Crashing out of the EU without a deal would inflict serious damage on manufacturing industry here in the Midlands and beyond. Whatever happens to the Prime Minister’s deal, the overriding priority now must be to rule out a no deal Brexit to avoid that damage. My speech in today’s Commons Brexit debate:
Did Seaborne Freight issue an inaccurate briefing to investors and what investigations have ministers carried out before awarding a £13.8m contract? My question in the House of Commons and the non-reply I received from the Transport Secretary:
The introduction of Universal Credit is causing real hardship, increased debt and rocketing numbers turning to food banks in Birmingham. What are Ministers doing to sort it out? My question in the House of Commons:
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Special thanks to Chloe from Turves Green Girls’ School for designing the winning front cover for the Christmas card. Well done to Chloe as well as to runners up Nula and Maria!
In this, my last Parliamentary newsletter of 2018, I just wanted to take the opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you all for taking the time to read my newsletter as well as for all the emails and letters you have sent me. I always appreciate you getting in touch to share your views and to let me know what issues are important to you. I also want to say …
As everyone reading this will know, Brexit has dominated the political agenda in recent weeks and consequently the range of other issues covered in this this month’s newsletter is more limited than usual. Brexit Update The Prime Minister has now set out the terms of her proposed Brexit deal (all 585 pages of it!) and Parliament is about to start nearly two weeks of intensive debate ahead of votes …
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.