🏥 This week the Government’s Health and Care Bill returned to parliament for its second reading. Rather than learning the lessons of the last 9 years of creeping privatisation in our NHS, the Tories have doubled down on the failures. Labour will fight this Bill – which will lead to further privatisation of our Health Service – at every step of the way. You can watch my speech during the debate here.
⚽ The racism Black England footballers faced following the final is disgusting – but it doesn’t happen in a vacuum. The Government’s denial of institutional racism and their continued failure to act has given space for a culture or hostile environment that sees this racist abuse as acceptable. I know the whole of Sheffield stands united against this racist abuse. I asked the Minister if her Government feels any regret at their failure to act sooner, and spoke to the Sheffield Star and Sky News. You can watch my question to the Minister here.
💰 I voted against Johnson and Sunak’s devastating cuts to international aid. To tackle the global Climate Emergency, ensure a just transition, and secure equality for women and girls, the Government should be increasing support to the world’s most vulnerable – not cutting it. Sadly, the Tories voted through the cut.
❌ I also voted against the Government’s dangerous hate speech protection bill, which will leave universities in England and Wales at risk of being sued by those peddling hate speech. Instead of focusing on the real issues people care about, like fixing our social care system, on Monday the Tories pushed through this disastrous policy.
📺 On Monday I went on Politics Live and spoke about a number of issues including the hate speech protection bill, racism in football, and the Government’s reckless easing of Covid restrictions.
🌊 Following the horrible scenes of floods in London, my thoughts are with all of those who have been affected. I want to send a huge message of thanks to the emergency service workers who have been working around the clock to protect people. As well as taking urgent steps to tackle the climate emergency, we also need to be building our resilience to flooding. Currently the Government is failing us on both fronts.
🌎 I met with constituents and a representative from War On Want to discuss what we can do to embed international climate justice in COP26, and our wider movement. Thank you so much to everyone who came. Thank you also for your vital contributions to our breakout groups. It was incredibly helpful to hear what Hallam constituents think international climate justice looks like, and how we should go about getting there.
🌱 Thank you to the Environment Agency for showing me around two of South Yorkshire’s flood prevention schemes. It is great to see such innovative work going on in our region to help both restore our natural environment and better protect our communities from flooding. Both natural and concrete flood prevention is vital if we are to properly protect our communities from flooding.
💊 I also met with Infact, the National Campaign Group representing every affected person in the UK harmed by Sodium Valproate and other AEDs in Pregnancy.