Weekly Update - 15 March

Dear John

“We shouldn't tell working class kids to know their place; we should help them find their place in the world.” - Keir Starmer This week, Keir Starmer launched Labour’s Plan for the Creative Sector to boost economic growth and provide access to the arts for all. Britain has a proud legacy in the arts and has one of the most successive creative industries worldwide. 2.4 million people work in the sector (worth £125 billion); the UK is one of only three net exporters of music; we have the second largest art market on the planet; and nobody exports more books than we do. Our creative sector is both a force for growth as well as a force for good. That’s why Labour has announced a new ‘Access to the Arts’ plan to ensure creative opportunities across Britain regardless of your background and secure the future pipeline of British talent for the multi-billion pound creative industry. Our plan: A Creative Education for Every Child, ensuring creative and cultural experiences at school to build confidence and essential skills such as communication, critical thinking, problem solving and teamwork. A new National Music Education Network, to help parents, carers and teachers find resources and opportunities for children to kickstart a route into the arts. Identify spaces to create across the UK to provide local arts and cultural institutions with the extra support needed to thrive, and defend our existing grassroots music venues, art galleries, pub and sports pitches. Ban ticket touting and put an end to scammers ripping people off, putting fans back at the heart of music, cultural and sporting events where they belong. Ensure there is access to art for everyone, everywhere by requiring publicly-funded national museums and galleries to increase their regional and national engagement, and loans to public spaces. A Labour Government will take art to schools, hospitals, town halls, community centres and shopping centres, as well as local museums and libraries. Develop a financial model that works for the creative sector, crowding in private finance and working with the Creative Industries Council, Arts Councils and other funders to unleash the potential of this vibrant industry. Promote cultural Britain around the world by introducing a new Digital Music Instruments Certificate to simplify and speed up the bureaucracy that prevents many musicians and arts organisations from touring.

Budget Debate

In Parliament, I spoke about the West Midlands in a Budget productivity debate. Since 2010, the average person in the West Midlands is £4,320 poorer than if the economy had grown at the same rate it did under Labour. That is this government's legacy. Giving people £5 back with one hand after taking £10 with the other is not going to fool anyone. Only Labour can be trusted to grow the economy. Growth and productivity is the first Mission of the next Labour government – we will generate good jobs in every part of the country, a world-leading green investment agenda and a life sciences sector plan to create the jobs and technologies of tomorrow.

Prescription Charges Debate

This week, I spoke in a debate about prescription charges. This will be the first Parliament in modern history where living standards have fallen during its course. No one should be priced out of prescriptions for essential medicines.

UHB

It’s really disappointing to learn that University Hospitals Birmingham Trust has some of the longest hospital waits in the country. Change needs to happen. Labour will cut waiting lists by providing two million more appointments a year on evenings and weekends.

End Malaria

It was great to visit the Malaria No More Activation Stall in Edgbaston. It’s vital that vaccines and other malaria fighting tools are able to reach the communities who need them most.

WOW Girl's Festival

It was an honour to meet Her Majesty The Queen at Buckingham Palace along with many other wonderful women and girls at the WOW Girl's Festival. The festival is a force for change across society in how it sees girls, their potential and the opportunities it offers for the future.

Local News

Family Hubs

New Family Hubs are soon to open in the city. Hall Green Locality Family Hub will open at St Paul’s Children’s Centre, Balsall Heath on 25th March, and the Northfield locality Family Hub will launch on 29th April at Northfield Children’s Centre, Frankley, B45 0EU, currently run by Barnardo’s. Information, advice and guidance is also available online on the Family Hubs website (link below).

MHRC Next week, the MHRC will be visiting Spring Road, B15 2HA, on Monday 18th March, and Longford Close, B32 4JU, and Wadhurst Road, B17 8JF, on Friday 22nd March. The centre is open from 7am to 12:30pm, so do come along if you have bulky household waste to dispose of. Campaigning

It was great to do my weekly doorknock in Edgbaston this Friday. If you would like to support me campaigning and join me doorknocking, please contact: [email protected]. Scrutiny Counts In Scrutiny Count’s study of the top contributing MPs in parliamentary sessions so far this year, I ranked 14th among Labour’s Frontbench MPs. I’m proud to be an active parliamentarian and a voice for my constituents in Edgbaston.

Best wishes,

Preet Kaur Gill MP, Member of Parliament for Birmingham Edgbaston covering Bartley Green, Edgbaston, Harborne, Quinton and North Edgbaston Promoted by David Evans on behalf of the Labour Party, 20 Rushworth Street, London SE1 0SS

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