MP’s UPDATE FOR BRENTFORD AND ISLEWORTH RESIDENTS November 2023

You can find previous reports of my work on my web site; www.ruthcadbury.co.uk  I also report regularly on my Facebook page and via Twitter and Instagram @RuthCadbury. 

 

If you would like to raise issues with me as your MP Please email on [email protected] with your address, a quick summary of the issue (and relevant reference numbers).   

 

See my Web page for information on local and national services.

The escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza following the atrocities of Hamas on 7th October threatens to engulf the wider region and has swelled my post bag more than any issue before and I thank all constituents who have written to me. Hamas, who do not seek peace, have set back the cause of peace and a lasting solution - a sovereign Palestine alongside the state of Israel. I support the calls for a cessation of hostilities on all sides to allow for urgently needed humanitarian aid to be allowed in, for innocent civilians to be kept safe, the Israeli hostages to be released and for the rules of international law to be adhered to. Since the crisis started I have written to the Foreign Secretary, met the Palestinian Ambassador, attended several meetings with Labour colleagues in Parliament and worked with local Councillors and local mosques.  My appearance on BBC Politics London included a discussion on the rising levels of antisemitism and islamophobia in London; because this is not only an escalating international conflict, but one that impacts on us here in Hounslow, a borough proud of its community cohesion, and one that we all have a duty to uphold.  

MY PARLIAMENTARY ACTIVITY in OCTOBER

For full details of my questions and speeches in Parliament, get regular updates about my Parliamentary activities TheyWorkForYou (votes) or see Hansard (speeches) & on YouTube

In the Chamber – another short report as we sat for just two weeks following the conference recess.

Standards matter!  At PMQs I challenged the PM to properly declare his wife’s interest in companies that benefited by £2m from the Covid Future Fund he had created when chancellor.

 

As the Shadow Prisons Minister, I responded to one of the Government’s proposals to address the prisons capacity crisis - to enable foreign national offenders to be released 18 months before the end of their sentence (without the right to return to the UK).  This is just one several panic measures the Justice Secretary is being forced to make to tackle prison overcrowding after13 years of failure in our justice system.

 

At Transport Questions I spoke about road deaths of cyclists and pedestrians from heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and the scheme operating in London that has been successful in cutting the number of avoidable death and injury.  I suggested the Transport Department learns from London and encourages other local authorities to work with the Police and DVSA to develop similar schemes.

During Covid lockdown, I was one of several MPs who produced a square for the Parliamentary Covid Quilt. Now all stitched together, Commons Speaker Lindsey Hoyle MP came to view it.  Sewing my square was a great stress-buster and enabled me to create a lasting thank you to local organisations (and their staff and volunteers) who helped local people through the challenges of 2020-21.

My first visit as Shadow Prisons Minister was to Bronzefield Prison in Ashford.  The majority of the women are on remand, and many more are on very short sentence. Many prisoners here have addiction and/or mental health issues, and whilst there is a good range of education, training and creative activities at Bronzefield, the prison system is not equipped to support their specific needs.

COMMUNITY UPDATE

At really stimulating Q&A sessions with students at Alexandra, Hounslow Town and William Hogarth primary schools I covered issues as wide ranging as climate change, rubbish on our streets, how I got to be an MP, and the similarity between my role as an MP and that of a member of the School Council.  I’m always excited by how many young people, including those still in Primary School, want to change the world around them when they are older.  

I’m glad to see the work on the new lifts at Isleworth Station proceeding well, a project I have long supported.  It will be a great boon for Isleworth residents who cannot manage the stairs.  Soon this will mean that Kew Bridge and Gunnersbury will be the only completely inaccessible rail stations in the constituency for anyone unable to manage the stairs.  I am supporting a further bid to the Department of Transport to install lifts at Kew Bridge. Mind you, these will not be much help without the platform height being raised too!

On World Stroke Day I joined the West Mid Stroke Forum to celebrate their first anniversary.  Led by co-ordinator Ahlam, and staff of the Stroke Association the stroke survivors and their carers told me how useful the forum has been to them. They have learned about and shared their experiences of a range of issues; coping at home after discharge, monitoring blood pressure, the variety of expert support from sight problems to welfare benefits, planning to return to work and much more.

The Mayor’s Inaugural dinner is an opportunity to raise funds for charity; this year for the Al Mustafa Welfare Trust which supports work in the UK and around the world including Gaza; and CW+ who deliver a variety of projects that make a stay at West Middlesex hospital a bit more pleasant.  Cllr Dan Bowring was the auctioneer, taking a break from his day job as a professional magician.

I again helped at the poppy stall at Twickenham Tesco’s.  The annual Poppy Appeal is now in full swing and will be up until Remembrance Sunday, where there will be Remembrance Services at all our town centres.

With best wishes to all readers  – and do let me know what you think of these updates!

 

Printed from an email sent by Ruth Cadbury MP