Dear John,

The Christmas season is well underway in Harrow, and I’ve been doing my best to get along to as many local bazaars and carols as possible - from St Mary’s Spire down to St Joseph’s. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to make it to every single one, but it’s been a real joy to see so many of you and to join in the festive spirit across our community.

One highlight this week was returning home from Parliament late one evening and catching some of the Whitmore lights - a truly magical sight you can see each night. And tomorrow, Sunday 14^th (330-7PM), I’m looking forward to another fantastic festive gathering with residents from Whitmore Rd and across Harrow. Expect a warm community atmosphere, seasonal activities, carols, and plenty to get everyone feeling the Christmas spirit - plus the chance to grab a photo with Santa! 🎅🏻

All funds raised will go to three incredible causes: St Luke’s Hospice, The Stroke Association, and Jack’s Ward at Northwick Park Children’s Hospital.

Next Thursday - I am hosting a Christmas lunch with the excellent team at London’s Community Kitchen (next to Harrow Leisure Centre) on 18th December.

I know there are people in Harrow who may not get to enjoy a Christmas meal this year, or who might be facing Christmas Day alone. If you know someone who would benefit from joining us - or if you’d like to nominate a resident, neighbour, or couple to share lunch with me on the 18th - please get in touch! There have already been some excellent people come forward.

📩 Email: [email protected] Let’s make sure no one in our community is left out this Christmas. ❤️

Wishing all my Jewish friends and neighbours a very Happy Hanukkah  🕎✨ May this Festival of Lights bring joy, peace, and time with family and friends.

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 and Instagram, or if you have an issue you would like to raise with me, contact me on [email protected] or 02072194243.

🌟 Celebrating Harrow’s Local Gems – Small Business Saturday 🌟

School Breakfast Clubs Roll-out

It was a real pleasure to visit our first trial free breakfast club at The Welldon Park Academy - and great to see it proving such a success. I’m looking forward to working with the school to help expand the number of places available. Breakfast clubs boost attendance, attainment and life chances. That's why this Labour government will roll them out across all our primary schools, with more becoming eligible to join next year.

This policy is clearly making a difference: giving parents the flexibility to drop their children off before work, and ensuring pupils start the day with energy and a full stomach.

There were plenty of bright smiles right before I was quizzed by the brilliant Pupil Parliament about my younger days volunteering with Crisis at Christmas, how to get involved with great community groups like Harrow Litter Pickers, and whether we can get more of that much-loved spinning play equipment in our parks!

Budget Rundown

As I highlighted in my budget speech, Harrow is overdue for investment. After 14 years of Tory neglect, some school classrooms can’t be used, windows don’t shut, roofs need repairs, and sports facilities are outdated. At Northwick Park Hospital, the case for a new intensive care unit is overwhelming - essential for easing pressure on A&E and improving patient care. Harrow deserves investment, not excuses.

Watch here: Why Investment in Harrow is Overdue https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1CdBHiMZYW/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Our Conservative-run council has failed to build a single new council home beyond what was previously agreed – deepening the housing crisis. I will continue campaigning for more council and co-operative housing because Harrow residents deserve better.

I also addressed Brexit’s ongoing damage and highlighted why the 2026 UK-EU summit must aim for “a more profound reset,” while calling out Tory economic mismanagement.

Watch here: Practical Steps to Cut Brexit Red Tape https://x.com/labour4europe/status/1995566185535209559?s=46&t=yKk3YnQnei6FEbvYjZ4ISw

⚡ Key Budget Benefits for Harrow Residents:

         •       Cutting the cost of energy bills – Average household saving £150; lower-income households saving up to £300.

         •       Scrapping the Two Child Limit – Life-changing for 7,100+ children in Harrow, helping reduce child poverty nationwide.

Watch my video discussion on the impact of this policy change on some of Harrow’s poorest young people here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1MsQ3Keemu/?mibextid=wwXIfr

         •       Increasing the minimum wage – Thousands of Harrow’s lowest-paid workers will see pay rises of 4.1%-8.5%.

         •       Boosting the state pension by 4.8% – Pensioners in Harrow will receive £440–£575 more annually.

         •       Extending the 5p Fuel Duty cut until September 2026 – Supporting drivers, delivery vans, and local businesses.

         •       Freezing NHS prescription charges – Making healthcare affordable for everyone.

         •       Freezing rail fares for the first time in 30 years – Saving Harrow commuters with season tickets up to £500.

         •       Expanding Free School Breakfast and Lunch – Benefiting ~23,000 primary school children in Harrow.

         •       Making under-25 apprenticeship training free for SMEs – Opening doors for more young people to gain skills and secure jobs.

Additional Measures:

         •       Increasing taxes on gambling – Protecting families and communities.

         •       Funding the New Youth Guarantee – £820m over 3 years to support apprenticeships, college, or personalised job support.

         •       Clawing back nearly £400m from fraudulent Covid spending.

         •       250 new Neighbourhood Health Centres – Speeding up NHS care locally.

         •       Exempting all Infected Blood Scheme compensation payments from Inheritance Tax – Protecting affected families.

         •       £15m for new school libraries – £5m secondary, £10m primary.

         •       £18m to improve and upgrade children’s playgrounds.

         •       Reducing borrowing more than any other G7 economy – Securing Britain’s financial future.

         •       Cutting interest rates five times since the General Election – Helping households and local businesses save money.

Harrow deserves a future with better schools, hospitals, housing, and opportunities – and this budget is a step in that direction.

NEW: £17.3 Million Boost for SEND Provision in Harrow

I’m delighted to share that Harrow will receive £17,374,000 as part of Labour’s major new investment to transform support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). This forms part of a multibillion-pound national programme to create around 50,000 new specialist places across the country, ensuring more children can learn in excellent local schools with the right support.

This funding will help deliver new, high-quality specialist facilities more quickly – benefitting children with additional needs, including those with autism and ADHD, who require calmer, tailored spaces to learn and thrive. After years of Tory neglect, many Harrow families have had to fight for the support they deserve, so this investment marks a significant step forward.

Having long campaigned for improved SEND provision in Harrow, I’m proud we’ve secured this substantial commitment. Labour’s wider reforms will make sure every child in Harrow gets the right help earlier, and the opportunity to achieve their full potential.

Working towards a Safer Wealdstone

I know many residents do not consider Wealdstone Town Centre to be safe and some have told me they avoided it in the past. That’s why it’s important to me to regularly meet with the policing team in Wealdstone. I’m impressed by the progress since my last walkabout in the summer and grateful to Superintendent Zubin Writer, Local Policing Lead for Harrow, and his team who have been working tirelessly to turn things around and make our community safer.

Since my last walkabout, the transformation has been significant. Following an application to the Home Office, Wealdstone now has a policing team stronger and better resourced than ever before, growing from just 4 officers to 14. New officers weren’t simply recruited here - they were handpicked for their policing skills and experience, ensuring the very best talent is focused on making Wealdstone safer.

The team are getting results. In recent targeted patrols along Wealdstone High Street, officers achieved 52 arrests and 67 stop and searches. They issued 15 ASB warnings and Community Protection Warnings - formal notices that stop anti-social behaviour before it escalates and make clear that legal action will follow if it doesn’t. They delivered 14 Community Resolutions and Payment Fines, quick and effective measures for minor offences: Community Resolutions involve offenders agreeing to make amends, while Payment Fines are on-the-spot fines for low-level disorder. Officers also secured one Criminal Behaviour Order through the courts - a powerful legal tool that not only restricts a prolific offender’s actions but can ban gang members from entering Wealdstone altogether, helping to break the cycle of violence and intimidation.

And that’s just the headline. In only two shifts during this operation, officers made nine arrests, including six for Class A drug offences, one for breaching an electronic tag linked to a robbery, one for failing to appear in court, and one for immigration offences. Police have confirmed that all those arrested for drug offences have now been charged. Officers also carried out intelligence-led weapon sweeps, removing five knives from our streets - including two machetes and a combat-style knife.

This is real, visible progress. The Wealdstone policing team will continue regular patrols, proactive operations, and close engagement with residents to keep crime down and the community safe.

But there’s more the Council can do. Removing the broken benches in Wealdstone Square – which have become a magnet for street drinking and anti-social behaviour – would make a big difference. Councillors and I have raised this repeatedly with officers, and acting on it would genuinely help the police in their work.

Thank you to everyone who continues to raise concerns and support this vital effort. We are making progress. I’ll be meeting with Wealdstone police again shortly, so please keep sharing your concerns with me.

Homelessness Announcement

Many may have seen the news this week of new efforts being taken to tackle homelessness. Homelessness and rough sleeping are a moral stain on our society - and both doubled under the Conservatives. As a result, a family in the UK is still made homeless or threatened with it every five minutes.

🌹 Labour is investing £3.5bn to prevent homelessness and end rough sleeping for good - a serious, compassionate plan to give every family the security they deserve.

Labour will deliver:

⬇️ Halving rough sleeping

🚫 Ending the use of B&Bs for families - stopping hundreds of children growing up in temporary accommodation

🛡️ Preventing households from losing their homes in the first place

A national mission rooted in dignity, security and hope - and one I strongly welcome.

Met Engage

A brand-new way to stay informed about what your local police are doing in neighbourhoods across Harrow. I have just signed up, you should too.

📲 Get updates directly from your local officers about the issues that matter most to you - from tackling crime to community safety efforts. This will now be the main way the Met shares local updates.

🔗 Sign up here: www.metengage.co.uk

⚠️ Please note: Met Engage is not for reporting crimes.

📞 Call 101 or visit the Met website to report non-emergencies.

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