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The Government’s dismal record on Trade
In my role as Shadow International Trade Minister, I have been watching closely the implementation of the UK-Australia and UK New Zealand Free Trade Agreements. Agreement’s which have since their negotiation been described as “one-sided” against the UK by no less than the current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Closer trade deals with our allies are always welcome, but the Government’s record on negotiating trade deals for the UK has been dismal. Few think the trade deal with the EU was well negotiated and Japan’s exporters are set to benefit 4x more than ours from the UK-Japan deal.
Indeed, Great British foods are still awaiting protected status in Japan, almost 3 years to the day since the Government promised it and claimed these special protections were one of the most important benefits of the trade deal they’d negotiated with Japan.
More on the government failure to deliver these promised protections can be found here:
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/may/21/british-foods-awaiting-protected-status-in-japan-despite-liz-truss-promise?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
On the Australia deal specifically, it will deliver just a 0.08% increase to the U.K.’s economic growth by 2035; nice to have but hardly the turbo boost we need.
With exports expected to drop by over 6% this year Britain needs to do better on trade. It will take a Labour government to deliver it.
Trade Questions
Unfortunately, the trade negotiating skills of government Ministers haven’t got any better as Department for Business and Trade predicting joining the CPTPP will see just a 0.08% increase in economic growth with secret courts able to let overseas firms bypass Parliament and ignore the will of the British people.
I put this to the Secretary of State who insists that Investor State Dispute Mechanisms actually protect British Companies, which was somewhat puzzling as the Government did not include them in the deals that they poorly negotiated with Australia and New Zealand.
Available here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2023-05-18/debates/9DF40C0F-475A-4CDF-AF52-424AD1012D65/CPTPPImpactOnUKBusinesses#contribution-D0E2D344-739C-428C-9461-60E2B86FD076
Permanent Mutuals Shares
Treasury Questions provided the opportunity to ask Minister why they are dragging their feet in introducing Permanent Mutuals Shares? This reform would allow financial mutuals to access the capital they need to expand & without having to demutualise. I again received no more that warm words as a response.
Available here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2023-05-09/debates/A11D0892-D85D-49E9-9369-D96772F1481A/FinancialServicesSectorRegulatoryFramework#contribution-37BB28DD-A5EA-421A-9426-5EC96EB65FD7
Read more on my Bill to Introduce Permenant Mutual Shares here: https://www.thenews.coop/169783/topic/legal/trouble-at-john-lewis-casts-new-urgency-on-question-of-mutuals-reform/
Safety of School Buildings
An important debate on the Safety of our school buildings allowed me to question the Minister for Schools on whether there are any school buildings in Harrow that pose a risk to life or the safety of children? And to push for urgent investment into both school buildings and staffing.
Available here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2023-05-23/debates/DBFA5A9B-A6E5-4D39-93D4-1AFB02AE750F/SafetyOfSchoolBuildings#contribution-44116946-B381-4547-832E-61E24244A17C
Right to Roam
On the rare occasions when parliamentary duties and childcare allow I enjoy canoeing, but only 7% of the appropriate inland waters in England & Wales have an unfettered right of access for boat users & canoeists. Voluntary Access Arrangements have simply not worked. I believe that the Countryside Rights of Way act must be extended to cover water as well as land.
Available here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2023-05-18/debates/72C37494-B6BC-43E5-8026-8F4EC4EC60CA/PublicAccessToNature#contribution-CB2E8946-0D39-40C6-9DEF-106DC5A463E2
Plastic Pollution in the Ocean
The Government’s terrible record on pumping sewage into UK waters is well-known, but also over 8 million tonnes of plastic are dumped in the world’s oceans every year. More action is urgently needed and the government should implement tougher product standards to sharpen incentives to reduce single-use plastics and encourage recycling will be essential.
Available here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2023-05-18/debates/E1937B7F-1B85-4593-B57D-6A3C4BBD5520/PlasticPollutionInTheOcean#contribution-09431A2B-72E3-4937-8A70-F0AAC6FC9227
Tamil Remembrance Day
Tamil Remembrance Day is marked every year on this day to remember the thousands of predominantly Tamil victims of human rights abuses in Sri Lanka. I asked for the Foreign Secretary to explain why Britain has still not used Magnitsky Act sanctions or made a referral to the International Criminal Court to hold the worst perpetrators of extra-judicial executions, torture & rape to account.
Available here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2023-05-18/debates/CAB6BEFD-47D6-476F-A7F8-8717EA08AF56/BusinessOfTheHouse#contribution-B041DC05-A2E2-4585-8D5D-CAACBAC2610B
Important votes this month:
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I voted against the ‘Sack the Nurses Bill’
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I voted to end the unfair & outdated leasehold system.
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