Dear Constituent,

Hello and welcome to the Denton and Reddish Weekly News! 

This week I had a packed diary of constituency events, parliamentary activity, and a trip to Sweden in my role as Shadow Social Care Minister. 

Please scroll down to the community board to start filling up the Christmas-time diary musts!

Over the past few weeks, but even more-so over the last few days, I have received close to 1,200 emails from constituents who are concerned about what we are witnessing in Gaza, and who have called on me to support an amendment to the kings speech which calls for a cessation of hostility.

Firstly, I want to explain that I was not in Parliament for most of this week. As the shadow social care minister, I had a longstanding visit planned to Sweden (more on that below). The visit was sorted long before the date of the kings speech and subsequent votes were decided. I have been formally paired with a Conservative MP so that each of us is cancelled out to keep parity with parliamentary arithmetic.

Secondly, to explain the kings speech process to you, as many of the emails I have received wrongly assume there was a binding vote.
What happened is that, following the state opening of parliament last week, there were six days of debate on the governments programme announced in the Kings Speech. MPs voted on whether to send his majesty a letter (called a humble address) thanking him on behalf of the commons, for opening the new session of parliament. That's all. Any amendment, if adopted, would merely add that text to the letter of thanks to the king.

And lastly I want to set out my views on the situation in Gaza.
As I have already said on the floor of the House of Commons: the cycle of violence and killing, bombing and shooting must stop.

International law must be upheld by both Israel and by Hamas. Both the terror attacks of 10/7 and the capture of hostages are crimes in international law; but so too are collective punishment and the disproportionate use of force against civilian populations. What we are sadly witnessing in Gaza is now a humanitarian catastrophe.
Hamas should release all hostages.

We need to get sufficient aid into Gaza: water, power, medicines, clothing, shelter, food, and we need to do so quickly, and in the quantities needed. The UK and the rest of the international community has a humanitarian obligation to do this at speed.

And we then need to finally get a political process in place to have a viable Palestinian state created and recognised, through a concerted international effort that cannot be allowed to fail. Out of this darkest of moments, we have to forge the two state solution as the immediate and only way to end the cycle of death and violence.

I want the killing to stop, and I will continue to speak out for an end to the current civilian catastrophe and for the pursuit of humanity and peace.

This week I was on a visit to Sweden in my capacity as Shadow Minister of State for Social Care, to examine d how we can utilise their examples of best practice in developing Labour's 10 year plan for a National Care Service.

I had a packed diary, which included meetings with former senior civil servants, the former CEO of an innovative project in Norrtälje, which is known around the world as an example of best practice in health and care integration. 

I was also invited to the Swedish Parliament, the Riksdag, to meet MPs Karin Sundin and Marcus Wennerstrom from Labour's sister party, the Swedish Social Democrats, as well as party general secretary Tobias Baudin, to discuss the politics of social care reform, and the similar work they are doing on preparing for government. 

These productive discussion will be invaluable in developing Labour's plans for reforming our broken social care system, learning from some particularly inspiring work on dignity in dying, use of technology to deliver on a home-first care approach, and combatting delayed discharges which cause such an issue across our system.

It was a  pleasure to see USDAW in Parliament earlier this week, and give my backing to their campaign to make abuse against retail workers a specific offence.

With a youth unemployment claimant count of 7% across Denton and Reddish, it’s clear that too many young people are being let down.

Last year the numbers of under-24s not in education or employment rose. I ask the Minister what she’s doing about it.

FLOWER PLANTING

It was great to be part of another wildflower planting session with Friends of the Tame Valley.

This time we were down in Jet Amber Fields with St Anne's Primary School, Denton, a big thanks to all who helped. 

PARLIAMENT WEEK

Another fantastic Parliament Week visit to Denton West End Primary and Nursery School today to talk to both Key Stages 1 and 2 (separately) about democracy and parliament.

We covered how Parliament works, the role of an MP, elections, making laws, democracy, the Monarchy, Guy Fawkes, and I got lots of great questions too!

REMEMBRANCE SERVICES

Last Sunday, I was honoured to attend remembrance events across the constituency. 
 
Firstly the main Denton parade and service. An incredible turnout despite the rain. Thanks to all who came. It was my privilege to be asked to give a short memorial to Josie Neil, who was a fixture and fitting of this event as the RBL Standard Bearer for 36 years. We all miss her.
 
Then to Christ Church where there’s always a short service and wreath laying ceremony to commemorate those in Commonwealth Graves in the churchyard.
 
Lastly to Thornley Park, where again - despite the rain - there was a brilliant turnout by the people of Denton West End to pay their respects.