On Wednesday I joined a cross-party delegation of MPs, City Council leaders and business representatives from Birmingham to meet with the Prime Minister. We wanted to talk to him about some of the challenges Birmingham faces – and also the opportunities they present. Issues like how we attract inward investment, how we build the transport infrastructure our region needs, how we develop skills and …
I know, I know: when you say the word ‘Northfield’, the first thing that comes into your head is not likely to be ‘seaside’, is it? But that is what the South Birmingham suburb became during those glorious days of sunshine between 25th and 29th July. With help from Yellow Bus Events of Sheffield, and tons of sand, the normally grey Price’s Square on Northfield High Street was transformed into the …
The Birmingham Post has reported today that the MG Rover Trust Fund is to be wound up after over seven years – without a penny going to the 6,500 former workers who lost their jobs in 2005. The trustees seem to have given up hope of the Phoenix Four ever putting the funds in to the trust which they led employees to believe they would. If reports are true, the trustees’ decision may be realistic …
This week Parliament rose for the Summer recess. At the end of the week, schools in Birmingham break up for the summer too. But some of them do so not knowing what the future will look like come September. Over the past few months, I have been trying to get to the bottom of what is happening in relation to the Department for Education pressuring a number of primary schools in my constituency to …
The UK has a successful automotive industry – but we must build a long-term framework for growth On Sunday, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone was won in a Red Bull, one of the eight F1 teams based here in the UK. And whilst I don’t want to take anything away from Mark Webber’s Australian pedigree, he too lives here in Britain. The UK is also home to seven volume car manufacturers, six …
Last week I joined the Royal British Legion in the House of Commons to promote the creation of Community Covenants across the UK.
The event highlighted the importance of local communities getting behind the Armed Forces community in their own area and honouring the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant in practice on the ground.
I was Labour Member of Parliament for Birmingham Northfield between 1992 and 2019 and a former Shadow Transport Minister. I now chair Healthwatch in Birmingham and Solihull, and the West Midlands Board of Remembering Srebrenica. I also work as a public affairs consultant. I am an effective community advocate and stakeholder alliance builder with a passion for human rights. I am a trustee of the Balfour Project charity and of Citizens Advice Birmingham, and a former Chair of Medical Aid for Palestinians.