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It was good to see so many of our local restaurants nominated for the Food Awards Wales Final. In total, 35 Cardiff Central businesses were nominated in 13 different categories.
Each and every one of those nominated deserved to bring home a prize. Congratulations to Giardini di Sorrento (Best Italian) and Yamas (Best Mediterranean) who I know from personal experience
are worthy of their awards!
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Cardiff Market and its eclectic mix of independent businesses have served residents of Cardiff Central for more than 130 years. Cardiff Council's plan to restore this iconic building will ensure
that it remains at the heart of our city for generations to come.
The multi-million pound project will protect and preserve the Grade 2 listed building and restore some of its original design features. It will also house a new ground floor seated area for food.
Subject to a funding bid which I have supported being successful, the works are due to begin in the Summer of 2023 and will take approximately two years to complete.
Find out more here.
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Cardiff Labour Council has announced its new plans to upgrade Pentwyn Leisure Centre.
The initial plans had to be revisited due to budgetary pressures following the catastrophic Tory mini-budget whose legacy we all having to live with. I’m pleased that following representations from local
Labour councillor, Jess Moultrie, a way forward has been secured that includes a swimming pool.
The scheme would see the centre benefit from:
• A new 20m x 8m pool, heated by a ground source heat pump.
• A new cafeteria.
• A new fitness gym on the ground floor.
• A new full-sized 3G pitch and mini pitch.
• A refurbished family-changing facility.
• A new hall and external space which could be leased to a third partner - potentially to create an area for padel tennis on site.
• Roof mounted solar panels.
Read more about the plans here.
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With exams and assignments coming to an end this month, many students will be moving out and travelling back home for the summer.
I was pleased to join our local Cathays Labour Councillors and Cardiff Labour Students for a litter pick in Cathays, which resulted in the removal of almost 20 bags of rubbish from the streets.
A big thank you to everyone who helped out and to Cardiff Council's waste management team for collecting the waste quickly.
Are you leaving your student accommodation?
The Love When You Leave Campaign has been launched again this year so that students can clear their houses responsibly before they move out - without needing to dump unwanted items out onto the street
outside of their waste collection day.
Click here to find out more about the services available.
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Future of Porter's
Secured
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From campaigning to save Womanby Street and Guildford Crescent to pushing for more support for our creative industries during the pandemic, protecting our live music sector in Cardiff Central has always
been a top priority.
I am pleased to see that Cardiff Labour Council has worked with Porter's to secure a new 20-year lease on a bigger venue in Barrack Lane. This will not only secure the future of this iconic Cardiff music
venue, it will also ensure that Porter's can maintain its character, while allowing them to host more events and attract larger audiences.
Read more about the plans here.
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Radio 1
Weekend Breakfast
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This month has been a great month for Cardiff Central's music industry.
Last year, we hosted the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival, showcasing our local independent music venues to a UK-wide audience.
This year, we will be welcoming Radio 1 Weekend Breakfast to Wales as a permanent fixture. Broadcasting live from BBC Wales Studios in Central Square, the new show will be hosted by two former Cardiff University
Students, Sam Macgregor and Danni Diston who made their radio debuts on Cardiff University’s Xpress Radio.
I wish them both well in their new roles and look forward to tuning in from Saturday 9th September.
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After nearly 14 years of Conservative and Coalition UK governments, it’s a damning indictment of their persistent failures that 29.3% of children in Cardiff Central are growing up in poverty according
to statistics from End Child Poverty. These aren't just numbers, these are families who can't even afford
the most basic essentials such as heating and eating.
People are paying the price of the Tory mortgage penalty while energy bills and food prices have sky-rocketed. At the same time, wages have stagnated, taxes for working people have gone up, inflation is at
record levels and the drop in living standards is the biggest since records began.
We don't need any more Tory sticking plaster politics. Labour will extend the windfall tax on oil and gas company
profits to provide greater support for struggling families.
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I went to see the Cardiff School of Art & Design graduation exhibition earlier this month to see the work of my very talented friend and Cathays resident Lynn Glaister who received an award for 'Creativity,
Professionalism & Student Leadership'.
The event covered a range of art forms from illustrations, photography and architecture through to textiles. Each exhibition had its own distinct style, reflecting the personalities of each artist. Whilst
the exhibition has now come to an end, you can still take a look at the catalogues of art exhibited here.
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The Welsh Labour Government has launched a new national phone line for people who require urgent mental health support.
The new service will provide access to a mental health professional, without the need for a GP referral. This will ensure that there is an alternative to attending emergency departments or calling the police
for those who need support during a mental health crisis.
The service can be accessed by calling NHS 111 and selecting ‘option 2’. The service will include an assessment of needs and telephoned based intervention to reduce distress. Where appropriate
individuals can be referred to mental health services, given self-care advice or signposted to other support.
For more information, click here.
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So much of the essential work carried out by the voluntary sector is delivered through smaller organisations but they are often forgotten.
I am extremely grateful to the small and local charities
across Cardiff Central who work tirelessly for our local communities.
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With inflation remaining at its highest rate for 30 years and food inflation even higher, many households across Cardiff Central are finding it increasingly difficult to deal with utility bills and food prices.
I
want to make it as easy as possible for residents to access any help you may entitled to, so I've put together a cost-of-living advice hub. This includes links to support for gas, electricity and water bills,
and any benefits or discounts you may be entitled to.
Cost of living advice hub
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Cardiff Foodbank has been seriously affected by cost-of-living pressures. As well as increased demand for the service, they have also been suffering from a reduced number of donations as food prices and household
bills skyrocket.
They are now running low on a number of items and have asked the public to donate any spare items that they may have hidden in the back of their cupboards.
Take a look at the list below and visit their website for how and where to make a donation if
you are able to. Thank you.
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After months of deliberation, the Privileges Committee published their report into allegations that Boris Johnson intentionally lied to Parliament.
The evidence was damning. Johnson is a lawbreaker and a serial liar. Seeing the writing on the wall, Johnson took the coward’s way out and resigned as an MP, denying his constituents the opportunity
to make their views heard through a recall petition.
The Committee’s Report came before parliament for consideration and a vote. Shamefully, the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak refused
to vote, yet again displaying his weakness and bad judgment.
Whilst Rishi Sunak appears to accept that a Prime Minister lying to parliament can be ignored, people up and down the country are left facing the cost of the Tory mortgage penalty and soaring rents.
Only Labour can restore trust in politics and fix our broken economy.
Listen to my recent contributions here.
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Across Wales, the Tory mortgage bombshell is hitting people hard.
Wales is buckling under 13 years of Conservative economic failure, mismanagement and crisis, and households in Cardiff Central and across the country are having to pay more on their mortgages and private renters
are also being hit hard.
Not only has the Conservatives’ economic recklessness driven this crisis, they have refused to put in place Labour’s plan for mandatory measures on banks and building societies to provide support
to their borrowers. This failure leaves around 2 million UK households missing out on the mortgage support they need.
Rishi Sunak’s only answer was to tell struggling homeowners to ‘hold your nerve’. It’s time for the Tories to stand aside and make way for a government on the side of working people.
Read more in my blog here.
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The Tories Are Betraying Animals
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At the last General Election, Tory MPs stood on a manifesto that promised voters that they would deliver the Kept Animals Bill, which would have put an end to puppy farming and animal smuggling.
Despite introducing the Bill in 2021, they've now taken the decision to scrap this vital piece of legislation.
Labour is the party of animal welfare. On 21st June, we brought forrward a binding motion to parliament that would have revived the bill but it was voted down by Tory MPs. It’s clear only a
Labour government can deliver the protections that animals need.
Read more in my blog.
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Sadly, housing issues are one of the main reasons that pets are handed over to Dogs Trust and Cats Protection. I was pleased to join them in Parliament to thank them for their work supporting pets and to hear
about their calls for more Pet Friendly Housing.
It's vital that renters can find homes that allow them to keep their pets, an issue that Labour Senedd Member Jack Sargeant and others have campaigned
on in the Senedd.
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The food & drink industry is vital to the success of the Welsh economy, with produce being exported to nations across the globe.
But new checks on chilled meat, dairy and vegetables at the UK border will hit trade and send costs spiralling.
The Labour Party has long called on the Tory Government to negotiate a new veterinary agreement.
This would cut red tape, lower the cost of importing & exporting goods & support jobs. Not only would this benefit businesses in Wales, it would also help curb food price inflation.
Tearing down unnecessary trade barriers is central to Labour's mission to boost economic growth.
Together with my Shadow Cabinet colleagues, I wrote to the Conservative UK Environment Secretary Therese Coffey, setting out our proposals to address these threats to the Welsh economy.
Read more about our plans here.
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It was great to join steelworkers from steel unions from Cardiff and across the UK to call for urgent action to secure the future of our steel industry through decarbonisation.
Without government support, the future of the UK steel industry and all the steel jobs and many supply chain jobs are at risk.
Labour will invest up to £3bn to deliver near zero emission steel production by 2035 and ensure that we make, sell and buy more in Britain.
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Meeting With RFA Sir Galahad Survivors and Families
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Earlier this month, I met with the survivors and bereaved families of RFA Sir Galahad which came under attack on 8 June 1982 during the Falklands war.
It was an honour to meet the group and especially to spend time with my constituent, Simon Weston CBE.
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Wales is a nation of sanctuary. We are proud of the warm welcome we extend to those who are fleeing violence and persecution.
I was pleased to meet with Kareem and Alnoor in parliament to hear about their experiences as young refugees in Wales. Working alongside Barnardo's they are powerful advocates for change, seeking
greater support for other children seeking safety in the UK and helping them to feel less isolated and alone.
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On 22nd June 1948, Passengers of HMT Empire Windrush disembarked at Tilbury Docks to start a new life in the UK.
Seventy five years on, on #WindrushDay, we celebrated the incredible contributions of all those on board who helped to shape the modern Britain we recognise today.
We owe them a huge debt of gratitude. The UK Conservative Government has badly let them down.
Labour will fix the Windrush compensation scheme to ensure those affected by the Home Office injustices receive the compensation they are owed.
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Unpaid carers in Cardiff Central provide crucial support to friends and family members, often without any time out for themselves. The value of the support they provide is staggering - the equivalent of a
second NHS.
During Carers’ Week, I met with Carers UK to speak with carers about the challenges they are facing and the support they need. I will continue to champion carers in Parliament
and in Cardiff Central.
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Worker’s rights and protections are only worth the paper they are written on if they are enforced but over the last 13 years of Tory mismanagement the Health and Safety Executive has lost over
50% of its funding.
The consequences are visible for all to see. Under-resourced and over-stretched agencies have struggled to enforce health and safety regulations, while the self-employed are denied access to health
and safety representatives. This has led to almost 30,000 preventable injuries being recorded each week in the UK.
Work should be a place where people feel safe and secure. During Injury Awareness Week, I shared Labour’s New Deal for Working People which will overhaul enforcement, foster healthy and safe
working environments, support the well-being of workers and boost long-term physical and mental health. It will also ensure firms cannot compete in a ‘race to the bottom’ on working
conditions, cutting corners on health and safety to increase margins.
To read our plan in full visit.
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This year, Macmillan Cancer Support held its 35th Commons v Lords tug-of-war competition. It was brilliant to join the cross-party team of MPs to bring the trophy home for the House of Commons. I celebrated
with my Welsh Labour colleagues Tonia Antoniazzi MP for Gower and Jessica Morden MP for Newport East.
The event helped to raise an incredible £130,000. Thanks to everyone who took part and all those who gave generously to support people living with cancer.
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As we celebrated World Cider Day earlier in June, I was delighted to pull a pint of cider in Parliament’s Strangers' Bar with the National Association of Cider Makers.
Britain has
the world's largest cider market worth almost £3bn, including many fantastic local Welsh ciders.
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