WWW.PREETKAURGILL.COM [1]

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REPORT BACK

DEAR

Welcome to my first newsletter of the new decade, and my first newsletter
since being re-elected. I would like to take this opportunity to once again
thank everyone who supported me during December's General Election. I am
grateful to all those who supported my campaign and helped to re-elect me
as the MP for Birmingham Edgbaston with a 5,614 majority and over 50% share
of the votes. We could not have achieved what we did without you.

My office and I have been as busy as ever - taking on over 600 new cases
from constituents since my re-election as well as continuing work on over
750 open cases. My regular constituency advice surgeries continue, and you
can find the details of these on my website here
www.preetkaurgill.com/content/advice-surgeries [5]. You do not have to wait
for a surgery if you have an issue, please get in touch using my contact
details at the bottom of this email if there is something I can help with.

You can find a small selection of what I have been up to since the
election below, and you can keep up-to-date with the rest of my work on my
website at www.preetkaurgill.com [6] or on my social media channels.

Yours sincerely

PREET KAUR GILL MP

Member of Parliament for Edgbaston

[7]

PREET LEADS DEBATE DURING CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH WEEK

Preet led a debate during Children's Mental Health Week highlighting the
importance of children and young people's mental health and the crisis our
young people are facing.

In the debate, Preet said:

_"No child should have to reach crisis point before they are able to get
help with their mental health. We cannot pretend that the causes of mental
health are simple or that they are not impacted and exacerbated by
inequalities and injustice._

_The Centre for Mental Health has rightly raised the futility of funding
mental health services that support symptoms if those resources are
diverted from preventive measures to tackle poverty and inequality,
including policies in the criminal justice system, education, public
health, youth services, housing and social security._

_Those sectors and services are all in vital need of long-term,
sustainable support, and that is why I am calling on the Minister to ensure
that a public health approach is introduced that promotes mental wellbeing,
prevents future mental health problems and supports recovery from mental
health issues."_

You can watch Preet's debate in full here:
www.preetkaurgill.com/content/preet-leads-childrens-mental-health-week-debate
[8] and read her article ahead of the debate on PoliticsHome here:
www.politicshome.com/news/uk/health-and-care/illnesstreatments/opinion/house-commons/109688/preet-gill-mp-we-must
[9]

LIAM BYRNE KICKS OFF HIS MAYORAL CAMPAIGN IN HARBORNE

At the beginning of this month, Liam Byrne was selected as Labour's
candidate to take on Andy Street to be our region's Metro Mayor in May with
over 50% of the vote share.

Liam joined Preet and Edgbaston activists and members in talking to
residents about his priorities for the region.

Preet said:

_"The West Midlands needs to lead the way in the Green Revolution. Liam
has fresh radical ideas and he is passionate about creating opportunities.
He is the ideal Labour candidate for the Mayoral election unlocking our
potential and productivity._

In 2017, Andy Street made a series of headline pledges to the people of
the West Midlands - but he is on course to break almost all of them.

_Liam will end the moral emergency of homelessness, make the West Midlands
Britain's first Sanctuary of Refuge for refugees, cut knife crime by
putting a youth worker back into every ward, and pioneer a Green Industrial
Revolution. Liam has what it takes to beat Andy Street - but the hard work
begins now."_

To read Liam's 50-page manifesto written in over 100-member meetings, and
to find out how you can help Liam's campaign, visit: www.liambyrnemp.co.uk
[10]

[11]

PREET'S CAMPAIGN SUCCESSFUL IN REVERSING BRITISH GAS' DECISION TO
INCREASE MINIMUM METER TOP UP AMOUNT

British Gas have announced that they will reverse the minimum top-up for
pre-pay meters for over the counter transactions from £5, back to £1. The
reversal follows Preet's successful campaign against the move which would
have seen some of the poorest prepayment customers choosing between heating
and eating.

The move will mean customers on pay-as-you-go tariffs, who often rely on
small top-ups to ration their heating to see themselves through to payday,
will no longer be forced to pay a £5 minimum charge.

The u-turn comes after over 91,000 members of the public signed a petition
set up by Preet calling on British Gas to reverse their decision
([link removed]
[12]). Hundreds of members of the public also contacted British Gas with
their own stories about how they were going to be affected.

Preet said:

_"This is a vital win for the thousands of people affected by British
Gas's decision to raise the minimum pre-pay top-up. I am so thankful to 38
Degrees and the 91,000 people who signed our petition. It would not have
been possible without them._

_Our campaign has revealed the extent of the fuel poverty crisis under
this government. Much more needs to be done to ensure that no one has to
choose between eating and heating their home. I urge other energy providers
to follow suit."_

Coverage of Preet's campaign win includes:

*
www.inews.co.uk/news/uk/british-gas-top-up-meter-minimum-increase-scrapped-1743543
[13]
*
www.theguardian.com/money/2020/feb/14/british-gas-scraps-rise-in-minimum-meter-top-ups-after-public-outcrycrapped-1743543
[14]
*
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/breaking-victory-british-gas-reverse-21498948
[15]
*
www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-8012091/British-Gas-reverses-minimum-limit-1-prepayment-customers-backlash.html
[16]

PREET WRITES FOR HUFFPOST ON WHY LABOUR FAILED HARD-WORKING PEOPLE BY
FAILING TO WIN

Earlier this month, Preet wrote for HuffPost on the importance of listening
to Labour representatives who work away from Westminster if Labour are to
win at the next election.

In her article, Preet said:

_"Our democracy demands a credible opposition, and that is exactly what
Labour needs to be over the next four years. We must use this time
effectively to expose the government's many failings and hold them to
account for their policy decisions which negatively affect the most
vulnerable in our society. That is why we must work with other elected
representatives to show the best of Labour in power; from Metro-Mayors to
Police and Crime Commissioners._

_We need to build on the work that they are doing to tackle austerity day
in and day out. We also need to learn from the positive messages that they
are putting forward. Labour councillors have consistently raised issues,
come up with innovative and ambitious policies and have delivered for their
residents but the Labour party has not listened or learnt from them. These
are our colleagues who evidence what devolving power can do."_

You can read the piece in full here:
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/labour-failed-hard-working-people-by-failing-to-win_uk_5e42c1fac5b6b7088707e729
[17]

PREET BACKS KEIR STARMER FOR LABOUR LEADER

Preet has come out in support of Keir Starmer to be the next leader of the
Labour Party. The Edgbaston CLP has also nominated Keir to be leader in an
all members' meeting at the beginning of the month.

Preet said:

_"Keir has spent his life fighting against injustice as a human rights
lawyer, challenging the death penalty around the world. I'm backing him
because of his commitment to public service and his ability to lead a
large, complex organisation. Another future is possible with Keir as
leader."_

For anyone who would like to help Keir's campaign or receive updates,
please sign up at: www.keirstarmer.com [18]

[19]

PREET CO-ORDINATES JOINT LETTER IN SUPPORT OF HS2

In January, Preet co-ordinated a cross-party letter to Boris Johnson in
support of HS2, outlining the benefits for Birmingham and the region and
urging the Prime Minister to 'act swiftly to begin delivering the
infrastructure the region so desperately needs'

The letter says:

_"At a time when we need to act urgently to tackle climate change, HS2
will be an important component in and of itself as well as the knock-on
impact of the increased capacity in existing lines for local routes (to
encourage people to switch from their private vehicles), and rail freight
(rather than lorries)."_

You can read the letter in full here:
www.preetkaurgill.com/content/preet-co-ordinates-hs2-joint-letter-pm [20]

[21]

PREET WRITES TO HEALTH SECRETARY ABOUT RACISM AGAINST NHS WORKERS

Preet wrote to the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, about the 145% increase
in recorded racist attacks on NHS staff since 2013.

The letter says:

_"A survey conducted by Nursing Times and Unison recently found that two
thirds of nursing staff have observed racial discrimination or disadvantage
at work in the last 12 months, with nearly half the target of it
themselves."_

You can read the letter in full here:
www.preetkaurgill.com/content/preet-writes-health-secretary-about-racism-against-nhs-workers
[22]

WWW.PREETKAURGILL.COM

0121 392 8426

[email protected]

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© 2019 PRINTED FROM AN EMAIL SENT BY PREET KAUR GILL MP.

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