Richard Burden


Former Member of Parliament for Birmingham Northfield

Welcome to my website and blog.

You can read a bit more about who I am and what makes me tick here. A summary of the work I did when I was Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield between 1992 and 2019 can also be found here.

The older posts on here date from my time as an MP but I have continued to blog since leaving Parliament.

The opening paragraphs of my blog posts appear at the bottom of this page in reverse date order. The “Read on” buttons take you to what I have written in full. My posts below also contain links to articles I have written and which have been published elsewhere, together with posts imported from my own Facebook page.

To view posts on a specific subject, from both during and after my time in Parliament, please click one of the buttons below.

These are the main subjects on which I’ve written. Click here to view the full list of categories.

Here is the link to my Bluesky account, and here is the link to my Twitter/X account. You can also view my Facebook page and LinkedIn profile.

Click on ‘Contact’ below to get in touch with me.

Recent tweets

This feed refreshes intermittently. Please log in to X (Twitter) to view my newest tweets in full.

Disgusting desecration and destruction of Commonwealth War Graves in Gaza .



Having visited the cemeteries in Gaza myself and met the Palestinians who care for them, the enormity of this feels personal for me https://richardburden.com/2024/11/gazas-commonwealth-war-graves-remembering-the-past-and-facing-the-present/

Such shocking and sad news that Councillor Waseem Zaffar has died. A committed community politician, he made a big contribution to the work of Birmingham City Council, particularly in promoting clean air. Above all to me personally, he was always a supportive friend. RIP

Our Chair, ⁦@RichardBurden27⁩ , was proud to represent ⁦⁦@RemSrebWestMids⁩ at the @HMD_UK Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration in Birmingham yesterday #RememberYesterdayActToday

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Latest posts

New Year Newsletter

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My New Year Newsletter gives an update on national issues from rising rail fares to foodbanks and further education, as well as my ongoing campaigns on MG Rover and rip off phone rates. There are also updates on my local activity over Christmas and news of exciting upcoming events that I am hosting in the constituency. I hope you enjoy reading this month’s update, and remember you can also sign …

Tribute to Del Singh

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News that Del Singh has been killed in an attack in Kabul has been devastating for me, as it has been for so many of his friends in the UK and around the world.

Guardian Article on the “Young Tory Right”

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This is a snapshot of an article by Andrew Sparrow entitled “Britannia Unhinged – young Tory right set out their stall”, which was published in the Guardian on the 9 October. Please click to zoom in on the comments made by Parliamentary Candidate for Northfield, Rachel Maclean:

Holocaust Memorial Day, 27th January

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This week, in preparation for Holocaust Memorial Day, I signed the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment in the House of Commons.

The Holocaust Memorial Day provides us with a crucial reminder of the importance of commemorating the millions who were affected by the Holocaust and other genocides. I want to encourage as many people as possible in Northfield to mark HMD on the 27th.

Free Diabetes Screening in Northfield on 31st January

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To coincide with the New Year – a time when many people have recently made weight-loss resolutions – this week is National Obesity Awareness Week. Unfortunately, obesity increases the risk of developing a number of serious diseases, including diabetes – and the rate of diabetes is much higher here in Birmingham than elsewhere in the UK. That's why I'd encourage you to come along to Sainsbury's …

Let’s make Birmingham a Living Wage City

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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 …

Government are washing their hands of the MG Rover case

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You may have read recently that the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills is refusing to discuss the landmark £14 million fine imposed on Deloitte & Touche for their advice to the MG Rover Group and the “Phoenix Four” directors, which is expected to be paid to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).

My Christmas Message

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2013 has flown by, and it’s been quite a year. I'd like to take this opportunity to reflect on the last 12 months and to wish all my constituents, and everyone in the West Midlands, both a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

November Newsletter from Richard Burden MP

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November's Newsletter gives an update on my work on Road Safety Week and HS2 as a Shadow Transport Minister, as well as Labour's pledges to scrap the Bedroom Tax and freeze your energy bills. There is also news about the campaign to boost the BBC's presence in the West Midlands and exciting new developments for cycling in Birmingham!

Inviting Birmingham Northfield’s Designated Drivers to celebrate Christmas with Coca-Cola

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I'm encouraing Birmingham Northfield’s designated drivers to claim their reward for keeping the roads safe this Christmas. As part of a national campaign run by Coca-Cola in partnership with the THINK! Road safety campaign, designated drivers can enjoy a “buy one, get one free” offer on Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Zero as they celebrate the festive period in local pubs and bars. I’m really …

Recent Posts

Richard Burden

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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.

Get in touch

You can reach me by email at richard@richardburden.com or use the form on the Contact page to send me a message.