On Thursday 16 January local UNISON and UNITE members will be taking a day’s strike action in a dispute regarding pay and conditions for support staff at Birmingham University – including cleaners, catering staff, security staff, library staff and technicians Below is the statement I have given on the issue: There are currently 4.8 million workers in the country who aren’t paid enough to...
For many people, the New Year brings with it celebration and a sense of optimism for the months ahead. This year though, yet again, it also brings a significant hike in rail fares – and for commuters, that is anything but a cause for celebration.
You may have read that the BBC have committed to a new vision for Birmingham, with a promise of a £23.5 million investment for our city. This is a major step forward in a long running campaign to boost the BBC’s presence in Birmingham and the Midlands more widely. Along with other Labour MPs, I have long been calling for a fair a share of BBC investment in our region. There is a huge gap...
As a Birmingham MP I’ve long supported HS2 because I know the benefits it can bring to our region. It’s not so much about shaving a bit here or there from journey times. Last year, over 1.5 billion journeys were made on the rail network. That is over 4,000 more train services a day than in the mid-1990s. Dwindling capacity means that more and more people will have to endure cramped...
This week I received a great welcome at Birmingham’s newest ambulance hub at Hollymoor Way in Northfield, which has been operational since July. During my visit, I saw the training facilities and the fleet garage where mechanics carry out servicing and repairs to front line ambulance vehicles – as well as the new management offices and rest rooms for staff – first hand.
Today a £14 million fine was imposed on Deloitte & Touche for their advice to the MG Rover Group and the “Phoenix Four" directors.But as we watch another twist to the MG Rover drama unfold, it’s important to remember what was important then – and what is important now. That is the 6000+ MGR workers who lost their jobs in the collapse, and the communities whose identity “the Austin” factory...
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.