John, this week saw national lockdown restrictions come into force for four weeks - a longer lockdown which could have been avoided had Boris Johnson listened to the advice of his own scientists back in September, and Labour's calls for a two-three week circuit-breaker during the school half term.

Since the Prime Minister ignored that advice, we have seen a massive 35-fold increase in Covid deaths - that's 326 deaths a day and 22,000 Covid cases. As Keir Starmer said on Monday, this is the tragic human cost of the government's inaction.

At every stage, the Prime Minister has been too slow and his failure to get this virus under control means that tougher restrictions are now needed. That's why Labour provided the votes needed to make this happen, but we are demanding that the government learns from its past mistakes and uses this time wisely.

The government must use this period to finally fix its broken track and trace system and give control to local authorities, improve messaging to rebuild public trust and set out a clear exit strategy so that we don’t end up in an endless cycle of lockdowns and restrictions.

I know this lockdown will be longer and more difficult than before, but together, we can get through this and with your help, we can help reduce the spread of coronavirus and save lives. Please take a moment to familiarise yourself with the new national lockdown restrictions by clicking the link below.

On Remembrance Sunday, we will remember those that have fallen and those that serve to protect our country. We must never forget the sacrifices made by our Armed Forces, their families and the incredible bravery of our veterans.

Unfortunately, many of us won't be able to attend services this year due to the lockdown restrictions. However, St Philip’s Cathedral will be live streaming their Remembrance Service on their website from 10:55am on Sunday, and you can click below to watch live and join the virtual congregation.

This week, applications have opened for the newly formed youth-led initiative called Birmingham Global Shapers. The Birmingham Hub represents a diverse mix of young people who have been working in or around the city of Birmingham shaping dialogue and creating solutions on the socio-economic issues impacting our city.

If you are between 18-27 years old, from Birmingham and passionate about finding solutions to the socio-economic issues impacting our city, then I would strongly encourage you to apply for this fantastic opportunity.

Central England Co-op has launched a Christmas Toy Appeal to help spread joy and bring a smile to the face of as many children as possible this festive season.

Any gifts that you can donate will be warmly received at drop off points in Co-op stores between 1st Nov-9th Dec. The toys will be distributed to families up and down the country who might otherwise struggle to put a present under the tree this year.

You can find out more information by clicking below.