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Stephen Morgan MP welcomed Commonwealth Parliamentarians to Portsmouth to celebrate the city as it commemorates its 100th anniversary this year, and Commonwealth Day, last month.
Visitors included representatives of Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Australia, Canada, the Isle of Man and Ascension Island, who were also accompanied by Commonwealth Parliamentary Association officials.
Commenting, Stephen Morgan, MP for Portsmouth South, said:
“It was a pleasure to welcome Commonwealth Parliamentarians and officials to Portsmouth to share with them this one-of-a-kind city and its proud history.
“Marking 100 years since Portsmouth was officially granted city status, 2026 is a chance to celebrate our rich heritage, vibrant communities and bold future.
“Throughout the day, visiting Parliamentarians had valuable discussions with both myself and a variety local people, sharing the approaches and contexts of other Commonwealth nations.
“Parliamentarians were able to share their insights on crucial and current issues, such as supporting young people, combating racism and tackling young people’s social media usage.
“I celebrate the Commonwealth as a community of independent nations united in addressing today’s challenges, along with the rich diversity and shared values that connect us.”
Over the course of the day, among other things, visitors:
The post Stephen Morgan MP welcomes Commonwealth Parliamentarians to Portsmouth as city celebrates 100 years appeared first on Stephen Morgan MP.
Are you on the National Minimum Wage? Well great news from today your wages will go up!
We’re increasing the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage, to ensure you take more money home at the end of each month and that you’re paid fairly for a hard day’s work.


More children and young people in Portsmouth will be able to achieve and thrive at their local school, as the Labour government allocates the first round of more than £3bn to create inclusive classrooms across the country.
Around £860 million will be allocated to every council in England – the biggest ever single high needs capital allocation – to create more inclusive physical spaces and drive a transformative expansion of Inclusion Bases, so that early specialist support becomes part of the fabric of mainstream schools.
Portsmouth is set to receive a total of almost £2,248,000.
To make sure all children and families in Portsmouth can benefit from truly inclusive schools, Portsmouth City Council will be required to sign a written agreement to prioritise increasing places in mainstream schools.
Signing the agreement, Portsmouth City Council will need to adopt inclusive strategies that support positive outcomes for children, like reducing the number of children with SEND who need to travel long distances to school, and making sure every child who needs a place in an Inclusion Base can access one.
Importantly, councils should also use their allocation to ensure sufficient special school and AP places for children and young people with the most complex needs, reflecting the vital role these settings play in providing support for some of the most vulnerable children.
Where councils choose to spend their funding on special school places, they should set out clear evidence-based rationale for why this would better respond to local need – ensuring investment in places delivers for local families.
This announcement follows the government’s landmark SEND reforms and is a significant step towards ending the postcode lottery of SEND support, so every child has access to a brilliant, inclusive education closer to home in Portsmouth.
Commenting, Amanda Martin, MP for Portsmouth North, said: “I’ve been listening and engaging with parents, teachers and school staff on the challenges schools are facing and specifically the need for better support for children with additional needs.
“Labour’s significant investment is going to make this a reality, with over £2,200,000 going to the creation of new specialist school places and teacher training to meet a range of needs.
“Brick by brick, Labour is building an education system where every child in Portsmouth can achieve and thrive.”
Schools Minister, Georgia Gould said: “Just last month, we set out once-in-a-generation SEND reforms we’re now acting quickly to deliver the changes that make sure more children can thrive at their local school, with their friends.
“Inclusion is a choice, one this government is proud to make, and the funding we’re backing councils with this week will help make it a reality.
“Every school can, and will, have a bespoke environment that children with SEND – and their families – can rely on, ultimately rebuilding trust in the system and transforming outcomes for young people”
The over £2,248,000 comes alongside £500 million per year allocated to nurseries, schools and colleges to help them deliver an improved inclusion offer. New estimates published suggest that the average primary school will receive around £14,000 through the Inclusive Mainstream Fund, on top of their core funding allocations, with the average secondary school receiving around £48,000 in 2026-27.
Inclusion Bases enable pupils to move seamlessly between specialist support and mainstream classes, meeting a wide range of needs and importantly, building confidence and belonging.
The local council’s high needs capital cash boost can also be used to make the school environment inclusive by design through adaptations to improve inclusivity and accessibility, like providing a more comfortable sensory environment by enhancing ventilation, acoustics and lighting.
Following the publication of the schools white paper and Education Estates Strategy, the new funding allocation marks an important step to realising an inclusive education that delivers high standards for all pupils in every setting.
The post City MP champions biggest single funding allocation to deliver more places for children with SEND appeared first on Amanda Martin MP.
Register to Vote
You must register by 11:59pm on 20 April 2026 to vote in the local elections on 7 May 2026.
Who can vote?
You can also register if you have permission (or do not need permission) to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man and you’re:
How to Register?
If you want to vote, your name must be on the electoral register. If you changed your address or your name since you last voted, you must register again.
For further information on how to register, visit: Register to vote | Register to vote | Manchester City Council
If you need help, the Electoral Services Unit can complete an application for you.
Email: esu@manchester.gov.uk
Phone:0161 234 1212
Photo ID
You will need to show photo ID when voting in person.
The name on your ID must match your name on the electoral register. If it does not, you’ll need to either: register to vote again or take a document with you that proves you’ve changed your name (for example, a marriage certificate).
Acceptable types of photo ID to vote:
You can also use one of the following travel passes as photo ID when you vote:
Don’t miss a chance to have your say
Voting is an important way to make your voice heard and I encourage everyone to take a few minutes to check if you are registered to vote.

Nesil Caliskan, Member of Parliament for Barking, celebrates the announcement £20 million additional funding for Barking & Dagenham from the government’s Pride in Place programme after launching a campaign for more Pride in Place funding for the borough.
The government has selected Mayesbrook Park, in Mayesbrook ward, and Rippleside, in Eastbury ward, as the beneficiaries of the funding injection.
Nesil has been meeting with and speaking to constituents about where additional funding in Barking & Dagenham should go to benefit local people the most.
The Prime Minister backs UK renewal with a historic £5 billion investment into communities across the UK as part of the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Pride in Place programme.
Residents and Members of Parliament are to play a leading role in deciding the best use of the funding in their own communities. Local people decide how the money is spent, whether it is on improving local high streets, reviving green spaces or on community hubs, pubs and leisure centres.
Nesil Caliskan, Member of Parliament for Barking said:
“I was pleased with the government’s initial announcement of £1.5 million in funding for Barking & Dagenham’s high streets, but local people deserved more to make a tangible impact in our local communities.
“I’ve been campaigning for an uplift on the £1.5 million Pride in Place, speaking to Ministers and urging them to invest in Barking & Dagenham. People should feel pride in the places they live and enjoy the opportunities that emerge from revitalised community centres. That’s why I’m pleased that Barking & Dagenham will now receive £20 million which will make a real difference to our local area and economy.”
George Freeman intervenes in a debate on the impact of flooding in rural communities to highlight the shear scale of the insurance problem risking serious economic damage to our economy and, as such, is an issue of national importance.
I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this debate. On the point of insurance, I have just come from chairing a meeting with Aviva—a great Norfolk insurer, the biggest insurer of houses in the country. It made the point to me that this is the tip of a major iceberg of uninsureability, unmortgageability and then unsaleability, and that the Treasury should be looking at this as a major problem on the balance sheet of this country. It is a Horizon Post Office-sized scandal in its scale, risking serious economic damage to our economy. Does my hon. Friend agree that that elevates this issue to one of national importance?
I was not aware of just how drastic insurers see the situation, but it does not surprise me, based on what I see in my communities. I know that my hon. Friend has worked consistently on the issue of flooding, so I take him at his word that we need to be looking at that problem more seriously.
The Minister has mentioned Aviva, one of Norfolk’s great companies and the biggest insurer of houses in the country. Has she seen its recent report, in which it calculates that about 4.78 million houses are at serious risk of flooding over the next 10 years? I congratulate her on securing the funding in the autumn, which I think was going to protect 60,000 houses, but does she agree that the Treasury should be thinking very deeply about the scale of this challenge in the context of national resilience?
The hon. Member prompts me to mention the biggest ever, greatest, most fantastic and largest investment in flood defences that this Government have just announced. On a more serious note, yes, Aviva did talk to me about that report, as he would imagine. We had a conversation about it and, without straying too much out of my remit and into planning, I believe that such conversations are ongoing with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Tuesday 31st March 1.30pm – 3.30pm All Saints Community Association Tuesday 7th April 11.30am-12.30pm Key Community Bus at Biddick Hall & Whiteleas Family Hub Friday 17th April 5.00pm-9.00pm- ‘Climb / BBQ’ at Simonside Climbing Wall (Event for Young people) Tuesday 21st April 11.30am-12.30pm Key Community Bus at Biddick Hall & Whiteleas Family Hub Friday 1st May 10.00am -12.00pm Action Station Tuesday 5th May 11.30am-12.30pm […]
The post Pride In Place Drop In Events appeared first on Emma Lewell MP.
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.

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.
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 post December Newsletter appeared first on Mohammad Yasin MP.
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.