Public Discussion with Richard Burden MP 6.30pm, 29 January 2015 Northfield Baptist Church, 789 Bristol Road South, Northfield, B31 2NQ I know that many people in this area want politicians to talk about immigration. And so we should. It is a really important issue for local people and that is why I am writing to you today. People are concerned about the management of immigration, and they are...
Responding to the Publication of the Kerslake Review on the 9 December 2014, Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield, Richard Burden MP said: “As Sir Bob Kerslake says, we Brummies have pride and passion in our City. He is also right to identify serious problems – in relation to the strategic management of the City, its approach to partnership working and in the extent to which local people have a...
I had the privilege of giving the closing speech of Northfield’s District Convention on Saturday. It had been a very successful event with a good attendance from community groups and organisations across the area. With the theme of “Making a Difference in your Community” the Convention heard thought provoking contributions from Paul Slatter of the Chamberlain Forum and Barbara...
Lots of local people continue to contact me about the future of Northfield's leisure facilities. For the latest update please read this article on B31 Voices about the City Council's Cabinet Meeting on the 15 September 2014 - at which the future of the pool and leisure centre was discussed. After the recent local consultation and residents meeting chaired by Labour Councillor and Northfield...
What is it with Conservative politicians and charities? This week, new Tory Minister for Civil Society, Brooks Newmark, provoked outrage by telling charities to "stick to their knitting" and keep out of politics. The tone was about as patronising as you could get. The use of language was nothing short of insulting when referring to organisations which span the spectrum from providing emergency...
On the 5th March, I held a debate in the House of Commons to ask the Government why two farmers’ markets in South Birmingham, including Kings Norton Farmers’ Market in my constituency, had suddenly lost their tax exemption – at the same time as huge multinational firms like Amazon, Google, Starbucks and Vodafone continue to get away with paying almost nothing.
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.