As we head into the final week before the Easter long weekend,
there’s a sense of renewal and spring in the air. Whether you’re
preparing for time with family, planning an Easter egg hunt, or just
enjoying a bit of a well-earned break, I’ve got plenty of local
updates, events, and ways to get involved in the coming month and look
forward to seeing you out and
about. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏


Dear John,

 

As we head into the final week before the Easter long weekend,
there’s a sense of renewal and spring in the air. The past month has
seen some of the holiest dates in the calendars of the three Abrahamic
faiths, with Eid arriving at the beginning of the month, followed by
Passover and Easter next week. To our Jewish neighbours in Harrow,
wishing you a joyful and meaningful Passover. It’s also been a
pleasure to celebrate Holi with Harrow’s Hindu community - a
festival full of colour, joy and togetherness.

 

Whether you’re planning time with family, organising an Easter egg
hunt, or simply enjoying a well-earned break, the longer, lighter days
and 7:30pm sunsets feel especially welcome. However you spend the
coming days, wishing you and your loved ones a peaceful and restful
Easter break.

Below is my newsletter covering some of my work in Parliament and
locally in Harrow too – as always, throughout the year, you can find
regular updates from me on FACEBOOK
[[link removed]] and INSTAGRAM
[[link removed]], OR IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE
YOU WOULD LIKE TO RAISE WITH ME, CONTACT ME ON
[email protected] OR 02072194243.

 

PARLIAMENT RECALLED

Today, Parliament is being recalled for an extraordinary session FOR
MPS TO DEBATE DRAFT LEGISLATION TO PROTECT THE BRITISH STEEL PLANT IN
SCUNTHORPE. PARLIAMENT HAS BEEN RECALLED ONLY A FEW TIMES IN MY
CAREER, THE FIRST I CAN RECALL DURING SEPTEMBER 2001, FOLLOWING THE
9/11 TERRORIST ATTACKS IN THE UNITED STATES, THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY
TRIBUTES MADE TO THE QUEEN MOTHER IN 2002, TRIBUTES MADE TO JO COX MP
IN 2016, TO DEBATE THE UK-EU TRADE AGREEMENT IN 2020 AND TO DISCUSS
COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS IN 2021. 

 

Today, parliament will be recalled to debate the Steel Industry
(Special Measures) Bill. The Bill provides the government with the
power to direct steel companies in England, which we will use to
protect the Scunthorpe site. It enables the UK government to preserve
capability and ensure public safety. It also ensures all options
remain viable for the future of the plant and the livelihoods it
supports. After years of neglect, I'm proud that this Labour
government is stepping up where Conservative governments walked away.
We’re recalling Parliament to vote on emergency powers to bring
British Steel into public ownership - to protect jobs, secure our
industrial future, and stop the managed decline of a vital national
asset.

WEST HARROW PARK TURNS 100!

HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY TO WEST HARROW PARK- one of our borough’s best
green spaces! A new mural is now complete, and a fantastic year of
centenary events is ahead. I’m looking forward to many of the
festivities and I will be writing again soon following a special
campaign to mark the 100th Birthday bringing in the local community
– save the dates below:

 

THE ROXETH SHOW REVIVAL - SATURDAY 12TH JULY

𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠! 🎉
𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄:
𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟏𝟐𝐭𝐡

A group of local residents and businesses in South Harrow are reviving
The Roxeth Show for a special day at Roxeth Recreation Ground! 🎈
Join the Roxeth Show in South Harrow as we celebrate music, food, and
culture with an unforgettable community event for all the fam. Stay
tuned for more details and please sign up & get involved with
entertainment or a stall: [link removed]
[[link removed]]

 

Follow The Roxeth Show on Facebook here:
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GOOD NEWS THIS WEEKEND - NHS WAITING LISTS FALL FOR 6 MONTH IN A ROW

 

 

Labour promised 2 million more NHS appointments a year. WE'VE NOW
DELIVERED 3 MILLION IN JUST 9 MONTHS.

 

After years of waiting lists going up under the Conservatives, they
are coming down with Labour - cut by 219,000 so far.

 

After a successful campaign, we also have a £20m new unit to cut A&E
waiting times at Northwick Park, and work to improve dentistry and GP
services underway.

 

It's worth noting that the Conservatives and Reform voted against the
extra NHS funding which has brought down waiting lists.

 

This is very far from job done, but Labour is getting our NHS back on
its feet.

At the same time, within weeks of taking office, we said we’d employ
1,000 more GPs onto the frontline by the end of March.

 

Happy to report by cutting red tape and investing more in our NHS,
Labour has recruited 1,503 extra GPs into surgeries, to deliver more
appointments and better care for patients. 👨‍⚕️🩺

 

This doesn’t mean it’s ‘job done’ - there’s loads to do. But
we are turning the tanker and the NHS is going in the right direction.

 

WEALDSTONE ACTION WEEKEND

My thanks to Sergeant Rose, local residents, and community groups for
some really constructive conversations across Wealdstone last weekend.
I’m pleased to see Wealdstone police successfully securing Home
Office funding to take a more targeted approach to tackling
anti-social behaviour along the high street and surrounding roads.
It’s great to see partnership and proactive action in motion.

 

Following the recent boundary review, the whole Wealdstone area now
falls into the Harrow West constituency. Over the past few months,
I’ve had the privilege of engaging with local Police, Councillors,
Churches, Temples, Mosques, Traders, and residents to help understand
the community’s concerns better. My next coffee morning will take
place in the summer will have representatives of Harrow Parks Forum,
Wealdstone police, Harrow Litter Pickers and more and you’re invited
to join us. SIGN UP FOR THE NEXT ONE HERE:
[link removed]
[[link removed]]

 

PETITION FOR STEP-FREE ACCESS AT SOUTH HARROW STATION

It was a pleasure to introduce my resident and friend, Majib, to the
Deputy Mayor of London for Transport, Seb Dance, alongside Krupesh
Hirani AM and a few of South Harrow’s excellent traders. Many of you
will remember that last summer, my work experience team and I joined
Majib’s campaign, collecting hundreds of signatures in support. He
was able to explain the importance of step-free access, following the
success of similar campaigns at Sudbury Hill, Harrow-on-the-Hill, and
Northolt stations.

 

I was pleased to bring the Deputy Mayor to Majib to strengthen our
case for much-needed accessibility improvements. For years, the steep
steps at South Harrow have made travel impossible for wheelchair
users, parents with prams, and older residents.

 

With a new fleet of Piccadilly Line trains currently being tested in
Ruislip for delivery this year, I’m determined to ensure ALL
residents can benefit from a fully accessible transport network.
Wouldn’t it be fantastic if step-free access allowed Majib and so
many others to board these sleek new trains with ease?

 

📢 Let’s keep the momentum going! Sign the petition & help make
South Harrow step-free:
[link removed]
[[link removed]]

 

EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS BILL

The Employment Rights Bill has passed last month, marking the biggest
improvement in workers’ rights in a generation. Key reforms include:

✅ Day-one rights for all workers

✅ Stronger parental leave protections

✅ Expanded sick pay coverage

✅ A ban on fire & rehire and exploitative zero-hours contracts

 

Labour promised a New Deal for Working People - and we’re
delivering!

 

SHAFTESBURY SCHOOL VISIT

As always, a joy to deliver my letters and get a grilling from some of
the amazing students of Shaftesbury School who have written to me over
the past year!

 

Many of you will know that our campaign for a new SEND school in
Harrow required a lot of support over recent years. It wouldn’t have
been possible without the dedicated headteachers from Shaftesbury and
Alexandra Schools, who joined me in Westminster to push for
much-needed investment.

 

Last week, the Government announced £740 million in funding to help
local authorities expand specialist units in mainstream schools, adapt
existing provisions, and create new places in special schools for
pupils with SEND.

 

This investment will mean more children can learn, achieve, and thrive
at a school close to home, surrounded by their families. With fewer
than 1 in 10 mainstream schools currently offering SEN units or
resourced provision, this marks a real turning point for many
families.

Alongside this, Labour is investing an additional £1 billion to
create 44,500 new mainstream school places by 2028 - ensuring we meet
both current and future demand across the country.

 

A major step forward for our schools, our children, and their futures!

 

NEW NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE OFFICERS

The Prime Minister announced this week, 3,000 new neighbourhood police
officers by the start of next year.

 

This is the first step of this government's Neighbourhood Policing
Guarantee, which will put 13,000 more officers into communities by
2029 – an increase of more than 50%.

 

There will also be a dedicated antisocial behaviour lead in every
force, working with residents and businesses to develop tailored
action plans to tackle antisocial behaviour, which is blighting
communities. A new government bill, which I voted for will also grans
our police and councils stronger powers to tackle crime. This,
alongside my continued push for more police resources in our
neighbourhoods, is a step towards making Harrow safer.

 

HOLI AT WELLDON PARK

A fantastic first-ever Holi party at Welldon Park Academy! Huge thanks
to the teachers, governors, parents, and-most importantly- the pupils
for making it such a wonderful celebration.

REMEMBERING BILL ASHTON - A CHAMPION FOR YOUTH JAZZ

The passing of Bill Ashton, founder of the National Youth Jazz
Orchestra, is a great loss. His Harrow home nurtured generations of
musical talent, from Amy Winehouse to Guy Barker. If anyone has photos
from our campaign to save the Rayners Pub, where jazz thrived, please
share them with me.

 

IFTAR AT HARROW CENTRAL MOSQUE

 

Joining friends for Iftar at Harrow Central Mosque was a reminder of
the strength of our diverse community. Sharing meals and conversations
during Ramadan highlights the power of unity and togetherness. Ramadan
Mubarak to all observing!

 

SUPPORTING UK EXPORTS – INCINER8’S NEW FACILITY

 

It was an honour to open Inciner8’s new facility and meet CEO Darren
Spencer, an Export Champion whose company provides clean-air waste
incineration solutions globally.

 

DEVELOPING GUJARATI LANGUAGE & CULTURE

 

I had the privilege of delivering the keynote speech at the National
Consortium for Languages Education’s Gujarati Conference.. With GCSE
Gujarati numbers in decline, it’s vital we preserve and promote this
rich language for future generations.

 

UK SANCTIONS ON HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATORS IN SRI LANKA

 

After years of campaigning for human rights in Sri Lanka, I’m proud
that the UK has sanctioned figures responsible for serious human
rights violations during the civil war. More details here: UK
Government Statement.

Promoted by David Evans on behalf of the Labour Party, Labour Central
Kings Manor, Newcastle, NE1 6PA, United Kingdom

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