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 former Facebook page. My current Facebook account is here.

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

Local
National
Motor
WORLD

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 view my latest Facebook posts here. I also have a LinkedIn profile.

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

Contact
Recent tweets

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

Richard Burden Follow

Former MP/Shadow Minister.Chair https://t.co/0IKRce2GXY. Chair @RemSrebWestMids.Trustee @BritPalProject.Fellow @The_IMI. Ex Chair @MedicalAidPal.Own views

RichardBurden27
Retweet on Twitter Richard Burden Retweeted
johnsimpsonnews

John Simpson

Verified account @johnsimpsonnews ·
22 Aug

More than 100 French and British former diplomats have said Palestine is being erased in front of the world’s eyes and called for urgent action including trade and arms sales bans to press Israel to accept a Palestinian state.

Reply on Twitter 2091097665505210726 Retweet on Twitter 2091097665505210726 3656 Like on Twitter 2091097665505210726 9549 View on 𝕏 2091097665505210726
Retweet on Twitter Richard Burden Retweeted
danielseidemann

Daniel Seidemann

Verified account @danielseidemann ·
20 Aug

This is pitch-perfect.

Skepticism over statements on these matters is appropriate, but this appears to be different. We cynics on Jerusalem matters are always right – until we aren't.

The real test comes when the actual measures are announced and put in place. Let's hope.

E-1

Reply on Twitter 2090309021743911134 Retweet on Twitter 2090309021743911134 26 Like on Twitter 2090309021743911134 96 View on 𝕏 2090309021743911134

Latest posts

Shocking A&E waiting times in Birmingham show you can’t trust the Tories with the NHS

Birmingham, Health & social care, Local, National issues, News, Northfield area, West Midlands
7 June 2013
3 minute read
2,197 views
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This week data from NHS England shows that the Queen Elizabeth Hospital A&E which serves the Northfield constituency has missed the target of seeing 95% of patients within four hours in 28 out of the last 30 weeks. This is a crisis that has started on the Government’s watch. When Labour left office, 98% of patients in A&E were seen within four hours. But since 2010 the number of people waiting …

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Birmingham Made Me – innovation needs to reach outskirts

Birmingham, Jobs, business & economy, Local, National issues, News, Northfield area, West Midlands
7 June 2013
3 minute read
1,748 views
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At a Birmingham Made Me panel discussion on "the regional sustainable economic model" today I had one key point to make. Alongside other MPs, business leaders and policy makers, I wanted to stress that the exciting creative economy emerging in Birmingham must unlock growth and innovation across the city- and reach places like Northfield, Longbridge and Frankley if we are all to prosper.

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Sainsbury’s Biomass Boiler Planning Application

Local, Northfield area
7 June 2013
1 minute read
1,612 views
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Sainsburys have recently put in a planning application for a biomass boiler at their new Longbridge store. This is the letter that 3 local Labour Councillors – Andy Cartwright, Jess Phillips and Ian Cruise – and I have sent to Birmingham City Council in response.
201306 – Biomass letter June 2013

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Giving Young People a Passport to Parliament

Birmingham, Communities, Local, News, West Midlands, Young People
6 June 2013
2 minute read
1,896 views
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Last week I met over 35 children and young people from within the care system in the Midlands. Alongside other regional MPs Steve McCabe and Craig Whittaker , local councillors, The Children’s Commissioner for England and social work professionals, we discussed whether young people in care are receiving everything they are legally entitled to. 'Passport to Parliament' aims to engage young people …

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‘Ask Me Anything’ a huge success!

Local, News, Northfield area
6 June 2013
2 minute read
1,427 views
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On Tuesday evening (4th June) I held my very first “Ask Me Anything” using my Twitter and Facebook pages. As promised I did my best to answer as many questions from Northfield constituents as possible within the intended hour-long chat. In the end I stayed on for an extra 15 minutes and answered a total of 25 questions. Topics that were discussed ranged widely. Local issues that were brought up …

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Solving Global Hunger Starts at Home – Let’s Cut Food Waste

Equalities, International Development, Local, News, World
4 June 2013
3 minute read
1,889 views
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I am a member of the House of Commons International Development Committee (IDC.) Today, we launched a report on Global Food Security – a huge issue both within the UK and overseas. High and volatile food prices are rarely out of the news at the moment, especially after the two recent shocks in global food prices in 2008 and 2011. Only last week I helped to lead a food drive for Northfield Life …

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Guest column for Motortrades Insight

Jobs, business & economy, Motor industry, Motor industry / motorsport, News
30 May 2013
3 minute read
1,510 views
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Welcome to my first column. I’m excited to start sharing my parliamentary perspective with Motortrades Insight, and the online automotive community. As a West Midlands MP with Longbridge in my constituency, an interest in automotive kind of goes with the territory, but it’s more than that. The automotive industry has been in my blood for as long as I can remember. And when I say “automotive”, I …

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Relaxed to the Point of Complacency – The Government’s Work Capability Assessment

Local, National issues, News, Northfield area, Welfare
24 May 2013
2 minute read
1,580 views
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The Work Capability Assessment is clearly not working. A third of the decisions that the health service provider makes are being overturned in appeals. Charities and the medical profession have issued strong criticisms of the assessment process, calling the government’s system inhumane and often inaccurate. I know that assessments are causing real hardship and humiliation for many people in …

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Recent Posts

Richard Burden

Avatar photo

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.