growth and Skills Levy will be changed to reprioritise investment where it is needed most, to ensure that young people can access the jobs essential to our economy’s growth as well as ensure apprenticeships remain fit for purpose and prioritise value for money.
This means apprenticeship standards that do not meet the country’s skills priorities or take resources away from opportunities for young people and could be better delivered through on the job training will be defunded.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “These measures will give life-changing opportunities to young people and significantly reverse the increase we inherited in those not in education, employment or training.
“We are focusing funding where it’s needed most and giving employers the flexibility and support they’ve asked for.
“These reforms will give young people a vital first step on the career ladder and help business leaders recruit the talent that will grow their companies.”
Michelin Star chef Tom Kerridge said: “I welcome this announcement which will provide amazing opportunities to young people looking to get into this industry and others, to learn a trade and earn along the way.
“I’ve trained apprentices in my restaurants, and I know what a great start it gives them in their careers, and these incentives will give our industry a great boost. I’m pleased Pat McFadden has made this a priority.”
With 7.3 million people in the UK currently lacking the essential digital skills needed for work, the Government has launched a new AI and automation practitioner apprenticeship to help workers and businesses harness artificial intelligence. The first cohort will be getting underway this month.
The 18-month Level 4 apprenticeship will train workers to identify where AI can save time, cut costs, integrate digital systems and use AI safely and responsibly.
McFadden is expected to cite the rise of artificial intelligence as a major shift driving the urgency of these reforms as part of his speech on Monday.
From Autumn 2026, we are expanding the Jobs Guarantee to all eligible 18-24 year-olds who are on Universal Credit and have been looking for work for 18 months. They will benefit from 25 hours a week of fully subsidised paid work for six months. Young people on the scheme will be paid at the relevant minimum wage and also receive fully funded wrap around support.
The funding increase builds on a wide range of measures the Government is bringing forward to support young people, including expanded funding for youth trailblazers, and a major investigation spearheaded by Alan Milburn into the barriers preventing the young from accessing work.
The post Major employment drive to help unlock 200,000 new jobs and apprenticeships for next generation appeared first on Amanda Martin MP.
Many thanks to Alan & Jane Howarth, Links and all who helped for great entertainment this evening with Cor Curiad, Brook Fox & the legendary Mal Pope, with Ffion from Furnace comparing, to raise money for hospital facilities following Alan’s treatment.


I wrote a piece in Labour List about acting on public anger towards water company failure. You can read it by following the link below or by reading the text here. Labour List Article Like many Labour MPs I have had a lot of emails encouraging me to watch “Dirty Business”, the Channel 4 docudrama
The post Labour must prove it understands public anger over water company failure – and act on it appeared first on Sean Woodcock, MP for Banbury.
Fuel suppliers in Norfolk are cancelling orders for domestic heating oil in response to the Middle East crisis, raising concerns that rural households could be left without fuel. The issue disproportionately affects rural communities where homes are not connected to the gas grid and rely heavily on oil boilers for heating. In parts of East Anglia, as many as seven in ten areas depend on heating oil.
George Freeman MP said:
“This is a massive problem for rural areas like ours and one I have repeatedly raised in Parliament through my campaign for Fair Funding for Rural Areas.
“Many homes and villages are simply not connected to the gas grid and have no choice but to rely on heating oil. For households with young children, the elderly or disabled, the prospect of suppliers cancelling deliveries is a serious concern which Ministers must address urgently. They cannot simply sit in Whitehall watching events in the Middle East unfold — they must move quickly to prevent a crisis.
“I warned last week that an energy price spike could be one of the consequences of the unilateral US–Israeli attack on Iran, potentially pushing the UK economy back towards recession — as we saw during the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. As in previous energy price surges, rural communities like Mid Norfolk are hit hardest.
“If necessary, the Government should use reserve powers to commission additional tanker capacity to ensure supplies reach communities at risk of running out. Without swift action, panic buying could quickly turn into a serious shortage and an even bigger crisis.
“With so many villages and homes in rural areas not able to be connected to the gas main, therefore mostly dependent on oil for heating their homes, they have no choice or freedom to switch between other energy resources. At the same time it makes little sense that we are restricting our own North Sea resources while importing from overseas. This approach continues to hit rural communities far harder than urban areas.
“Soaring costs are already clobbering households, pubs, businesses, charities and public services. Drivers feel the squeeze every time they fill up — and for most people in Norfolk a car isn’t a luxury, it’s a lifeline.
“It is time for Ministers to recognise the realities of rural life and the rural economy — and take decisive action.”
George Freeman MP has long campaigned for the fairer funding of rural communities, arguing that rural areas are overlooked by Whitehall officials who focus too much on policies designed for cities and urban communities. Government data published in January 2026 shows that households in rural areas had a higher rate of fuel poverty at 12.3 %.
Fighting for A Rural Premium and Fairer Funding for Rural Public Services | George Freeman
I have joined colleagues in parliament in writing to the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs about the expansion of settlements in the West Bank. We have called for further sanctions on settlers and a total ban on all trade and interaction with illegal Israeli settlements.
You can read the letter below.

I’ve launched my 2026 Clapham & Brixton Hill constituency survey to help identify local issues and understand what matters most to Clapham & Brixton Hill constituents. My 2026 survey covers a range of issues from housing and transport to safety, public services, and the local environment and is open until Friday the 27th March.
This is your chance to make your voice heard. Your views will guide my work in Parliament over the next year to ensure local concerns are front and centre. The survey takes just 5-10 minutes to complete.
👉🏾 Take the survey here:
https://bit.ly/CBHSurvey2026
As your local MP, I’m always keen to hear about the issues affecting you and how I can help improve our area. Every response helps build a clearer picture of what’s working, what isn’t, and where attention is most urgently needed. By sharing your thoughts, you’ll help shape my priorities on everything from community safety and local transport to green spaces, schools, and support for families. Whether you’ve lived here for decades or you’ve only recently moved in, your perspective is invaluable.

If you have neighbours, friends, or family in the constituency who might also want to share their views, please pass the link on. The more voices included, the stronger and more representative the results will be.
The post Clapham & Brixton Hill Constituency Survey 2026 appeared first on Bell Ribeiro-Addy.
I am getting a huge number of messages from people about potholes across Bassetlaw. Our roads are falling apart and it cannot go on like this.
Many drivers tell me they are worried about damage to their cars. They say they have to swerve to avoid deep holes in the road. People are facing huge bills for car repairs to fix damage to tyres. I have even heard about license plates being ripped from cars by deep potholes in some areas.
Recently, I was contacted by residents who live on Sheffield Road in Blyth. The road there is in a terrible state. Large lorries hit the crater holes at speed, and the impact is so strong that nearby houses shake, day and night. Some residents are struggling to sleep through the night because the vibrations are so bad. Some have even seen cracks appear in their brickwork. That is simply not good enough.
I am pushing for the whole road to be properly resurfaced, not just patched up. I am pleased that this request has now been put forward to the County Council as part of next year’s roads budget. I will keep pressing for it to be approved.
I see the ‘dob jobs’ taking place, but this is a quick fix and not a permanent solution. In some cases, the roads crumble again within weeks. The County Council recently spent £75,000 on flags for lampposts. While I love to see our flag flying, is this really the priority when our roads are in such a bad state?
We have heard plenty of excuses. The councillor in charge of roads has even tried to blame my husband, John Mann, the former MP for Bassetlaw. But I have lived here in Bassetlaw for over 25 years, and I have never known our roads to be in such poor condition. Over the past few months, I have reported over 50 potholes across Bassetlaw. But when I go to report them, I often see that they have been reported many times before, and no action has been taken.
Many people ask me what is being done about it. Here are the facts. Nottinghamshire County Council is in charge of looking after our roads. It runs this service through its company, VIA. The Council has been given an extra £8.3 million from the government to fix roads. This is on top of the £70 million it already has for road repairs. I plan to meet with the County Council very soon, alongside other Nottinghamshire MPs of all parties to discuss the issue.
The Council is saying it plans to buy a special machine called the JCB Pothole Pro. It costs about £200,000 and is meant to repair potholes more quickly. However, I am concerned that the previous Conservative administration looked at this in 2021, and found that the machine did not save money, could damage kerbs, and had problems on narrow roads. Most importantly, it did not fix potholes any faster than normal repair methods.
I will be keeping a close eye on how this money is spent. What matters most is that our roads are maintained and properly repaired. My message is clear, use the money and get on with the job.
The post Potholes are the main concern for Bassetlaw residents appeared first on Jo White MP.
In Parliament today I asked the Secretary of State for Defence, will Canada be asked to join the JEF? You can Listen to my question and the response from the Secretary of State below.
The post Defence Question 02/02/2026 appeared first on Emma Lewell MP.
This week Labour has published its draft Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill.
For too long, leaseholders and homeowners with unadopted estates have paid through the roof for
substandard service from unscrupulous managing agents and freeholders.
Every year, homeowners pay £600 million to freeholders. And in 2024, service charges reached an
average of £2,300 a year, increasing well above inflation.
Labour’s Bill will take direct action on the cost-of-living crisis for leaseholders.
The Government is capping ground rent at £250 a year, and moving to a peppercorn after 40 years.
The legislation also establishes commonhold as a default tenure, bans new leasehold flats, and creates
a route for leaseholders who want to transition to commonhold to do so.
More plans are also in the works to make it easier for leaseholders to enfranchise, and to ensure that
managing agents and freeholders are held to account for poor practice.
Every week I see in my constituency inbox the costs which homeowners are forced to pay for
substandard service. Working people deserve managing agents and freeholders who work for them,
and that is exactly what Labour’s Bill will achieve
The post Labour is protecting Leaseholders from unfair charges, and capping ground rents appeared first on Liz Kendall.
The Member of Parliament for Barking, Nesil Caliskan, is celebrating a government announcement on ending leasehold and cap on ground rents: “Since I became the MP for Barking, I have been fighting against dodgy developers and housing management companies who have been ripping people off,” she said. “It is clear the system is broken.”
The government has announced a total ban on new leaseholds, with current leaseholders given the choice to switch to commonhold as part of the new Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill. There will also be a cap on ground rents of £250, drastically reducing the cost of homeownership for people across the country.
Nesil Caliskan has called out developers, freeholders and housing managing companies across Barking for their exploitative practices and unaffordable service charges. Last year, for example, she slammed HomeGround, a freeholder in Barking Riverside linked to many allegations of poor transparency and exploitative fees: “They have made the dream of homeownership a living nightmare for so many families in Barking & Dagenham.”
Commenting on the wider reforms, Nesil Caliskan MP said: “Freeholders and management companies have exploited the basic need of people to have a roof over their head for too long, charging sky-high fees for poor service.
“I have seen families living with no heating or hot water and elderly people forced to climb flights of stairs because the management company failed to do basic lift repairs.
“I’m glad that now people in Barking & Dagenham will be able to have a say over their own futures, and we are seeing the back of this feudal system.”
The post December Newsletter appeared first on Mohammad Yasin MP.
An abridged version of this article ran in The Times on 3rd February 2025
In 2007, in the pages of this newspaper, I argued that Britain should seize the moment and move Heathrow to the Thames Estuary, freeing up the congested west London site for much-needed housing while creating a world-leading transport hub fit for the 21st century. It was an ambitious plan—perhaps too ambitious for a nation that has lost its appetite for grand infrastructure. Seventeen years later, what do we have? The same tired debates, the same dithering, and now, a third runway proposal that represents the absolute minimum of what could be done. It is not a vision; it is a concession to stagnation.
Throughout history, Britain built infrastructure that transformed cities and continents. The Victorians laid thousands of miles of railways across India and Africa. British engineers built the world’s first underground railway in London, the great docks of Hong Kong, and the vast shipping hubs that made global trade possible. Ours was once a nation that saw scale and complexity as challenges to be overcome, not reasons to prevaricate. Today, while China constructs floating airports in Hong Kong and Dalian, we are still arguing over a few extra miles of tarmac at an aging airport hemmed in by suburban sprawl.
The case for expanding Heathrow is undeniable. The airport operates at near capacity, with any disruption causing delays that ripple across the global aviation network. Additional capacity is needed. But the third runway is not a bold leap forward—it is an unimaginative compromise. The design is a relic of a bygone era when Britain was still willing to approve large infrastructure projects but had already begun its slow descent into cautious incrementalism. Surely for a solution we should be looking beyond the immediate horizon, daring to create something transformative.
Compare this to the grand infrastructure ambitions of Asia. Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok, which replaced the legendary but perilous Kai Tak airport in the 1990s, was built on reclaimed land. It was a marvel of engineering (mostly British), completed in just six years. Now, China is taking the concept even further: Dalian is constructing a floating airport, pushing the boundaries of what is possible. This is a country that doesn’t simply accept geographic limitations—it overcomes them. Britain, meanwhile, is paralysed by protest groups, endless consultations, and political hand-wringing.
A floating airport in the Thames Estuary—an idea proposed and swiftly dismissed—would have been a statement of ambition. London could have had its own Chek Lap Kok, a world-class hub unencumbered by the constraints of Heathrow’s location. Instead, we are left with a piecemeal expansion of an outdated site, in a project that will take decades and still leave Britain trailing behind.
The environmental argument against expansion is often cited as a reason for delay, but it is a red herring. Modern aviation is rapidly advancing towards lower emissions and greater efficiency. If the concern is air pollution and carbon footprints, the answer is not to stifle airport expansion but to embrace new technology, support cleaner aviation fuels, and invest in modern air traffic management. Britain should be leading these efforts, not using environmental concerns as an excuse for stagnation.
The economic cost of our hesitation is immense. Aviation is a key driver of trade, tourism, and investment. Heathrow’s constraints mean we lose out to European rivals, with airlines shifting long-haul routes to Paris, Amsterdam, and Frankfurt. The third runway, even if built, will do little to reclaim lost ground. By the time it is operational—assuming it even survives the judicial challenges that will inevitably come—other nations will have long since surpassed us.
What Britain needs is a fundamental shift in mindset. We must stop viewing major infrastructure projects as necessary evils to be endured and start treating them as national priorities. This requires reforming our planning laws, streamlining approval processes, and fostering a political culture that celebrates engineering excellence rather than recoiling from it.
The third runway at Heathrow is not the answer—it is a symptom of our decline. Instead of an afterthought tacked onto an aging airport, we should be considering radical alternatives: offshore airports, high-speed rail integration to regional hubs, and a renewed commitment to infrastructure that places Britain at the forefront of global connectivity. We were once a nation that built the world’s most advanced transport networks, that pioneered engineering breakthroughs others only dreamed of. We can be that nation again—but only if we stop settling for mediocrity and start daring to think bigger.
The world is not waiting for Britain to catch up. While we squabble over a single new runway, China is building entire new airports on water. The contrast is stark, and the lesson is clear: boldness breeds success, hesitation ensures decline. If Britain truly wishes to remain a global player, we must abandon the timid incrementalism of the third runway and embrace the kind of audacity that once made us great.
Kit Malthouse 1st February 2025
Christmas is a very special time. It's when we come together with friends and family to take stock, and give thanks for what we have.
Some years – in the best of times, this is cause for celebration.
Other years – it's more complicated if we're missing loved ones,
affected by illness, or facing money worries, homelessness, or loneliness.
Sometimes – let’s be honest, for many reasons, Christmas can just be about getting through it, and that's ok!
Because regardless of the year that’s been, or the circumstances you find yourself in, Christmas offers everyone a precious gift – hope.
The post Toby Perkins MP supports Chesterfield Hedgehog Rescue and Rehabilitation appeared first on Toby Perkins Labour MP.