Dear John xxxxxx,

It is an honour to introduce this edition of The Labour Rosette in recognition of Black History Month. Last month, we paid tribute to the contribution of our Black community in this country, both in our past and in our future.

If one moment has come to symbolise that story, it is the arrival of the Empire Windrush in 1948. The Windrush generation, who came on that ship and others thereafter, left the Caribbean for Britain. Here, they helped a Labour Government build a New Jerusalem from the ashes of the Second World War. When we needed them, they were there for us.

Many years later, after decades contributing to this country, the last Conservative Government had the chance to stand by them. Instead, they abandoned them. People who had given so much to our country, over so many years, were treated as illegal immigrants in their own home. The Windrush scandal will forever be a stain on our history, and on the legacy of the last Conservative Government.

For those affected, the delays, the uncertainty, and the injustice have caused immense pain. Now, I am determined to put things right – and not just with words, but through action.

We have re-established a dedicated Windrush Unit in the Home Office to ensure support reaches those who need it most. We have also now launched a £1.5 million advocacy fund, to ensure the voices of those affected are always heard.

Crucially, we are paying compensation to those affected. In the last few weeks, I announced that Windrush victims can now receive most of their compensation upfront. Elderly and vulnerable claimants will be prioritised for rapid support. We are also extending the scheme to cover lost pension contributions, for those who had to withdraw their savings to fund their quest to prove their lawful immigration status.

The harm that was done to the Windrush generation can never be fully undone. But we can and must do everything in our power to right this historic wrong. That is what this Labour Government is doing. That is the difference a Labour government makes.

In contrast, Reform is now threatening to pursue the path of the Windrush scandal all over again. Their divisive plans to strip people of their settled status – which allows them to live in this country for good – is a gross betrayal of who we are in this country. It would tear families apart, separating children from their parents. It would do untold harm to our public services, not least the NHS. And it would cause untold damage to our communities. It is the action of those who seek a littler England, not a greater Britain.

Labour will always fight for those who have been left behind. We will always deliver justice where it has been denied.

In this edition of The Labour Rosette, you will read more about the work Labour is doing to fight for national renewal and build a Britain for all. I am proud to play my part in that effort as your Home Secretary. 

Thank you,

Shabana Mahmood
Secretary of State for the Home Department 

Shabana Mahmood MP, Secretary of State for the Home Department

Revitalising communities through Pride in Place funding

Labour’s landmark £5 billion Pride in Place programme is giving people across the UK the power to revitalise their neglected high streets and restore pride in their communities.

In total, 330 of Britain’s most deprived communities will receive funding, with local people deciding how it is spent. This is renewal in action, led by the people who know their neighbourhoods best.

What does this mean? 

• Neighbours and families across the UK will lead the renewal of their communities through Pride in Place funding — reviving high streets, restoring parks, and breathing new life into pubs, leisure centres and community halls.
• Communities will gain new powers to seize boarded-up shops, block nuisance businesses, and save their treasured local pubs or libraries – restoring pride and unity to every corner of the country. 

Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed said: 

“When people step out of their front doors, they know their communities are struggling. They see shuttered pubs, fading high streets and their local areas in decline. 

“Yes, communities have been stretched – but they haven’t given up. They’re working hard to make things better, and we’re backing them. 

“This Government is putting power into their hands, so local people decide how best to restore pride in their neighbourhoods, not us in Westminster. 

“That’s what real patriotism looks like: building up our communities and choosing renewal over division.” 

Rachel Reeves MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Steve Reed MP, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government

The doctor will see you now - easier online booking for patients 

In a major step towards ending the 8am scramble, all GP practices in England are now required to provide online services throughout the day. 

What does this mean? 

Patients are now able to request appointments, ask questions and describe symptoms online, rather than calling their surgery or visiting in person. This will help free up phone lines for those who need them most, and make accessing appointments more convenient.

Why this matters:

• Under the Tories, 1 million more people were waiting over two weeks for a GP appointment in May 2024 compared to May 2019. While the Tories broke the NHS, Reform want to get rid of it all together.
• Labour is fixing the front door to the NHS, with online GP services now available all day.
• Online GP bookings have now surpassed phone bookings for the first time, and 3 in 4 patients find it easy to contact their GP.
• Patients will also benefit from over 8.3 million more appointments each year as over 1,000 GP surgeries receive bricks and mortar upgrades. 

Care Minister, Stephen Kinnock said: 

“We promised to tackle the 8am scramble and make it easier for patients to access their GP practice – and through our Plan for Change, that’s exactly what we’re delivering. 

“We are bringing our analogue health service into the digital era, giving patients greater choice and convenience. We’ve learned from GPs who are already offering this service and reaping the rewards.

“We’ve invested an extra £1.1 billion in general practice – the biggest increase in over a decade – and hired an extra 2,000 GPs across England. There’s more to do, but this government is fixing the front door to the NHS.” 

Stephen Kinnock MP, Minister of State at the Department of Health and Social Care 

Fairer future for renters with Labour's Renters' Rights Act

Labour’s historic Renters’ Rights Act has received Royal Assent meaning it is now law, securing a fairer future for 11 million private renters in England. In the coming weeks, Labour Ministers will outline how these reforms will be rolled out.

The landmark legislation will abolish Section 21 'no fault' evictions and rebalance landlord-tenant relations across England as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.  

What does this mean?

• This Act abolishes Section 21 'no fault' evictions - a practice that has pushed thousands into homelessness.
• Tenants will also be able to challenge unfair rent increases and ask to keep a pet - something landlords can’t say no to without a good reason.
• The Renters’ Rights Act will also tackle discrimination head-on, banning landlords and agents from refusing tenants because they have children or receive benefits and bringing the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law into the private rented sector for the first time.  

Why this matters:

• The Renters’ Rights Act delivers on Labour’s manifesto commitment to level the playing field between landlords and tenants.  
• The Conservatives did nothing to protect England’s renters during their 14 years in office, and they voted against the Renters’ Rights Act in Parliament. Nigel Farage’s Reform Party also voted against Labour’s measures to protect renters. Only Labour is on the side of working people. 

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: 

“Every family deserves the dignity of a safe and secure home.

“For too long, millions of renters have lived at the mercy of rogue landlords or insecure contracts, with their futures hanging in the balance. We’re putting an end to that.

“A secure home isn’t just bricks and mortar – it’s the foundation for opportunity, safety, and a better life. No child should grow up without one.” 

Keir Starmer MP, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Labour's Clean Energy Jobs Plan delivering new jobs across the country 

Labour’s Clean Energy Jobs Plan will deliver over 400,000 new jobs in clean energy industries between now and 2030.

Five new clean energy Technical Excellence Colleges will train the next generation of workers, as part of the Labour Government’s drive for two-thirds of young people to be in higher-level learning.

The first-of-a-kind plan will benefit key occupations such as plumbers, welders and electricians, with trade unions playing a major role.

Labour’s plan will make sure that clean energy jobs are always good jobs, by ensuring companies receiving public grants and contracts create jobs with decent pay, access to trade unions and strong rights at work.   
 
Why this matters:

• The clean energy economy is currently growing three times faster than the wider economy, and Labour’s analysis shows that employment in clean energy jobs is expected to double to 860,000 by 2030.
• Labour is delivering thousands of opportunities right across the country, so young people don’t have to leave their hometown just to find a decent job.
• In contrast, Reform have disgracefully pledged to wage war on clean energy jobs, which would be a total disaster for our country, robbing communities of up to a million skilled jobs and billions of pounds of investment. 

Ed Miliband MP, Energy Secretary said:  

“Our plans will help create an economy in which there is no need to leave your hometown just to find a decent job. 

“Thanks to this government’s commitment to clean energy, a generation of young people in our industrial heartlands can have well-paid secure jobs, from plumbers to electricians and welders.

“This is a pro-worker, pro-jobs, pro-union agenda that will deliver the national renewal our country needs.” 

Ed Miliband MP, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero

Higher Education reforms unveiled

Bold plans in the landmark post-16 education and skills white paper will ensure disadvantaged students are no longer priced out of university, and shore up the sector’s future.

What does this mean? 

Labour will introduce new means-tested maintenance grants funded by taxing international students’ fees, and maintenance loans will automatically increase each year so the biggest cash increases go to those from the lowest-income households.

Plus, tough new standards from the Office for Students will mean universities will need to earn the right to future tuition fee uplifts by delivering strong outcomes for students.

Key talking points: 

• Labour is driving change in the areas that matter most to students – the quality of their course, the cost of accommodation, and the money in their pocket.  
• Crucially, we’ve introduced maintenance grants to break down barriers to opportunity for disadvantaged students – paid for by taxing international students’ fees.
• Labour is restoring universities to engines of opportunity, aspiration and growth.
• While the Tories did away with maintenance grants, we’re supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds to break down barriers to opportunity.  

Bridget Phillipson, Education Secretary said:
“Young people from all backgrounds feel they have been let down by a system that talks about opportunity, but too often fails to deliver it. 

“This government and this white paper will change that – restoring the prestige of higher and further education so every person, in every part of our country, has the chance to get on. 

“Universities charge significant fees for their courses. If they are going to charge the maximum, it is right that they deliver the world-class education students expect.  

“These reforms will ensure value for money, higher standards across our universities and colleges and a renewed focus on the skills our economy needs.”

Bridget Phillipson MP, Secretary of State for Education

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