John’s Monthly Newsletter June 2018

Below is a brief summary of just some of my activities locally and in Parliament in the last month.

TUC Conference 150th Anniversary 1^st

I spoke at the TUC conference, which was held at, the Mechanics Institute in Manchester, the birthplace of the TUC to mark the 150th anniversary of the first Trades Union Congress, about Labour’s current thoughts on employment and TU legislation. Afterwards I met the TGI Friday Unite members on strike for fair pay in Manchester. They are an inspiration.

People’s Assembly Conference 2018 – Change is coming 2^nd

I spoke at the people’s assemble conference about What a National Investment Bank would do. The Assembly was packed with delegates enthusiastically discussing what a Labour Government could achieve and how.

Hayes Islamic Centre 4^th

I joined Councillors Scott Farley and Robin Sansarpuri at the Hayes Muslim Centre to attend Iftar. The Centre’s Committee are so welcoming of the wider community.

FBU Conference 7^th

I was honoured to speak at the Conference in Brighton which celebrated their Centenary year. I also had the privilege to be present for the moving debate on Grenfell, hearing from firefighters, controllers and Grenfell residents. We should never forget the courage shown by our firefighters and recognise the scale of cuts inflicted on this service.

Meeting with Chief Supt Paul Martin 8th

Helen Lowder and I met with our new Chief Superintendent to discuss the new local Policing strategy. We were both impressed by the new commander’s commitment and drive to tackle our local policing issues, despite our concerns about the impact of cuts in Police and jobs overall.

Botwell Ward 9th

I joined with our local councilllors to deliver a letter of introduction to local residents on behalf of our newly councillors and to talk to local people on the doorstep about any issues of local concern they may have.

Colne Valley CLP Fundraiser 9^th

I was honoured to speak at the Colne Valley CLP fundraising dinner which also celebrated the anniversary of my Parliamentary Private Secretary Thelma Walker’s election. Thelma has rally made her mark in Parliament in her first year. Her local CLP is a hard working campaigning CLP, strongly supporting their excellent new Labour MP.

Lush

I called into Lush shop to buy present and express my solidarity. Along with many of the victims of #spycops I am grateful to Lush for supporting the campaign for truth and justice. It’s appalling its staff have been intimidated because Lush stood up for us. Let’s stand up for them. The enquiry into Police surveillance is examining the case of my constituent Sukhdev Reel, who led the campaign to discover how her son Ricky was killed but who became the subject of Police surveillance

Heathrow Southern Rail reception in the House of Commons 12^th

I spoke at the Heathrow Southern rail reception about the way in which my constituents are affected by the poor air quality around Heathrow because of the road traffic going into the airport and how improved rail access would help improve their circumstances.

City UK’s Annual Conference 13^th

I addressed 250 senior attendees from across the financial and related professional services industry. The focus was on global trends, such as digitisation and customer-centricity, and the impact they have on the skills and workforce profiles required by the industry. We discussed how we can best develop, attract and retain the right skills and talent to ensure the industry is fit for the future.

Weaver Vale CLP Fundraising Dinner

I spoke at Weaver Vale CLP Fundraising Dinner in Mike Amesbury’s constituency in Weaver Vale, Cheshire. It was a real pleasure speaking for Mike, one of our new active and hard working MPs. 

Social Economy Event

I spoke at the Social economy event which was hosted by University of Liverpool Management School and Can Cook about Labour’s view on what is needed in local economies such as the Liverpool City Region.
The social economy is an asset for the Liverpool City Region economy in these vital areas. It employs around 45,000 people and generates an annual revenue of some £3 billion per annum. Organisations in the social economy work in the very areas needed to improve the capacity of the workforce, to pursue growth in an inclusive way, to support dignity in work, accountability in governance and civic participation in communities.

Regional campaign visit – Southport

I did a walk around Church Town with the parliamentary candidate, Liz Savage. We dropped into some of the local business to chat to the owners. I spoke about labour’s plans for regeneration highlighting my pledge of an extra £500million for our high streets

Fundraising Event in Liverpool

I spoke at a fundraising dinner and dance convened by Labour councillors in Liverpool, which was a successful initiative. In addition I was able to attend the wedding reception in the same hotel, of Royston Bentham, a blacklisted worker who has campaigned for justice for blacklisted workers for many years.

Justice4Grenfell Solidarity March 16^th

I spoke at the Justice4Grenfell march to send once again my deepest sympathy and condolences to all those who lost loved ones last year in this terrible tragedy. My hope is that the public inquiry will bring to justice all those who are responsible for or contributed to the suffering endured by the residents of Grenfell. It has been a disgrace that for many, the initial suffering has been compounded by the appalling failure by Kensington and Chelsea Council to fulfil their responsibilities and provide the support people have needed.

The human suffering and trauma endured by the Grenfell residents is the result of system where saving money has become more important than saving lives. A system that shows time and time again that working class lives just don’t matter. Our task now is to secure the truth about what happened but also to challenge the system that murdered the 72. In this way we can ensure that this never, never happens again.

Labour Live

I spoke at labour Live, The Labour Party’s one-day festival of music, art and politics “to bring our incredible movement together”. We had a fantastic day with great bands, speakers from across literature and politics, campaign training, food and drink and kids’ entertainment.

Launch of Financing investment- Graham Turner’s final report 20^th

I spoke at the launch of the team’s final report which proposes fundamental shifts in how our financial system is organised. Reform of the Bank of England’s mandate is at its centre. It should retain operational independence, but – more than two decades after this was granted it is time to reassess its guiding principles. – Turner’s team have recommended that alongside the Bank’s existing inflation target it should set a 3% target for productivity growth. This will be backed by new powers that steer the financial system towards investment to maximise productivity growth. The report also proposes that a new government should agree an accord with the Bank, showing how each will work towards achieving that productivity target. And the Bank, they suggest, should be charged with assessing such measures in an annual budget.

Along with other detailed proposals, including the creation of a dedicated applied scientific research fund and a Strategic Investment Board to oversee investment, the authors’ aim is guided by the belief – entirely correct, in my view – that almost a decade after the global financial crisis caused the worst recession in living memory, the time for a fundamental transformation of our financial system is long overdue. It means building on the immense strengths of our financial system, and harnessing them to meet the needs of a productive economy that works for the many, not the few.

Shared Lives Plus parliamentary reception

I attended the reception in Parliament to support this wonderful initiative, in which families offer care and homes to people with special needs in their own family home.

Open Labour 2^nd Annual Conference 23^rd

I spoke at Open labour’s conference about our economic policy and in particular the new Community Wealth Building Unit. I highlighted Labour’s plans for bringing Rail, Water and Energy into Public Ownership and how we can build an economy which protects workers and the trade they rely on, how our movement can revive our post-industrial communities, how we can tackle prejudice against under-represented groups, and how we can make sure the hopes of younger voters become realities.

Disability Campaign Meeting

I met with the manager of disabled people’s campaigning groups to discuss future campaigning and what support I can give.

Heathrow Expansion Vote in the Chamber 25^th

I was grateful to be allowed to speak from the Back Benches given the direct impact of the proposal on my constituency and my constituents. I spoke about the consequences for my constituents that hon. Members needed to know: 4,000 homes will go; 8,000 to 10,000 people will be forcibly removed from their community, the biggest forced removal of human beings since the Scottish highland clearances; and a church, a temple, community centres, open spaces and even our hospices are threatened.

We have 9,000 people a year in London dying from air pollution, yet there is nothing in the Government proposals that goes anywhere near even thinking about tackling these issues.

Those are the consequences for our community, despite all the promises they have been given that their homes would be secure. These are villages that have been there for 1,000 years, to be wiped off the face of the earth—and for what? To ensure that a company maximises its profits. This is a company owned by Ferrovial, which was founded by Franco contracts, by the Chinese state and by Qatar. It is shipping profits abroad, rather than reinvesting in this country.

To view the full debate click here

Heathrow Villages Meeting 29^th

I convened a meeting for the residents of Harmondsworth, Sipson & Longford villages, who will be directly affected by the 3rd runway proposal, which will be destroyed if the runway at Heathrow goes ahead. At the packed meeting the villagers resolved to fight on to save their communities. It was heart breaking to hear what they are facing but truly inspirational to hear their determination to fight for their homes and community. I will be with them all the way.

NHS Demo 30^th

I joined thousands of people protesting at how a decade of austerity, underfunding and top down reforms have stretched our health service to breaking point. Services are being cut and cancelled, hospitals and wards are closing, there are staffing shortages across every part of the system and increasing parts of our health service are being outsourced to private companies.