Richard Burden recently hosted a briefing in Parliament for MPs whose constituencies are within the travel-to-work area of MG Rover. At the meeting, the MPs were given an update by MG Rover Director of Communications on the strategy behind the proposed joint venture between MG Rover and the Chinese motor manufacturer, Shanghai Automotive (SAIC). With the Longbridge plant in his constituency …
On Monday March 14th, Richard met representatives of the Royal College of Nursing to discuss their manifesto “Health Priorities for the next UK Government”. The manifesto calls for a ban on smoking in public places, safer workplaces, a stronger focus on measures to boost recruitment and retention of nurses, better funding for long term nursing care, ensuring all children have access to a school …
I am really pleased that a local Youth Commission has been set up in Northfield, to help improve facilities for young people locally and – just as important- to listen to what young people themselves are saying. The Commission should help identify how young people in Northfield can make best use of the extra money which the Labour Government is has made available to improve facilities for young …
Today, as Chair of the All Party Group on Palestine, I welcomed the positive outcomes of the London Meeting to Support the Palestinian Authority. But I’ve called for a full Peace Conference, involving Israel, to be held as soon as possible. The agreements made in London yesterday are an important step forward, and mark another significant movement in the right direction towards a united …
I recently attended an event hosted jointly by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Parliamentary Reform in association with the Hansard Society, which aimed to allow parliamentarians to hear directly from young people and to look at ways in which Parliament can connect directly with them. I was joined by Lauren James, 12, from Turves Green Girls’ School, and Joseph Shaw, 14, from Turves Green …
Our top 50 achievements since being elected in 1997: 1. Lowest inflation since the 60s 2. Lowest mortgage rates for 40 years 3. Introduced the National Minimum Wage 4. Record police numbers in England and Wales 5. Cut overall crime by 30 per cent 6. Record levels of literacy and numeracy in schools 7. Best-ever primary school results 8. Funding for every pupil in England to double (since 1997) by …
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.