🌎 This week I questioned government officials over their long-term environmental goals, and specifically their long overdue strategy for restoring our peatlands. Peatland restoration is a natural solution to the climate emergency, helping to lock carbon into the ground. I will continue to hold the government to account until a strategy is not just published, but our peatlands are properly restored.
✊ On Tuesday I spoke at SYMAAG’s Annual General Meeting about the devastating effects of the government’s discriminatory and racist rhetoric and policies – and the need to create the just system we want to see from the ground up.
🏫 As chair of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) All Party Parliamentary Group inquiry, this week I was joined by young people, parents and national organisations Sense, ALLFIE, Local Government Association and the National Deaf Children’s Society. We are gathering evidence into the impact of COVID 19 on young people with SEND. We will use this to hold the government to account. You can watch the full session here.
✉️ Many of you have written to me to raise concerns with immigration bail reporting and how the current system is putting people at risk of infection. I have contacted the Home Secretary about this issue and written an Early Day Motion, calling for in-person reporting to be immediately suspended. I am asking MPs from across the parties to sign. You can share the campaign with your friends and family here.
✈️ I signed a joint letter to Priti Patel urging her to halt the deportation of Black British residents to Jamaica. The Government must learn the lessons of the Windrush scandal and end the hostile environment.
💉 I welcomed the news that the health secretary has changed the coronavirus vaccine priority list, after I raised this issue with him earlier this year. Now people at very high risk from coronavirus, who were made to shield, will be given the same priority as the over 70s. Thank you to my constituents who got in touch to raise this important issue. I will keep holding the government to account over this – to make sure the vaccine is rolled out quickly and fairly. I have also tabled an early day motion to celebrate and commend the international efforts of thousands of scientists, researchers & clinicians from across the globe in developing treatment, testing and vaccines for Covid19.
🏥I met with Sheffield Health and Social Care Chair and CEO, along with other Sheffield MPs, to discuss the pandemic and how we can support local mental health services.
🗞️I also spoke to The Sheffield Star about my first year in Parliament. You can read the piece here.
P.S. This week I sent my November newsletter. You can read it here, and sign up to receive my December addition here.