Dear Constituent,

 

This Friday we will be commemorating the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe day. Now to some it might seem odd celebrating an event that happened three-quarters of a century ago, and I firmly believe VE Day shouldn’t be commemorated for jingoistic “we won the war” reasons.  We need to look to the future – as that very generation did in 1945. For me, VE Day serves as a reminder to cherish what we have long taken for granted: lasting peace and prosperity.

And in doing so, it’s important that we thank the wartime generation, the few that are left, for their sacrifices and the ways in which they helped to shape the New World Order. They fought against, and ultimately defeated, fascism during our continent’s darkest hour; liberating the Western European nations from tyrannical occupation. Unfortunately, many in Eastern Europe had to endure a further four decades of Soviet occupation before they could attain the same freedoms, but commemorating VE Day does not take away from that.

The wartime generation created a system whereby perpetrators of war crimes could be brought to justice. They introduced the Declaration of Human Rights, the NATO Security Alliance and the United Nations. And European cooperation was fostered through the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Economic Community and European Free Trade Association. These institutions went on to form the basis of the European Union and the wider European Economic Area.

And at home, the same generation, determined not to repeat their parents’ mistakes, genuinely aspired to transform Britain into a land fit for heroes. They built the new homes our country needed, rebuilt our industry during a time of real austerity, and created an enduring welfare state, including the establishment of the NHS. Indeed, these are the very things that we hold most dear today in the midst of the current Coronavirus pandemic.

We must also look at the war-ravaged history of our continent. Where there was once conflict after bloody conflict in Western Europe, there has now been relative peace and prosperity for much of the past 75 years. On Friday, I know I will be raising a glass to that.

So as we commemorate VE day, let’s learn from the determination of the wartime generation. Like them, let’s shape a new Britain that we can all be proud of. A Britain that is free from poverty and inequality, where everyone is given the opportunity to flourish; a country that values and works for us all.

 

Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, is to join the House of Commons’ influential Home Affairs Select Committee, pending approval by the Commons.

Select committees are made up of MPs from different parties. There is a Commons Select Committee for each government department, examining three aspects: spending, policies and administration.

The Home Affairs Select Committee scrutinises the work of the Home Office and its associated bodies. It examines government policy, spending and the law in areas including immigration, security and policing.

The Committee is chaired by Labour MP and former Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and is currently undertaking a short inquiry into the Home Office’s preparations for and response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus).

Andrew Gwynne said:

“I am delighted to be joining such an influential select committee at such an important time.

 

“The committee has done fantastic work in recent years, holding the Government to account on issues such as the Windrush scandal.

 

“I am looking forward to contributing to the vital work this committee does in ensuring that the Home Office is run efficiently and effectively.

 

Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, has signed a cross-party letter to the Prime Minister, calling for kinship carers to receive support during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Supporters of the cross-party Parliamentary Taskforce on Kinship Care have highlighted to the Prime Minister the specific challenges faced by kinship carers during these difficult times. 200,000 children in the United Kingdom do not live with their parents. They are instead being raised by their relatives, including grandparents and friends, who make up a vital element of the child social care system.

Half of kinship carers are grandparents; a proportion of them are aged over 70. Kinship carers of all ages are more likely to suffer from chronic health conditions. Their vulnerability to the Coronavirus is clear. Their children are also vulnerable, with many having suffered from tragedy and trauma.

In the letter, MPs have called upon the Prime Minister to:

• Increase support by working directly with the Kinship Care Alliance to provide emotional, financial and legal advice, and supermarkets to prioritise deliveries for kinship carers and the parents of disabled children
• Improve access to justice for kinship carers as a matter of urgency
• Reduce financial hardship by introducing a new local Kinship Care Crisis Fund, removing or at least increasing the limit of the benefit cap, and suspending the bedroom tax for those self-isolating
• Supporting the education of children in kinship care by ensuring that they are offered childcare and school places, and broadband and electronic devices to support home learning

Andrew Gwynne MP said:

“Our amazing kinship carers are often the forgotten lifeline of the child social care system in this country.

 

“They are particularly vulnerable to the Coronavirus pandemic, not only physically, but also emotionally, financially and legally.

 

“This is why I am proud to have signed a cross-party letter to the Prime Minister, calling for better kinship carer support during these difficult times.”