Andrew Gwynne MP's Weekly Update
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Hello and welcome to my weekly update!

It's been a busy first week back in Parliament after the Christmas recess, dominated by the Horizon Scandal, with the fantastic ITV Drama, Mr Bates v the Post Office, ensuring the greatest miscarriage of justice gets the attention I and others have been campaigning for over so many years.  
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Andrew in Parliament
Sub-postmasters like my constituent Della have been waiting years for the compensation they deserve, so I welcome the Minister's commitment to move quickly.

The further scandal of Denton's own Paula Vennells' CBE puts two fingers up to victims, I'm glad to see she has finally handed it back. 

I called on the Minister to reaffirm the PM's commitment to the use of British military capability to get much needed aid into Gaza, and press for more constructive engagement with the Israeli government and others to get crossings open.

The path to a two-state solution set out at Oslo is the only way to deliver a lasting peace in the Middle East.

I asked the Minister to clarify what steps are being taken to ensure the existence of a viable Palestinian state alongside a safe and secure Israel.
Storm Gerrit caused significant destruction across Tameside over Christmas, so I asked the Minister what more government would do to support local authorities, to ensure they can better tackle these increasingly "un-freak" weather events.
Andrew in the the media
Sub-postmasters have been waiting far too long for justice, and we need to deliver it now.

Providing the government's legislation delivers that timely justice, then Labour will of course support it.
Keir Starmer has announced Labour's plan to ensure we have the healthiest generation of children ever.  

🪥 Supervised toothbrushing  

🏫 Mental health professionals in every school  

🥣 Free breakfast clubs

It's a plan that will reverse the decline in children's health that we have seen over the last 14 years of Conservative government. 

Post Offices, and the Sub-Postmasters that run them, have been absolute pillars of communities up and down the country for decades.

They don’t just provide a service, they are often valued community hubs where you can do much more than just buy a stamp.

It is because of that status, that the Horizon Scandal has provoked such a fierce outrage amongst the British public.

The ITV drama, “Mr Bates v the Post Office” has done a fantastic job at raising awareness of the shameful treatment Sub-Postmasters faced, and the continued suffering they are having to endure.

I have been campaigning on this issue for many years and it has been going on for far too long, we must see swift action to ensure justice is done.

It’s also a scandal local people have felt a deep, and personal, impact from.

My constituent Della Robinson used to run Dukinfield Post Office, a valued part of the community, but lost everything thanks to criminal action pursued against her by the Post Office.

Despite her innocence, Post Office stripped Della of her livelihood, and the people of Dukinfield of her fantastic service and dedication.

Della and her fellow Sub-Postmasters have had to jump through endless loops in their fight for justice, spending valuable time and money with the Post Office placing hurdle after hurdle in their way.

Whilst Della has had her conviction rightly quashed, hundreds of others still hold criminal records that are utterly unjust, with many struggling to access compensation.

I welcome the commitment from the Minister in his statement this week, for swift action to be taken on the compensation process and overturning of convictions.

There is real unity in Parliament to make sure we get this right and I will continue to work with colleagues across the House in the pursuit of justice.

Furthermore, the slap in the face of victims that was given by the awarding of a CBE to former Post Office CEO, Paula Vennells is intolerable.

She grew up in Denton, she knows our community, she knows the heartache Della’s case has caused.

Calls for her to be stripped of the CBE are right, but they shouldn’t be needed, if Mrs Vennells had a shred of decency, she would hand the honour back.

Justice delayed is justice denied, and the delay has already been unacceptable.

I won’t stop campaigning till Della and her fellow victims are fully compensated, with all convictions overturned, they deserve nothing less.

Community Board
Penny's Marathon Challenge
My constituent Penny Johnson-Locke is running the London Marathon later this year in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust. 

Penny is a teacher at Alder Community High School, and has unfortunately seen two students losing their battle with cancer in recent years, and the devastating impact this has had on the school community.. 

The funds she raises will help the vital work of Teenage Cancer Trust, who support young people and their families affected by cancer. 

You can donate to Penny's Just Giving page here

Best of luck Penny, we're all behind you! 
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Andrew Gwynne
139 St Annes Road
Denton
Manchester, Greater Manchester M34 3DY
United Kingdom
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Andrew Gwynne · 139 St Annes Road · Denton · Manchester, Greater Manchester M34 3DY · United Kingdom