MY WEEKLY UPDATE
[1]
Dear John,
Following the Conservatives move to cut Universal Credit and increase
national insurance contributions, this week we’ve seen more financial
hits hammered down on working people. Thousands of working families are now
facing a very difficult winter as a result of this government’s choices.
Rising food costs, tax hikes, the energy crisis and cuts to Universal
Credit are a perfect storm.
Labour is on the side of working people. That's why we would maintain the
uplift Universal Credit, increase the minimum wage and and urgently help
households with the cost of rising bills. It’s why we opposed the
National Insurance increase that won’t solve our country’s social care
crisis. It’s why we’ve called out the Government for their failures
that have paved the way for the energy crisis including axing the Green
Homes Grant, scrapping the zero carbon homes standard and losing the
storage facility that held three quarters of our gas.
These situations aren’t unavoidable. Politics is about choices and I’m
proud to stand with hard working families of this country against this
sustained attack on their living standards.
[2]
BACKING BARNSLEY ROAD RESIDENTS
A few months ago, I met with residents in North Edgbaston who were
concerned about a piece of enclosed land that backs on to their houses and
gardens, being developed into supported living accommodation. While the
land used to be a green space and garages for residents, developers last
week disclosed their plans to build 17 units of housing for vulnerable
people needing 24/7 care.
This was extremely disappointing to learn. No consultation or engagement
has happened with residents about what they would like to see this space
become and they have been given just two weeks to submit their comments to
the council’s planning department regarding the current proposals.
The space is an extremely small area with neighbours in very close
proximity. When I previously spoke to commissioners, I was informed that
8-10 people needed housing, none of whom had a local connection to the
area. As such, I have questioned why there is a need for 17 units to be
built.
In my view, it isn’t an appropriate space to place residents with serious
conditions. Anti-social behaviour and crime has risen with Police resources
overstretched. There is no green space or any type of outdoor area for them
to use and the building itself is far too large for the land available.
I have strongly objected to these plans and have offered my supports to
residents who have until 1st October to share their thoughts.
YOU CAN READ MY OBJECTION LETTER HERE
[3]
CALLING FOR ANSWERS ON THE WEST MIDLANDS 3
This week there was a huge victory for the West Midlands 3 and the Sikh
community. Piara Singh Gill, Amritivir Singh Wahiwala and Gursharanvir
Singh Wahiwala, three men all from the West Midlands, were accused by the
Indian authorities of being involved in a high-profile 2009 murder plot. In
2011 this was investigated by West Midlands Police investigation who found
absolutely no evidence to support this.
Yet in December 2020, the Home Office certified an extradition request from
the Indian authorities which, according to Edward Fitzgerald QC, was "made
on the basis of wholly unsubstantiated allegations”.
On Wednesday, the three British Sikhs, were in court to decide whether
their extradition to India would go ahead, despite the Indian Government
having dropped all charges.
While the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case, it has led to many
questions being raised on the decisions made by the Home Secretary, Priti
Patel MP, to allow the extradition to go ahead, despite poor-quality
evidence against them.
According to the highly respected human rights lawyer Gareth Peirce, not
only had the Indian authorities brought a case without evidence, but the
prosecution had failed to tell the court that there had already been trials
of other men in India in the same case and all had been acquitted. The
prosecution had tried to reuse evidence that had already been judged in
such cases to have been fabricated, as witnesses had been coerced
I am extremely concerned that an extradition request for these innocent men
has been certified by the Home Office despite multiple previous
investigations and no credible new evidence having been brought forward. It
raises serious questions about how a campaign against three British
citizens has been allowed to drag on so long, costing the British taxpayer
thousands of pounds, and putting the accused, their families and community
through a harrowing ordeal in the bid to clear their names.
In my capacity as Chair of the APPG for British Sikhs, I have written to
the Home Secretary to ask four important questions:
1) What process did the Home Office follow to lead it to certify the
request to extradite the West Midlands Three to India?
2) Was the Home Secretary aware of the previous investigations into the
allegations made against these three men?
3) Why has thousands of pounds of British taxpayers' money been spent on a
case based on already discredited evidence?
4) What discussions will the Home Secretary have with the Foreign Secretary
and counterparts in the Indian authorities to raise concerns about the
troubling implications of this case and ensure that further baseless and
discredited charges cannot be repeatedly brought against British nationals
by a foreign power?
READ MY LETTER TO THE HOME SECRETARY HERE
MEETING WITH BIRMINGHAM HEADTEACHERS
I recently met with headteachers from primary schools across the city. It
was shocking to hear stories from headteachers about how students' needs
simply aren't being met. Schools were already struggling to balance the
books having faced 11 years of Conservative cuts. Now, we are truly seeing
the impact of Tory austerity that has decimated school budgets as well as
those public services that work in tandem with early years provision like
children's services, mental health provision, youth services and the
Police.
Fundamentally, teachers are no longer being asked to simply teach. Schools
are now having to act as social services and mental health workers. I have
seen first-hand how schools have set up foodbanks, supported homeless
families and spent huge proportions of their school budget on mental health
care for their students.
While it's fantastic to see schools stepping up, all of this takes time
away from teaching and from pupils being educated. With children's services
facing huge demand and with resources overstretched, we need to start
seeing those who commission early years services work in partnership with
headteachers and other sectors so that the services being commissioned are
the right services that schools most need.
The Government has been entirely unrepentant on the impact their cuts have
had on teaching. This has again been demonstrated by the Conservative's
woefully inadequate catch-up plan that will not see the needed funding or
support delivered to children. Labour's bold Children’s Recovery Plan
would deliver the support for teachers, tutoring and breakfast clubs that
every child across Birmingham needs to thrive. The Conservatives need to
step-up, match Labour’s ambition and deliver for our children’s
futures.
ON THE ROAD TO CONFERENCE
This weekend the Labour Party will be back hosting its annual conference in
Brighton. It’s an opportunity to hear inspiring speeches, gain invaluable
training and a real chance to be a part of democracy in action. I am
excited to see conference return and to meet as many members as possible.
I have also been asked to deliver the Co-operative Party's "fraternal
greetings" to Labour Party conference on Saturday. Here I will speak about
the shared values long held between our sister parties, why I am proud to
be a Labour and Co-operative MP and the campaigns we have yet to win but
will work tirelessly to achieve.
© 2020 Printed from an email sent by Preet Kaur Gill. Promoted by A.J Webb
on behalf of Preet Kaur Gill, both at 56 Wentworth Road, B17 9TA.
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