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Local MP Stephen Morgan has welcomed the Labour Government’s announcement that Portsmouth will get a £62m cash injection for essential services – a 28% increase in the Council’s spending power.  

Under the Tories, local authorities were starved of investment, with core spending power down by around a quarter since 2010. That put immense pressure on councils up and down the country, including Portsmouth City Council.  

But the Labour Government has announced a radical overhaul of how local government is funded, reversing Rishi Sunak’s cheap political efforts to put money into wealthy shires and Tory seats.  

Fair Funding is the next step on Labour’s journey to reverse a decade and a half of austerity and decline under the Conservatives, and build stronger communities.  

England’s councils will get over £20 billion for essential services with more money going to places with the greatest need.  

The funding injection is aimed at restoring pride and opportunity in places that have been left behind, to get back what has been lost. Councils will have more resources available to bring back libraries, youth services, clean streets, and community hubs.  

The money is part of the first multi-year funding settlement in over a decade, giving councils three years of financial certainty so they can plan ahead rather than firefight year to year. 

In total, councils will see a £6.8% per cent increase in their core spending power compared to 2024-25 to pay for services including bin collections, housing, and children’s services.  

And in a turning point for the way local government is funded, the outdated system that saw some councils build up savings while others faced financial collapse has been replaced. 

Instead, places are now being funded using an evidence-based system that properly recognises local circumstances and the true costs of providing services in deprived communities.  

Portsmouth’s £62m funding increase comes following Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan’s campaigning for investment in our city and extra local government funding for Portsmouth to deliver essential local services. 

Commenting, Stephen Morgan MP for Portsmouth South, said:  

“After strongly advocating for our city to receive a fairer sum of local government funding, I welcome today’s announcement that Portsmouth City Council will be receiving an additional £62 million over the duration of this parliament.  

“This is the change Labour promised, reversing 14 years of austerity under the Conservative government. 

“This will be able to boost the local services we rely all upon and address issues, like high street decline and housing availability, that I know matter most to Portsmouth people”. 

Labour Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Steve Reed said: 

“This is a turning point, a chance to turn the page on a decade of cuts and callousness, and for local leaders to invest in getting back what has been lost – to bring back libraries, youth services, clean streets, and community hubs.  

“For too long, deprived communities were left behind. Today we’re ending the postcode lottery so everyone can access the services their community deserves”. 

The post Stephen Morgan MP celebrates cash injection for Portsmouth’s local services following campaign appeared first on Stephen Morgan MP.

Dear Newcastle December 2025

Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)

My latest  Constituency Report is now published

Check it out to see what I’ve been up to and who I’ve been meeting as your MP – in Newcastle, in Parliament and online:

https://chionwurahmp.com/wp-content/uploads/Dear-Newcastle-December-2025.pdf

Meg's Christmas Card 2025

Dame Meg Hillier (Hackney South and Shoreditch)

See Meg's 2025 Christmas card here.

Hundreds of pupils from schools across Llanelli have been working hard to submit entries to this year’s competition to design the official Christmas Card of the area’s Member of Parliament, Dame Nia Griffith.

Based on the theme of “Christmas of the Future”, children delighted the judging panel consisting of Natalie Powell (Jewellery Maker), Katy Lewis (Creative Artist & Ceramicist) and Claire Roberts (Nurse & Llangennech Scouts Administrator) with their colourful and imaginative creations.

After much consideration, competition winners have now been confirmed with Isla-Grace Dininno of Swiss Valley Primary picking up the top prize for the Key Stage One category and George Davies of Ysgol Gymraeg Brynsierfel victorious in the Key Stage Two equivalent.  Both their designs now feature on the front of cards that Dame Nia is sending out in Llanelli and Westminster.

Highly commended runners up positions were awarded at Key Stage One to Ruby Gwen Taylor and Neve Phillips (Swiss Valley Primary), Taliesin Nicholson (Ysgol Parc Y Tywyn) and Ali Ahmad (Ysgol Bryn Teg) and at Key Stage Two to Alaura Woulfe (Swiss Valley Primary), Ivy Chand (Pembrey Primary), Carys Evans (Ysgol Y Felin) and Dakota Hogan (Ysgol Bryn Teg).

Their artwork is now on display in Llanelly House until Christmas and the winning designs were also presented to Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, Speaker of the House of Commons, in a special ceremony in London.

The winners receive a framed copy of their pictures, with cash prizes for their schools, and all winners and runners -up also receive a small gift of art materials to encourage them to keep drawing.

Dame Nia Griffith, Member of Parliament for Llanelli, said:

“It was great to see so many local children taking part in this year’s competition and wowing us all with their beautiful and optimistic designs on the theme of Christmas of the future.  Their talent and hard work made it an absolute pleasure to judge and really put us in a festive mood as Christmas approaches.”

“I would also like to thank the staff and teachers who took the time and effort to encourage pupils to take part, as well as the judges for their hard work and Llanelly House for hosting the display over the Christmas period.”

National Plan to End Homelessness​

Jeff Smith (Manchester Withington)

Jeff Smith MP has welcomed the Labour Government’s bold new strategy to end homelessness across the North West.

Backed by £3.5 billion of investment over the next 3 years – including around an extra £101,952,855 for the North West. Labour’s National Plan to End Homelessness will support the most vulnerable people to find their feet and improve their lives.

The Plan has three key pledges to be achieved by the end of this parliament – to halve the number of long-term rough sleepers, end the unlawful use of B&Bs for families and prevent more households from becoming homeless in the first place.

It will be underpinned by clear, ambitious goals for lasting change, including a duty on public services to work together to prevent homelessness, a boost to the supply of good-quality temporary homes, and £3.5 billion – a £1 billion funding boost over and above previous commitments – to support rough sleeping and support services.

The Labour Government is taking the action needed to end the “moral stain of homelessness”, which more than doubled under the Tories.

Welcoming the Labour Government’s homelessness strategy, Emma Haddad, Chief Executive of St Mungo’s, said: “The homelessness strategy published is a watershed moment and is strongly welcomed by St Mungo’s.”

Launching Labour’s Plan to End Homelessness, Housing Secretary Steve Reed said:

• “Homelessness is one of the most profound challenges we face as a society, because at the heart, it’s about people. Families deserve stability, children need a safe place to grow, and individuals simply want the dignity of a home.

• “This strategy is shaped by the voices of those who’ve lived through homelessness and the frontline workers who fight tirelessly to prevent it.

• “Through our new strategy we can build a future where homelessness is rare, brief, and not repeated. With record investment, new duties on public services, and a relentless focus on accountability, we will turn ambition into reality.”

Banbury Museum Petition

Sean Woodcock (Banbury)

The closure of Banbury Museum would be a devastating blow for our town. I have created this petition to urge Cherwell District Council to find alternative funding, so the museum can continue to serve our community. Please see the petition below: https://www.change.org/p/save-banbury-museum-and-gallery-urge-cherwell-to-source-alternative-funding

The post Banbury Museum Petition appeared first on Sean Woodcock, MP for Banbury.

Catherine’s Catch Up – 15 December

Catherine McKinnell (Newcastle upon Tyne North)

The Christmas countdown is on! Last week I enjoyed spreading some festive cheer across Forest Hall. I also questioned senior civil servants at the Public Accounts Committee and appeared on GB News. As always, you can contact me for my support and follow me on social media for regular updates. Visiting local posties for Christmas […]
Karin Smyth MP with Matt Justice, CEO of Youth Moves at the site of the new 224 Youth Zone on Hartcliffe Way Just over a year ago, the Robins Foundation at Bristol City shared with me a report produced by their Peer Action Collective (PAC) team. The PAC team, made up of young people from Bristol, had undertaken research into the challenges others have in finding a trusted adult outside of home or school, who they can turn to for guidance or support. I am very pleased to see this issue...

Amanda Martin MP has welcomed the Labour Government’s landmark 10-Year National Youth Strategy, describing it as a ‘game-changer’ for young people in Portsmouth North.

  • ‘Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy’ outlines a 10-year, cross-government plan to improve outcomes for young people aged 10-21, up to 25 for those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
  • Ambitious 10-year plan to give 500,000 more young people access to a trusted adult outside their home and equip them with skills to boost their resilience and stay safe online.
  • National Youth Strategy to deliver up to 250 new or refurbished youth centres, 50 Young Futures Hubs, and new support for youth workers, backed by over £500 million of investment.
  • 10 Priority Actions include achieving full national coverage of Mental Health Support Teams in schools by 2029, restoring neighbourhood policing, lowering the voting age to 16, and significant investment in new Young Futures Hubs and youth centres.
  • The Strategy has been developed following extensive engagement, hearing from over 14,000 young people and nearly 1,500 cross-sector experts.

The Labour Government has delivered on its commitment to the next generation by launching ‘Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy’. The landmark 10-year plan is designed to ensure every young person across the country and in places such as Portsmouth has someone who cares, somewhere to go, and a community they feel part of.

Young people across England will benefit from over £500 million of government investment as the first National Youth Strategy in 15 years is published today, setting out an ambitious delivery plan to rebuild youth services over the next decade.

‘Youth Matters’ has been co-produced with more than 14,000 young people across England through a landmark ‘State of the Nation’ survey. It represents a fundamental shift in how the government will support young people over the next decade – turning the tide from isolation online, to real life connections.

Local Government spending on youth services fell by 73% between 2010/11 and 2022/23, with more than 1,000 youth centres closing and over 4,500 youth worker roles being lost. The Prime Minister has spoken of young people being “collateral damage” over the past decade and how this must be turned around, with the Government investing in the potential of young people – offering them the chance for real life connections to support their talent and potential.
A centrepiece of the National Youth Strategy centres around additional investment to transform youth services. The government is committing over £500 million of new funding, which will:

  • Build or refurbish up to 250 youth facilities over the next four years, as well as providing equipment for activities to around 2500 youth organisations, through a new £350 million ‘Better Youth Spaces’ programme. It will provide safe and welcoming spaces, offering young people somewhere to go, something meaningful to do, and someone who cares about their wellbeing.
  • Launch a network of 50 Young Futures Hubs by March 2029 as part of a local transformation programme of £70 million, providing access to youth workers and other professionals, supporting their wellbeing and career development and preventing them from harm.
  • The first eight hubs to be operational by March 2026 are in Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, County Durham, Nottingham, Bristol, Tower Hamlets, and Brighton and Hove.
  • Support organisations in underserved areas to deliver high-quality youth work and activities through a ‘Richer Young Lives Fund’ worth over £60 million.
  • Boost young people’s wellbeing, personal development, and essential life skills through a new £22.5 million programme of support around the school day in up to 400 schools.
  • Recruit and train youth workers, volunteers and other trusted adults with £15 million of investment.
  • Strengthen youth services through £5 million to improve local partnerships, better information sharing, and digital infrastructure, ensuring young people receive high-quality, safe, and effective support in their communities.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “As a father, a dad and as Prime Minister, I believe it is our generation’s greatest responsibility to turn the tide on the lost decade of young kids left as collateral damage. It is our moral mission.

“Today, my government sets out a clear, ambitious and deliverable plan – investing in the next generation so that every child has the chance to see their talents take them as far as their ability can.

“That is also why we will ensure that if you choose an apprenticeship, you will have the same respect and opportunity as everyone else, as we get two-thirds of young people in higher-level learning or apprenticeships.”

Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, said: “For fourteen years under the Conservatives, young people were treated as an afterthought. Their voices were ignored, and youth services were decimated. The launch of ‘Youth Matters’ is our government’s decisive response: it marks the end of that neglect.

“This is not a tokenistic policy; it is a 10-year, cross-government commitment to put the next generation first. We are delivering real change, guaranteeing world-class mental health provision in every school, restoring safe spaces through new Young Futures Hubs, and giving young people power by lowering the voting age to 16. Labour is driving forward our Plan for Change to secure a decade of national renewal built on opportunity for all.”

Amanda Martin, Labour MP for Portsmouth North, said: “This announcement shows the tangible difference a Labour Government makes, as we correct the damage done in Portsmouth North after years of cuts to youth services and support.

“While the previous Conservative government closed youth centres and allowed waiting lists for mental health support to skyrocket, our Government is delivering the opposite. We are investing in Young Futures Hubs and new youth centres, rolling out Mental Health Support Teams in our schools, and restoring the neighbourhood policing that our communities desperately need.

“This Strategy is about giving our young people the security, support, and genuine voice they deserve, helping to grow our local economy and restore a real sense of pride and belonging in the place we call home. We are listening, and we are delivering.”

The insights gathered will be published alongside the Strategy in a ‘State of the Nation’ report, highlighting four critical themes that have shaped the plan:

  • Community, Connection, and Belonging: Young people want stronger connections to their communities, safe and welcoming spaces, and trust in adults and institutions.
  • Physical, Mental, and Digital Wellbeing: Young people want access to timely mental health support and healthcare, alongside tools to navigate digital lives and also boost their confidence and sense of self.
  • Skills and Opportunities for Life and Work: Young people want better preparation for their future careers through quality education, training, and meaningful job opportunities.
  • Safety and Security: Young people are concerned about safety, crime and online security, and need trusted adults who can offer support to them.

In response, ‘Youth Matters’ sets out 10 prioritised actions for government departments to deliver over the next decade:

  1. Trusted adults: Supporting and embedding more trusted adults, including through sports programmes or new Young Futures Hubs.
  2. Supporting and improving the workforce: DCMS funding for youth workers, volunteers and trusted adults, to better support young people. In addition, we will be providing DCMS funding to build better local youth offers with Local Authorities and develop a network of Young Futures Hubs.
  3. Friends and relationships: Helping young people develop positive social connections and reduce isolation in school and in their communities. In addition, supporting Ofcom to meet its updated duties to protect young people from harmful online content and improve media literacy.
  4. Richer Lives: DCMS funding to create a better enrichment offer in up to 400 schools and new funding creating activities and youth work opportunities in areas that need it most. More support for young people to be physically active including the new School Sport Partnerships and investment from Sport England into local sport and physical activity.
  5. Good work: Delivering on the Youth Guarantee to ensure access to further learning, jobs, or apprenticeships for young people, expanding the number of employment Youth Hubs and guaranteeing a job for those on Universal Credit who have been unemployed for over 18 months.
  6. Keeping young people safe: Restoring neighbourhood policing, providing support via Young Futures Hubs, and introducing mandatory training for bus staff to help young people feel safer on the bus.
  7. Places to go: Building and renovating youth centres with new DCMS funding as well as investing in new and upgraded grassroot community sport facilities which promote health and wellbeing. We will also improve local transport for young people to get to activities and services.
  8. Health and wellbeing: Rolling out Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges to reach full national coverage by the end of 2029.
  9. Delivering with young people: Lowering the voting age to 16 and empowering young people to co-design policies and be change makers.
  10. Holding us to account: Measuring outcomes across government through a shared framework and publishing an interim delivery report in 2027.

The Labour Government will begin implementation of the 10-point plan immediately, with key milestones set across the next decade.

The post Amanda Martin MP hails Labour Government’s landmark 10-Year National Youth Strategy as a ‘game-changer’ for young people in Portsmouth appeared first on Amanda Martin MP.

Black Maternal Health

Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Clapham and Brixton Hill)









*|MC:SUBJECT|*






Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP | Standing up for Streatham

Tomorrow – Five X More’s Meeting on Black Maternal Health

Dear *|FNAME|*

A recent Dispatches documentary, “The Black Maternity Scandal”, highlighted the existing racial disparities in maternal health, and revealed that Black women are 4 times more likely to die in pregnancy and childbirth than white women.

Despite these harrowing statistics, a report from the Joint Human Rights Committee, released in November 2020, revealed that whilst the NHS “regrets” this disparity, it “has no target” to end it.

Following an award-nominated Parliamentary Petition, which received signatures from over 187,000 people Black Maternal Health Campaign, Five X More, has secured a debate in Parliament.

Ahead of this debate, campaigners, experts and women with personal experience will be discussing these disparities and what must be done to improve maternal outcomes for Black women.

The meeting is taking place from 6:30pm tomorrow. Please join us!

Click here to register for the meeting

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Chair:
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP

Speakers:
Diane Abbott MP
Tinuke Awe and Clo Abe, Five X More founders
Dr. Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, Activist, political commentator, author and lawyer
Sylvia Parkes, Mother to D’Lissa Parkes and Founder of DCP Foundation
Dr. Jenny Douglas, Senior Lecturer in Health Promotion and Chair of the Black Women’s Health & Wellbeing Research Network
Sarah Alonge, Diversity and Inclusion Adviser

If you would like to help publicise the webinar please see the attached image below. Please remember to tag @fivexmore and use the hashtags #FiveXMorePM and #BlackMaternalHealth.

 

Looking forwards to you joining us tomorrow.

Bell

Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP
Labour Member of Parliament for Streatham

House of Commons
London | SW1A 0AA
Tel: 0207 219 6695
Fax: 0207 219 4964

www.bellribeiroaddy.com

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Keep up with all my work on my website

© Copyright 2020 Bell Ribeiro-Addy. All rights reserved.

My mailing address is:
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

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Follow me on Facebook

Follow me on Twitter

Follow me on Instagram

Keep up with all my work on my website

© Copyright 2020 Bell Ribeiro-Addy. All rights reserved.

My mailing address is:
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.



The post Black Maternal Health appeared first on Bell Ribeiro-Addy.

Preet Kaur Gill - My Weekly Update - 12 December 2025

Preet Kaur Gill (Birmingham Edgbaston)

This Week the Government announced thousands of people to benefit from 80 new digital training projects.
11 December 2025
George Freeman: "The real risk posed by the Government's shotgun licensing proposal is not to public safety, but to our rural way of life"

George Freeman writes for FarmersGuardian.

The Home Office proposal to lump shotgun licensing in with tighter controls historically reserved for rifles and other firearms marks a significant step in Whitehall hostility to country sports, the rural economy and the rural way of life. 

I fear it is likely to do nothing to reduce knife and handgun crime on the streets of our major cities, and will instead cause huge extra costs of administration, soaking up the extra charges, which hits marginal rural economies the hardest. 

My concerns are not only echoed by leading countryside organisations like the Countryside Alliance, CLA and BASC but the very rural communities - like my constituency of Mid Norfolk - where widespread shotgun use is responsible, safe and key to many small businesses in the local economy.   

I grew up on a family farm in Norfolk. Beating and shooting on our small family shoot was an essential part of my upbringing.

Shooting has shaped not just my own experience, but the social and economic foundations of the communities I represent. 

Anyone familiar with rural Norfolk, and the many rural counties across the country, will understand what Whitehall policymakers seem not to understand - shooting is integral to local jobs, conservation, food production and the wider rural economy.

The Government insists the licensing merger is about safety. 

After the tragic Plymouth shooting in 2021, the previous Conservative Government examined this proposal precisely and chose not to proceed because of its disproportionate impact on legitimate rural activity. 

Those arguments remain every bit as valid today.   

The evidence is clear. 

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has stated that legally held firearms are rarely used criminally by the lawful owner. 

Furthermore, the majority of criminally used firearms are smuggled in from abroad.  

Over the past decade, figures from the NCA show that deaths due to firearms has remained consistent, with the highest levels of gun crime concentrated in large urban police force areas — the West Midlands, the Metropolitan Police area and South Yorkshire.  

Now compare that with the areas that hold the highest number of shotgun certificates: Norfolk, Dyfed-Powys and North Yorkshire. 

These are some of the most rural counties in the country — the heartlands of farming, conservation, and country sports. 

They are not the centres of gun crime. 

The real risk posed by the Government's proposal is not to public safety, but to our rural way of life. 

Shooting-related small businesses play a vital role in sustaining many rural economies. 

Game shoots support vital habitat management and wildlife conservation. 

From hotels, B&Bs, food catering for shoots, equipment and employment, game shooting brings much-needed income to rural economies, supporting local butchers and small businesses and providing healthy and sustainable food. 

Country sports are becoming increasingly important pillars of a rural economy already under huge pressure from high energy costs and agricultural disinvestment. 

Commercial shooting estates, gun shops, clay grounds, competitive shooting clubs, these are not marginal niche interests in rural areas. 

They are interlocking parts of a sector that supports tens of thousands of jobs nationwide.

By merging licensing systems, the Government would impose new layers of bureaucracy, longer delays, higher costs, and the very real likelihood that many people, especially younger or lower-income participants, will simply give up the sport.

For gun shops and shooting estates, that drop in participation would mean sharp reductions in trade, reduced investment and potential job losses. 

or rural villages already battling depopulation, cost of living pressures and dwindling economic opportunities, the cumulative impact could be devastating. Why?  

I urge ministers to think again and recognise this is a policy with no benefits but a lot of costs. 

It is anti-growth, anti-countryside, anti-rural voters.  

It could drive a potentially serious political revolt in rural areas. 

The Home Secretary has a reputation for demonstrating common sense, which this policy urgently needs.   

Time to unwrap some welcome Budget measures

Liz Twist (Blaydon and Consett)

Festive decorations may be up, but things are far from winding down in Westminster. The Budget, delivered on November 26, has set the stage for a busy advent period as MPs like me will be spending December unpacking its contents. There is much to welcome in this budget. It is one which prioritises public services […]

November Newsletter

Mohammad Yasin (Bedford)

Dear Constituent,

As we head into the Christmas period, it’s been a busy month both in Westminster and here at home in Bedford and Kempston. From supporting with over 800 constituent cases, to engaging with local businesses, schools, charities, and community groups, I remain deeply committed to being visible, accessible, and on your side.

Nationally, it has been a period of significant policy progress, from tackling child poverty and strengthening public services to focusing on education, skills, and the NHS. Locally, I’ve continued to champion your priorities: pushing for safer communities, supporting families, improving health services, and ensuring that Bedford and Kempston benefit from new investment and opportunities.

As always, hearing from you is vital. Thank you to everyone who has written, attended surgeries, or spoken with me while I’ve been out across the constituency. Please do continue to get in touch with your views and concerns. My team and I are here to help, all year round.

Yours sincerely,

Mohammad Yasin MP

Constituents get in touch

Since my October newsletter, my office has handled over 800 cases, ranging from policy queries to campaigns and helping residents with practical issues. Since I was first elected in 2017, the number of cases we handle each week has steadily grown, reaching several hundred weekly. This reflects my determination to remain visible, accessible, and on your side. Helping people in Bedford and Kempston with housing, pensions, visas, access to public services, and more, is the most important way to repay the trust you have placed in me.

Many constituents have raised concerns about fireworks, which can be distressing for pets and vulnerable residents. I attended the Fireworks Impact Alliance event in Parliament and continue to push for a review of fireworks legislation. Over 220 residents signed the petition, and I remain committed to this campaign.

Environmental protection is another key focus. The Government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill proposes reforms to speed up vital projects while strengthening protections for wildlife. With £500 million for Nature Restoration and Marine Recovery schemes, these reforms could support both sustainable development and nature recovery, and I will ensure these protections are fully respected.

I have also raised local concerns about using private finance for 250 new community health centres. While investment is essential, transparency and value for money must be ensured so our communities receive the facilities they urgently need.

In the constituency

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been out and about across Bedford and Kempston, meeting local residents, businesses, schools, and community groups. From visiting shops and healthcare providers, attending cultural and arts events, supporting local charities, to holding drop-in surgeries and engaging with young people, it’s been a fantastic opportunity to hear directly from the community and celebrate the incredible work happening across our towns. Below is a summary of the key constituency events I’ve been involved in recently.

Business & Local Economy

  • Met Morrisons manager to discuss new online fulfilment service creating ~100 jobs.
  • Visited Kitec Healthcare in Kempston (supported living services).
  • Met with Bedford Heights commercial hub team (74 companies, 1,500 workers).
  • Spoke with Windracers about ULTRA drone technology supporting defence, disaster relief, and research.
  • Visited new 5 Akhis restaurant and Silver Street Greengrocers.
  • Attended Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce Business Leaders Lunch.
  • Discussed student professional development with Bedford College & BSI Group (CTEC designation).
  • Visited The Barber Room for small business support (#BritishBeautyWeek).

Arts, Culture & Heritage

  • Visited Mo Lea’s Eclipse art exhibition supporting The Centre For Women’s Justice.
  • Met Bedford Roman Villa Project Chairman at excavation site.
  • Previewed Stanny’s Stus exhibition at The Higgins (Bedford Physical Training College).
  • Attended Bedford Art Society Autumn Art Exhibition.

Education & Youth

  • Bedford Girls School: discussed politics, Parliament, and civic engagement.
  • Biddenham International School: UK Parliament Week with Year 11 students.
  • Kings Oak Primary: cookery workshop with Food Etc (healthy eating & life skills).
  • Opened Thomas Taylor Community Hub (youth, families, safe spaces).


Health & Social Care

  • Attended Keech Hospice “Men’s Space” session.
  • Met Bedford Borough Parent Carer’s Forum on SEND issues.
  • Visited Britannia Pharmacy (community healthcare services).
  • Attended Queen’s Park Family Hub info afternoon (family support services).

Civic & Remembrance

  • Laid wreaths at Bedford War Memorial and Kempston for Remembrance.
  • Attended Highland Division Service of Remembrance at Bedford Cemetery.

Charity & Community Groups

  • Rotary Club of Middle England: World Polio Day display & iron lung demo at local schools.

Infrastructure & Local Planning

  • Chaired East West Rail public engagement meeting (Bedford St Johns & Bedford Stations updates, community concerns, mitigation plans).

Constituency Surgeries & Resident Support

  • Held multiple drop-in surgeries in Bedford, Kempston, Saxon Centre, and Queen’s Park, addressing housing, anti-social behaviour, visas, and other local issues.

In Westminster

Education & Skills

  • Supported Government reforms to Post-16 education and skills for better work, training, and higher education pathways.
  • Questioned Education Secretary on Bedford College being named a Construction Technical Excellence College (£100m investment).
  • Backed vocational “stepping stone” qualifications to support GCSE English & Maths resits.
  • Discussed SEND reforms, inclusive education, specialist placements, and school pressures with Department for Education officials.
  • Noted Bedford children’s services moving from ‘Requires Improvement’ to ‘Good’.
  • Highlighted Riverfield Free School in Kempston as a state-of-the-art local educational provision.

Health, Social Care & Carers

  • Hosted roundtable on unpaid carers with Bedfordshire carers and Carers Trust; shared Government support:
    • Largest Carer’s Allowance increase since 1976.
    • NHS App “MyCarer” feature.
    • £86m for home adaptations.
    • Fair Pay Agreement for adult social care.
    • Independent Commission on Adult Social Care shaping long-term reform.
  • Attended digital exclusion briefing with Centre for Care and Age UK (1.7m households without internet).
  • Fireworks Impact Alliance: supported review of fireworks legislation to protect people and animals.
  • Anti-Bullying Week 2025: joined Anti-Bullying Alliance at the Commons.
  • Centre for Countering Digital Hate & Samaritans drop-in: AI chatbot risks for youth suicide prevention.
  • APPG on Motor Neurone Disease: updates on research, accessible housing, and fast-tracked Disabled Facilities Grants.
  • Spoke in Westminster Hall Debate: Parkinson’s care improvements (“Parky Manifesto”).
  • Signed declaration supporting Breast Density Matters UK for improved screening and awareness.
  • International Men’s Day: supported launch of first Men’s Health Strategy; Movember fundraising. I raised over £1,300 in donations!
  • Sepsis in Leukaemia Awareness Week: supported Jibraan Chaudhary Sepsis Research Foundation.

Community, Campaigns & Constituency Visits

  • Attended WASPI campaign drop-in on fair state pension redress for women.
  • Welcomed Bedford’s Bhagwan Valmik Sabha for festival reception (Maharshi Valmiki birth celebration).
  • Attended DES Justice Campaign launch: supporting inquiry, health monitoring, NHS awareness, and apology for affected women.
  • Questioned Policing Minister on Bedfordshire Police anti-social behaviour measures; welcomed Town Centre Warden initiative in Home Office Questions.
  • Raised Sudan humanitarian crisis concerns with constituents and Foreign Secretary in Parliamentary questions.
  • Hosted Labour Party members from Bedford & Kempston on a Parliament tour.
  • Hosted sisters Mechelle & Paula from Bedford to watch PMQs.
  • Welcomed local constituents Mark & Sherry to watch PMQs and Budget preview.

Local Projects & Development

  • Met Universal Studios UK team: planning approval updates, Special Development Order expected early December.
  • Discussed local employment (~30,000 applicants; 80% from Bedford & wider Bedfordshire), partnerships with Cranfield University, Kimberley College, and Bedford College.
  • Updates on infrastructure: A421 junction upgrades, Wixams station improvements, East West Rail coordination.

Parliamentary Work & the Autumn Budget

The Autumn Budget delivered difficult decisions with fairness and responsibility. Continuing the previous Government’s freeze on income tax thresholds was necessary to reduce borrowing, with one pound in every ten of public spending going to service debt. The Budget provides immediate help during the cost-of-living crisis while ensuring long-term stability, maintaining public investment at a forty-year high without returning to austerity. Markets responded positively, reflecting renewed confidence in the UK economy.

Context Matters

The Chancellor’s decisions were made against a challenging backdrop: the economic impact of Brexit, fourteen years of austerity, the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the 2022 mini-Budget, and global trade pressures. This Labour Government is acting with Labour values, balancing the urgent needs of families and workers with long-term economic responsibility.

Budget Highlights

Support for Families and the Cost of Living

  • Scrapping the two-child benefit cap from April, lifting 450,000 children out of poverty.
  • Around £150 off household energy bills through removal of green levies.
  • Rail fares and prescription charges frozen; £3 bus fare cap extended; 5p fuel duty cut maintained.

Support for Workers, Pensioners, and Opportunity

  • National Living Wage rises to £12.71, with larger increases for younger workers.
  • State Pension rises by 4.8% under the triple lock.
  • Free apprenticeship training for under-25s in SMEs, alongside new investment in school libraries, playgrounds, and an expanded Help to Save scheme.
  • £820 million for paid work placements for 18–21-year-olds not in employment or training for over 18 months.

Business, Growth, and Industrial Strategy

  • Permanently lower business taxes to support high streets.
  • New incentives for start-ups and scale-ups.
  • Continued investment in renewables, nuclear, and major energy projects.
  • Growth upgraded to 1.5%, putting Britain on course for the second-fastest growth in the G7.

Public Services and Efficiency

  • NHS waiting lists are falling, supported by 5.2 million additional appointments and the creation of 250 new Neighbourhood Health Centres.
  • £300 million invested in NHS technology to improve productivity and patient outcomes.
  • Efficiencies rising from £2.8 billion in 2028-29 to £4.9 billion in 2030-31.
  • Welfare reforms and the end of the two-child cap are expected to deliver the largest fall in child poverty in a Parliament since the 1990s.

The post November Newsletter appeared first on Mohammad Yasin MP.

Budget 2025: Reaction from Liz

Liz Kendall (Leicester West)

This Budget is about making fair choices for the British people. 

We’re stabilising the economy and doubling down on driving growth. 

We’re supporting our high streets and tackling the cost of living. 

We’re building a stronger, fairer country – one where child poverty falls and living standards rise. 

After years of decline, there is a lot of work to do. But this government is committed to making the right choices for our country.

The post Budget 2025: Reaction from Liz appeared first on Liz Kendall.

BUDGET WINS FOR HODGE HILL & SOLIHULL NORTH

Liam Byrne (Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North)

Today’s Budget sets out a series of commitments that will make a real difference for families across Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North – from the cost of living to children’s services, schools, transport and neighbourhood renewal.   Here are the key wins for our area:     Cost of living support £150 off energy bills next year, plus the expansion of the Warm Home Discount to help 6 million households. Freeze on NHS prescription charges and the first freeze in nationally-regulated rail...

Local beauty businesses and students showcased their contribution at a special event in Westminster.

Nesil Caliskan, Member of Parliament for Barking, helped local beauty businesses “take over Parliament” to celebrate this year’s British Beauty Week. Hairdressers, nail salons and beauty academy students – all from Barking and Dagenham – were invited to Parliament by the MP for a special reception and tour.

British Beauty Week is promoted by the British Beauty Council every year to celebrate the contribution of beauty businesses to our economy and high streets.  

The theme of this year’s Beauty Week is the future of beauty, highlighting the industry’s innovation and sustainability. The UK beauty industry contributes over £31 billion to the economy each year and supports more than 85,000 jobs in London. 

Nesil Caliskan, Barking MP, speaking to guests at her Beauty Week reception in Parliament in front of a lecturn.

Commenting on the takeover, Nesil Caliskan, Member of Parliament for Barking said: “I invited local beauty businesses and students to takeover Parliament to celebrate their contribution, let them know how important they are for our community, and how much this government values them. 

“They employ hundreds of local people, bring life to our high streets, and help people feel great every day. They are vital for our local economy, and today’s takeover proved the future of beauty is undoubtedly in Barking and Dagenham.” 

Victoria Brownlie, Chief of Policy & Sustainability at the British Beauty Council, who was at the event, said: “The hair and beauty industry provides so much to so many and events like this help those working in the industry to feel seen, recognised and appreciated, just as they deserve to. Their social, cultural and economic contribution cements them as serious businesses, not just fluffy stuff that girls do, and we’re so grateful to Nesil for shining a light on this during British Beauty Week.”

Nesil Caliskan, Barking MP, with Erica Brobbey, owner of Empress Hair & Beauty - a business in Barking - and her daughter Tiana at a reception in Parliament.

Erica Brobbey, from Empress Hair and Beauty, a business in Barking, said: “It was an honour to join fellow beauty professionals in Parliament and proudly represent Barking and Dagenham’s thriving beauty community. Meeting other business owners and speaking with Victoria from the British Beauty Council was truly inspiring. The event highlighted the real impact our industry has, not just economically, but in the confidence and wellbeing it brings to people every day.  

“I’m proud to be part of a community that continues to empower others and contribute so positively to the local economy. Events like this show that the future of beauty is bright, and it’s happening right here in Barking and Dagenham.” 

Judith has welcomed today's announcement that Bradford Bulls have been promoted to the Super League - Rugby League's highest division next season. "A huge congratulations to the Bradford Bulls on their promotion to the Super League! From fighting to get the Bulls back to their rightful home at Odsal Stadium to developing the club over the last few seasons, this has been a hard-fought win for the team. It is a testament to the years of hard work from everyone involved with Bradford Bulls, and...

Sure Start was life-changing for so many people in Bassetlaw, transforming the lives of children by putting in place family support in the earliest years of life. Sure Start, introduced by the last Labour government, helped level the playing field for children from lower income families, with research showing that children who attended a Sure Start centre were much more likely to perform better at school.

The previous Government cut community services, scrapping Sure Start, leaving a gaping hole in family services. When they left government, one in four families with children under five couldn’t access local children’s centres, rising to one in three lower income families. Speaking to local families in Bassetlaw, I hear time and again an ask for more support around SEND, youth services, and early development.

I welcome the news that the Government are building on the proud legacy of Sure Start, and reviving family services by rolling out 1,000 ‘Best Start Family Hubs’ by April 2026, including here in Bassetlaw.

Best Start Family Hubs will be a one stop shop for parents needing support, including on difficulty breastfeeding, housing issues or children’s early development, and other services such as:

  • Activities for children aged 0-5
  • Domestic abuse support
  • Early language support
  • Health Visiting
  • Infant Feeding Support
  • Midwifery/maternity services
  • Parenting Support
  • SEND support and services
  • Youth services

The post Giving Children in Bassetlaw the Best Start in Life appeared first on Jo White MP.

MP Column | It’s All Downhill From Here

Dave Doogan (Angus and Perthshire Glens)

At this stage in the electoral cycle at Westminster any new government, especially one with a 160-seat majority, should be at the peak of...
Friday 20 June 2025 marked a joyous and inspiring celebration of World Refugee Day at the Change Centre in Dundee, where eight refugee football teams from across Dundee, Glasgow, Perth, and Angus competed in the inaugural World Refugee Day Cup Football Tournament. The event was the vision of Sandy Greene, Chief Executive of ScrapAntics in ... Read more

Source

It was great to call into Neighbourhood Watch in Pelsall again and catch up with Edwin and Andrew. 

We discussed a range of local issues across the Rushall, Shelfield, Pelsall, and Brownhills Neighbourhood Watch area. Our focus was on how we can work together as one community to address these challenges.  

It was also fantastic to hear about Project Phoenix – a pilot community-run initiative launched by Walsall Council! This project is dedicated to building a stronger community right across our Borough, and I’m really keen to see the positive impact it will have. 

The Third Runway: A Monument to Mediocrity

Kit Malthouse (North West Hampshire)

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

Dan Jarvis' Christmas Message

Dan Jarvis (Barnsley North)

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.

Last week I was sworn in as the MP for South Shields for the fifth time, and each time it strikes me how incredibly honoured I feel that you have put your faith in me as the first female MP to represent you in Parliament. It was a truly historic night as the UK elected […]

The post It is the honour of my life to be re-elected as your MP for South Shields appeared first on Emma Lewell MP.

ICC FILES ARREST WARRANTS

Brendan O'Hara (Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)

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