Built by Dave Cross.
Powered by Perlanet
Stephen Morgan MP has today backed the Government’s new investment to provide training and work to young people who are neither earning nor learning in Portsmouth.
Labour has announced new measures to support 16-24-year-olds across Britain. By expanding its Youth Guarantee scheme with £820 million of new funding, the Government is tackling the problem and giving a brighter future to young people in Portsmouth.
Labour’s investment will pay for new Youth Hubs to be set up across local communities. Youth Hubs are centres that offer lifechanging support to young people, such as CV advice, skills training, mental health support, housing advice and careers guidance.
The package will also provide hundreds of thousands of new training and work experience placements for young people out of work and claiming benefits, and a new ‘Jobs Guarantee’ that fully subsidises six months of paid employment for 18-21-year-olds who are long-term unemployed on Universal Credit.
These measures will provide critical help for many of the over 1,300 young people claiming unemployment-related benefits in Portsmouth – enabling them to get on in life and contribute to the local economy.
Commenting, Stephen Morgan MP for Portsmouth South said:
“Whatever your background, or wherever you are from, I want to remove the barriers to opportunity for young people.
“For too long, Portsmouth’s young people have been held back, with over 1,300 currently stuck on benefits.
“That’s why I welcome this Government’s announcement that they will be investing a transformative £820 million into the futures of young people.
“This funding will be able to provide important opportunities for those out of work to turn their lives around.
“After the previous Government’s neglect, it is right that Labour turns the page on support for young people, ensuring through our Youth Guarantee that no young person in Portsmouth is left behind again.”
Work and Pensions Secretary, Pat McFadden, said:
“Every young person deserves a fair chance to succeed. When given the right support and opportunities, they will grasp them.
“That’s why we are introducing a range of reforms to help young people take that vital step into the workplace or training and to go on and make something of their lives.
“This funding is a downpayment on young people’s futures and the future of the country, creating real pathways into good jobs and providing work experience, skills training and guaranteed employment.”
The post New Funding for Government “Youth Guarantee” to help Portsmouth’s young people into work. appeared first on Stephen Morgan MP.
More homes, better high streets and support for small and medium businesses are all on the way as six fast-tracked devolution areas have secured a multi-billion-pound long-term funding package.
Ministers have confirmed almost £6 billion over the next 30 years, with almost £200 million to be shared each year by the places on the Devolution Priority Programme – which will see them get their own mayors.
Mayors can spend this funding flexibly on local priorities to boost their area’s economy to create lasting jobs and opportunities. It can also be used to increase housebuilding, including accelerating regional housebuilding programmes and initiatives or bringing more social and affordable homes on the market – helping achieve the government’s 1.5 million homes commitment.
Minister for Devolution, Faith and Communities Miatta Fahnbulleh MP said: “This money will help transform communities for the better as part of our Plan for Change.
“It will help new mayors achieve what their areas’ want most, from building more of the 1.5 million homes this government has promised to improving the green spaces that locals love – this is how devolution improves lives across the country.”
On the investment to the region announced today by Government, city MPs Amanda Martin and Stephen Morgan said: “More homes, better high streets and support for small and medium businesses are all on the way for our city as a multi-billion-pound long-term funding package is announced by this Labour Government today.
That means £44.6 million per year for Hampshire and the Solent area, including here in Portsmouth, to boost our economy to create lasting jobs and opportunities.”
Hampshire and the Solent region will also receive £3m as a minimum over the next three financial years, in addition to an initial £1m payment in the coming months, to help with the costs of establishing the new mayoral authorities.
Four of the areas are currently reorganising their local councils into stronger unitary authorities, to create simpler, more effective structures that can better support mayors’ powers.
These areas are Greater Essex, Hampshire and the Solent, Norfolk and Suffolk, and Sussex and Brighton. New unitary councils in the four areas are expected to be established in 2028.
In order to make sure strong foundations are in place ahead of devolution, Ministers have today confirmed they are considering holding inaugural mayoral elections in these areas in May 2028, with areas completing the reorganisation process before Mayors take office.
This would ensure that new mayors come into office with effective and empowered local government already in place, helping them hit the ground running from day one.
On reorganisation, the city MPs added: “In order to make sure strong foundations are in place ahead of devolution, Ministers have today confirmed they are considering holding inaugural mayoral elections in these areas in May 2028, with areas completing the reorganisation process before Mayors take office.
This would ensure that new mayors come into office with effective and empowered local government already in place, helping them hit the ground running from day one.
This allows more time to rightly make sure Portsmouth’s interests are at the heart of future decisions. We will continue to work with the council and with Ministers to make this happen”.
Lorna Fielker, Labour candidate for Mayor of Hampshire, Solent and the Isle of Wight, added: “I’m delighted that Hampshire, Solent and the Isle of Wight will receive our share of £200 million annually, which the six devolution priority regions will receive for the next 30 years. This could help us build the much-needed homes our area urgently needs.
I look forward to hitting the ground running in the 2028 mayoral contest with the support of our newly established local councils, and delivering the change that local residents need.”
The post MORE HOMES AND IMPROVED HIGH STREETS ON WAY FOR NEW MAYORAL AREAS THROUGH 30-YEAR FUNDING PACKAGE appeared first on Amanda Martin MP.
This Saturday 6th December is Small Business Saturday, a day to celebrate the small businesses that provide jobs and are the lifeblood of our community.
There are 2,500 small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) across the Llanelli constituency – from pubs to cafés, corner shops to start-ups.
The UK Labour Government is acting to back our small businesses:
• A plan to pass the toughest laws against late payments in the G7.
• Slashing energy bills for businesses by building clean power.
• Investment through the British Business Bank, with over £25bn of spending power.
• Making it easier for small businesses to export their goods through trade deals with India, the U.S., and the EU.
• Fully funding apprenticeships in SMEs for under-25s.
Dame Nia Griffith, Member of Parliament for Llanelli, said:
“We have so many hardworking, talented local people running and working in SMEs across Llanelli. They provide vital jobs, but they are also community institutions we can all be proud of.”
“By popping out for a pint in the local pub, a coffee from one our fantastic homegrown, independent cafes or simply buying a gift for a loved one from our market we can all show our support for small businesses built in and serving Llanelli.”
“I regularly visit local small businesses and speak with owners and workers to hear their concerns and find out what I can do to help them not only survive but thrive. From investing billions in small businesses through the British Business Bank, to funding apprenticeships in SMEs, to making it easier for traders to sell their skills and goods at home and abroad, we are backing our small businesses where the last Government let them down.”
“This is how we get our economy here in Llanelli growing again and creating good quality jobs for local people. It is also the quickest and best way to rebuild our communities and give hardworking families the brighter future they need and deserve.”
The spread of AI deepfake video technology poses real risks for fraud, exploitation, scamming and major disruption of our democratic process.
After being the target of a deepfake attack I’m now leading a cross-party group of MPs & Peers to stop identity theft via AI deepfakes being used to disrupt democratic elections.
The post November Newsletter appeared first on Mohammad Yasin MP.
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.

Music and sport fans will no longer be ripped off on the ticket resale market thanks to new measures which will destroy the operating model of ticket touts.
As a member of the All Party group on Ticket Abuse, Jeff Smith MP has welcomed the announcement from the Labour Government of plans to make it illegal for tickets to concerts, theatre, comedy, sport and other live events to be resold for more than their original cost.
Ticket touting has become increasingly sophisticated in recent years. Touts buy large volumes of tickets online, often using automated bots, before relisting them on resale platforms at hugely inflated prices. This has caused misery for millions of fans and damaged the live events industry.
The new laws will stamp out this practice, improving access for genuine fans when tickets originally go on sale and ending rip-off pricing on the resale market.
The new rules announced today make clear that:
• Ticket resale above face value will be illegal – this will be defined in legislation as the original ticket price plus unavoidable fees, including service charges
• Service fees charged by resale platforms will be capped to prevent the price limit being undermined
• Resale platforms will have a legal duty to monitor and enforce compliance with the price cap
• Individuals will be banned from reselling more tickets than they were entitled to buy in the initial ticket sale
In its election manifesto, Labour promised to put fans back at the heart of events by introducing new consumer protections on ticket resales – a promise the government is delivering on today. In contrast, the Conservatives failed to stand up for gig goers, football fans, and theatre followers during their 14 years in office – leaving culture lovers feeling ripped off.
Labour’s Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:
“For too long, ticket touts have ripped off fans, using bots to snap up batches of tickets and resell them at sky-high prices. They’ve become a shadow industry on resale sites, acting without consequence. “This government is putting fans first. Our new laws will shut down the touts’ racket and make world class music, comedy, theatre and sport affordable for everyone.”
Labour’s Business Secretary Peter Kyle said:
“The UK is home to a brilliant range of music, entertainers and sporting stars – but when fans are shut out by scam artists, it only benefits the touts. That’s why we’re taking these bold measures to smash their model to pieces and make sure more fans can enjoy their favourite stars at a fair price.”
Manchester Withington MP, Jeff Smith said:
“Ticket touts have caused misery for millions of fans and have been deeply damaging to the live events industry. This announcement is an important step towards fair prices and putting fans first. Music, sport, and the live events sector are at the heart of life in Manchester, and I know many of my constituents will welcome this.”
The new rules will apply to any platform reselling tickets to UK fans, including secondary ticketing platforms and social media websites. Businesses who break the regulations could be subject to financial penalties of up to 10% of global turnover from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), under new powers introduced the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act 2024.
According to analysis by the CMA, typical mark-ups on secondary market tickets exceed 50%, whilst investigations by Trading Standards has uncovered evidence of tickets being resold for up to six times their original cost.
Government analysis suggests that these measures could save fans around £112 million annually, with 900,000 more tickets bought directly from primary sellers each year. Inclusive of all fees paid, the average ticket price paid by fans on the resale market could be reduced by £37.
The use of pricing strategies like dynamic pricing has been another major source of frustration for concert goers, and the government undertook a call for evidence to explore the issue earlier this year. Today the Government welcomes the commitment from the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR) who are convening the sector to establish best practice, including on price transparency.
This will build on the recent announcement by the CMA, who in September secured commitments from Ticketmaster to improve pricing information, following the Oasis ticket sale. This includes giving fans 24 hours’ notice of tiered pricing, providing clearer price information during online queues, and ending misleading ticket labels – addressing the key issues that aggrieved fans during the Oasis sale.
The CMA’s enforcement action in this case, and the measures agreed with Ticketmaster, send a clear message to all ticketing websites that fans must have access to clear and timely pricing information with accurate ticket descriptions, especially where there are different pricing models and queues in play. In future, the CMA will be able to respond even more swiftly and robustly (including imposing fines of up to 10% of global turnover) to breaches of consumer law, following the introduction of its new enforcement powers under Part 3 of the DMCC Act.

As we head into the colder part of the year, I’m partnering up with local charities Ace of Clubs and Glass Door London to donate sleeping bags to rough sleepers in Clapham & Brixton Hill. You can bring any unneeded sleeping bags to my constituency office on Monday-Wednesday from 11am-5pm until the 19th December. If you don’t have a sleeping bag, you could also consider donating directly to Ace of Clubs.
There were 144 people sleeping rough in October-December 2024 in Lambeth. Whilst this number is decreasing, we sadly know that too many people will find themselves out on the streets come winter. Last year, London had 27 days where sub-zero temperatures triggered emergency weather protocols.
It is cold enough sleeping on the streets on any night of the year and nobody should be in this situation. I am thrilled that our Mayor has pledged to eliminate rough sleeping in our city by 2030. We must keep working to tackle the root causes of rough sleeping and homelessness: from improving renters’ rights to scrapping the Vagrancy Act and building the genuinely affordable housing we badly need.
Lambeth saw a slight decline in rough sleeping last year but the number of people spending the night on London’s streets went up. Rough sleepers need our help right now. A sleeping bag can be a lifeline, offering warmth and protection from the elements.
If you have a sleeping bag you no longer need, which is still in useable condition, please consider donating it. Just bring your sleeping bag to my office and we will make sure it reaches someone who really needs it!
To donate a sleeping bag to Ace of Clubs, just bring it to Bell’s constituency office on Monday-Wednesday from 11am-5pm.
The post Donate Sleeping Bags for Rough Sleepers appeared first on Bell Ribeiro-Addy.
Kickstarting economic growth. That was the number one mission of the Labour Party ahead of the last General Election. There has been some progress. The UK had the highest growth in the G7 at the start of 2025, but it has not been all plain sailing. Tariffs and the need to raise revenue to fix
The post Growth on the Ground in Banbury appeared first on Sean Woodcock, MP for Banbury.
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.

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.”

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.”
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:
The post Giving Children in Bassetlaw the Best Start in Life appeared first on Jo White MP.
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.
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.
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.
The post Toby Perkins MP supports Chesterfield Hedgehog Rescue and Rehabilitation appeared first on Toby Perkins Labour MP.