Welcome to my regular newsletter, keeping you updated on my work as your Member of Parliament.
There has been a huge outpouring of support for Ukrainians in Sheffield, whether it’s people donating to emergency services, organising collections like Crookes Social club or groups across our city campaigning to fix Government asylum policy. Sheffield has truly lived up to its name as a City of Sanctuary. I spoke about our city’s amazing work during a debate on support for those fleeing Ukraine in Westminster Hall last week. You can watch my full speech here or read more below about what I have been doing to call out the inadequate Government response to the refugee crisis.
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In other news, this month the Government announced its spending plans for the months ahead. The measures announced will do nothing to address the cost of living or energy crises we are facing. I have been campaigning for a windfall tax on the huge profits companies like Shell and BP have been making, as well as a retrofit revolution, to reduce energy costs and address the climate emergency. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you are struggling with rising energy costs and need help accessing support. My office and I are doing everything we can to support people.
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- Cobden View community garden is a much-loved green space in our city and a safe haven for local wildlife. I have submitted my objection to the proposed development of this open space. You can read my objection here . I’m also concerned about the wider issues that Cobden View exposes – the lack of protections on community green spaces. I’ve written to Michael Gove to raise this situation, and to ask for a meeting to discuss how planning policies can be improved to take these issues into account
- I joined Friends of Whirlow Brook Park for a very successful launch of their Climate Change Action Project. It was great to hear more about the exciting project and talk to all those who are involved.
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- I wrote a piece for the Sheffield Telegraph about the importance of renewable community energy projects like Sheffield Renewables and the Local Electricity Bill. Diversifying our unhealthy energy market is a key step to net-zero. By initiating a community energy revolution, we can build more secure energy systems, grow our local economies and democracies, increase energy security and address the scale of the climate and nature emergency – right here, in our city.
• I attended a memorial for Claudia Uruchurtu, the sister of a Hallam resident who tragically went missing last year. It has been one year since Claudia disappeared for standing up for what she believes. The strength of the family, including my constituent Elizabeth, in their search for truth and justice is overwhelming. You can read more about the memorial here.
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• Lots of people have contacted me to ask how they can support those fleeing Ukraine. Sheffield City Council have put together this useful resource of different ways you can help, whether donating to the appeal or registering interest for the Homes for Ukraine scheme. They have also got a list of organisations in our city who are providing advice and support to Ukrainians in the UK. You can view it here.
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- This month the Chancellor announced his Spring Statement. The Government’s spending plans will hardly begin to address the huge cost of living crisis facing people across our city. The reality is a further 1.3 million people, including 500,000 children, will be pushed into absolute poverty, unable to afford basic necessities from April. Meanwhile BP and Shell are set to make £40 billion in profits. That’s why I will continue to campaign for an urgent Windfall Tax on the oil and gas companies to protect people from soaring energy costs and the rising cost of living.
- Ahead of the Spring Statement I joined campaigners outside the Treasury to call on the Chancellor to fund a Great Homes Upgrade, retrofitting homes to reduce energy use, increase energy security, bring down bills and tackle the climate emergency. The Government must back Labour’s retrofit sprint, which would invest £60 billion over ten years to insulate 19 million homes; save families £400 per year; cut national gas imports by 15%; and support 100,000 good green jobs in 2 years. You can read more about Labour’s retrofit sprint here.
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- This week, the Health and Care Bill returned to the House of Commons. I voted against this Bill, which I believe will do nothing to address the staffing crisis facing NHS services in Sheffield, all while entrenching the role of private companies in our public health service. I also voted for an amendment to keep telemedical abortion services remain in place, which thanks to the hard work of campaigners was accepted by the Government.
- I chaired a roundtable on No Recourse to Public Funds and free school meal eligibility. I was honoured to meet the young people and families campaigning to make sure no child is denied a free school meal because of their parents immigration status. And they did it! Last week t he Government finally saw sense , and changed the rules so that all school children will be eligible for a meal at school.
- This month the Anti Refugee Bill returned to the House of Commons and MPs got a chance to vote on the Lords amendments to the Bill. I spoke in support of amendments 4 – 9, to remove the worst parts of the Government’s proposals. I also voted against this divisive bill , which is out of tune with the hundreds of thousands who have come forward to help Ukrainian refugees. You can watch my speech here .
- The Government is using this Bill to scrap Humanitarian Protection leave through the back door – a route to aslyum used by many fleeing war. This is inhuman at any time but especially in light of the crisis in Ukraine. I wrote a piece for the Independent highlighting the issue, which you can read here.
• I asked Priti Patel how new Government announcements will actually help the most vulnerable Ukrainian refugees and I spoke during a Westminster Hall debate also on Ukrainian refugees. As my constituents reach across borders to help house those fleeing the war, the Government is busy making an insidious distinction between “good” and “bad” refugees.
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- The Government finally published its long-awaited SEND Review. It is good to see steps being taken, but families have waited too long for action. This consultation must end in concrete legislation and funding to improve services, training and accountability. I asked Nadhim Zahawi how he will ensure that during the standardising and simplifying of the system, standards improve and are not reduced – and the unique needs of children with complex disabilities are truly recognised.
- We also held our next meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Special Educational Needs and Disability on social, emotional, and mental health in SEND. We really valued hearing the experiences of the young people who attended – it;s vital that the young people and families most affected by the system are at the heart of the changes we need to see made to it.
- I celebrated Neurodiversity Celebration Week. 1 in 7 people in the UK, including myself, are neurodivergent. People who are neurodivergent face huge barriers in our society, but we also have huge strengths and it is important we celebrate them! I also spoke to The House Magazine about my experience of being a neurodivergent MP. You can read it here.
• I attended a campaign event with Shelter to find out more about their campaigns and how I can support them. I am contacted near daily be people in Sheffield Hallam who are waiting months for urgent repairs, can’t afford extortionate rents, or are unable to find a secure home at all. I will do everything I can to support Shelter’s work in Parliament.
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- As Labour’s Shadow Minister for Climate Change, I have been calling the Government out on their chaotic fracking policy. The Government must rule out fracking completely, introduce a long overdue outright ban, and back Labour’s sprint to a renewable revolution, which you can read more about here .
- The latest IPCC report put forward its bleakest warning yet, emphasising the urgency of immediate, ambitious action to step-up climate adaptation . I asked COP President Alok Sharma what concrete progress has been made on adaptation since the conference. Once again, he couldn’t give me an answer.
- I have pledged my support for the campaign to End Trophy Hunting campaign. Last year the Government committed to ban hunting trophy imports, but they still haven’t brought forward the legislation to do so. We need a full and immediate ban on hunting trophy and fur imports.
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- It was great to meet Green Alliance and Campaign to Protect Rural England graduates this week. We had a great discussion on climate politics, Parliament and what it is like to be an MP.
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- On International Women’s Day – a day founded by working class women – I called the Government out on their disgraceful suggestion that those that have miscarried could use flexible working as an alternative to proper statutory miscarriage leave.You can watch my speech here.
- Following our campaign last year I am delighted to announce that an inquiry into Asian baby deaths in the UK will go ahead! This is a really important step in reducing inequalities and saving lives. You can read more here .
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Don’t forget to register to vote for the local elections before Thursday 14th April (or you can apply for a postal vote here !)
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Please share your solidarity with the 800 workers fired without notice by P&O Ferries earlier this month and sign this petition calling for workers to be reinstated immediately. We must also ban the dodgy practice of fire and rehire.
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If you would like to get involved in the campaign for a Great Homes Upgrade, to reduce energy costs and emissions and increase energy security, you can find out more here:
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The Royal Academy of Engineering has recently launched the Regional Talent Engines, to provide funding to engineers in Yorkshire, and across Northern England, to develop innovative ideas. If this sounds like you, make sure to apply!
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Saturday 2nd, 11am : There will be a People’s Assembly demonstration in Sheffield, as part of a national day of action to fight the cost of living crisis. Meet at 11am outside the Moor Market. Or find your nearest protest here.
Saturday 2nd, 10:30am: On the 2nd of April members of The Moor’s team will be taking it in turns to walk or run 5K on two treadmills kindly supplied by The Gym Group Sheffield The Moor to raise vital funds for the S6 Foodbank.
Saturday 2nd, 3pm: A participatory session facilitated by Land Justice Yorkshire exploring land ownership, use, distribution and rights, and the effect of this on our homes, communities, food, health and play.
Sunday 3rd, 5:30pm: The Foodhall Sunday Social is a brand new monthly community meal which aims to revolutionise food and improve community by cooking up surplus food donated from supermarkets.
Wednesday 6th April, 6:30pm: Sheffield Libraries are holding a talk on “the story of central Sheffield: from humble rural community to a town on the brink of becoming an industrial powerhouse.”
Tuesday 12th April, 6:30pm: SYMAAG’s talk series, Talks for Change, is returning with a talk exploring how border policing and changing border policy has impacted those on the move in Europe.
Wednesday 11th April, 3:30pm: The SAYiT Noah Lomax Memorial Lecture: ‘Inequalities and LGBTQ+ Young People’s Mental Health’ – with Keynote speaker Richard Wilkinson.
Thursday 21st April – 10am: Loveday Herridge and Sue Roe from Reading Sheffield, discuss 18th and 19th century reformers including Thomas Asline Ward and James Montgomery, and cover developments such as the emergence of Sheffield’s radical press.
Thursday 31st March, 6pm: The IRR is launching the Register of Racism and Resistance, a unique searchable database that documents key developments in racism and community action since 2014.
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Thank you for reading my newsletter. If you would like to share it with your neighbours or friends in Hallam, you can share the sign up link with them here.
As always, please get in touch if there are issues you would like me to raise or campaigns you would like me to get involved with!
Olivia Blake
MP for Sheffield Hallam
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