Animal Welfare Round-up Issue #3

Animal welfare, National issues

29 October 2015

3 minute read

1,122 views

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Welcome to my Animal Welfare Round-Up, where I regularly update you on some of the animal causes I have recently been campaigning on.

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VW emissions affair

Motor industry

21 October 2015

2 minute read

1,254 views

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UK Drivers are being left in the dark due to mixed messages from ministers. By Richard Burden Originally published by HuffPost, October 21, 2015 The UK Government must come clean on what they knew and move quicker to end uncertainty for drivers. Almost a month after Volkswagen’s use of “defeat devices” to evade regulatory emissions limits in the USA became known, it is clear …

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Statement from Britain-Palestine All-Party Parliamentary Group

Foreign Affairs, Middle East, World

21 October 2015

4 minute read

1,423 views

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All murders and other attacks on civilians are unacceptable, whoever commits them and whoever are the victims. As of 19 October, the recent alarming escalation of violence in Israel and Palestine has claimed the lives of 9 Israelis who have died in knife and other attacks by Palestinians. Over 40 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settler attacks. Estimates suggest around half …

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Statement on Sir Albert Bore

Birmingham, Local

13 October 2015

2 minute read

1,125 views

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Responding to the decision of Sir Albert Bore to stand down as Leader of Birmingham City Council, Richard Burden MP said: “Albert has been at the centre of that throughout, holding  economic development portfolios on the Council and chairing Europe’s Committee of the regions as well as leading Birmingham City Council twice in the last sixteen years. Under his stewardship Birmingham City …

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Statement on Proposed Police Station Closures

Birmingham, Communities, Crime and safety, Local, National issues, Northfield area, West Midlands

2 October 2015

2 minute read

1,290 views

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West Midlands Police have announced a plan to close 28 police stations across the region. In and around the Northfield area, Kings Norton, Longbridge, Warstock and Bartley Green are scheduled to close. Although nearby Bournville Lane will continue to be the Police headquarters for the area, these proposals mean that there will be no police stations in Northfield constituency itself by the end of …

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Want to join my team?

Jobs, business & economy, News, Young People

24 September 2015

2 minute read

1,133 views

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Richard is looking for an addition to his busy team in the Westminster office. This is a part-time, paid and fixed position lasting until the Christmas recess.

You will learn first-hand about the work that MPs do representing their constituents in Parliament, as well as gaining insight into the role of a Shadow Transport Minister.

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Superfast Broadband UPDATE: Superfast Summit

Birmingham, Culture, media and sport, Local, National issues, Northfield area

21 September 2015

3 minute read

1,655 views

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Last Friday (18 September) I hosted a ‘Superfast Summit’ in Kings Norton, where I met with senior officials from Virgin Media, BT, Digital Birmingham and alternative providers, to discuss the problem of superfast broadband not-spots in the constituency. Many of you will be aware - or have even got in touch with me – about my campaign on poor broadband coverage. I have estimated around 1500 homes …

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The Labour Leadership

Labour Party, National issues, News, Political reform, Young People

13 September 2015

2 minute read

1,451 views

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A few weeks ago I wrote a piece about the Labour leadership election and about the future direction of our Party. It set out the reasons why I believe the qualities that Yvette Cooper would have brought to the position of Leader made her the candidate for me to support. The scale of Jeremy Corbyn’s victory was, however, overwhelming and it must be respected. I don’t say that …

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Assisted Dying Bill

Health & social care, National issues, Older people, Young People

10 September 2015

5 minute read

1,534 views

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Hundreds of you have got in touch with me about the Assisted Dying Bill. The Bill comes up for debate in the House of Commons this Friday (11th September). Over the past weeks and months I have sent individual replies to as many people as possible. However, the sheer quantity of e-mails I have received – both for and against the Bill – means that I have not been able to get back to everybody …

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Fighting for fairer funding for WM police

Birmingham, Crime and safety, Local, News, Northfield area, West Midlands

8 September 2015

3 minute read

1,340 views

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This week Parliament returns from its summer break. One of the first things I will be doing in Westminster is leading a debate on funding cuts to West Midlands Police. In the last five years West Midlands Police has received funding cuts twice that of other forces according to the independent National Audit Office. Whereas the West Midlands has been cut by nearly a quarter (23%), Surrey Police …

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The Syrian Civil War and the refugee crisis: How can the UK help?

Foreign Affairs, Immigration, International Development, Middle East, National issues, News, World

3 September 2015

7 minute read

1,108 views

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Throughout the summer, many people have written to me about the situation in Syria and the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis. Many have been about speculation that the UK Government is considering participating in military action in Syria. More recently, even more have focused on the huge refugee crisis which has been unfolding. Here I give some of my thoughts on both issues. The scenes in …

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Reflections on the election: How we take things forward in Northfield

Birmingham, Housing, Jobs, business & economy, Labour Party, Local, Northfield area, Political reform, Welfare, Young People

18 August 2015

3 minute read

1,633 views

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Last month a large gathering of Labour Party Members and Supporters met to review the lessons of the recent elections, and to work out how best we can move forward.

Before we broke into four workshops (see below), I opened the event with some personal reflections on the election and on the future. Read my notes here.

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