Dear John,

This week the NHS, health and social care were at the forefront of the agenda in Parliament. The Health and Care Bill represents a rushed, top-down reorganisation of our NHS. It will fail to integrate health and social care, erode local accountability, and give powers to the Health Secretary to hand major contracts to the private sector without scrutiny. Along with my Labour colleagues, I voted against the Bill at third reading. 
 
This is a moment of great pressure on the NHS. So far, we have seen this Government lead us to record waiting lists, missed A&E and cancer care targets, 100,000 staff shortages even before Covid and 4,000 fewer GPs than the last Labour Government. Yet, there is nothing in the Bill to address the greatest challenges facing the NHS or wider reform of adult social care and workforce pressures.  
 
I strongly believe the Government’s focus must instead be on ensuring that services are appropriately staffed and have the resources they need, addressing the crisis in social care, and giving the NHS workforce the pay rise they deserve. 
 
The NHS is our greatest institution. I am committed to upholding its founding principles as a comprehensive, integrated, and public NHS that is there for all of us when we need it. I will continue to resist any plans to allow further privatisation with no oversight. 
 
I also voted against the amendment to cap care costs. In Boris Johnson’s manifesto, he promised that no one would be forced to sell their house to pay for care. What we saw this week was another example of the Prime Minister going back on his word.  
 
Under the Government’s new plan, if you live in an affordable area, if you're unlucky enough to have care needs in old age, you could lose everything. If you live in a wealthy area, the majority of your assets will be protected. This is the Tory plan for Levelling Down social care. 

I visited Quinton’s Hagley Road Co-Op to speak to shop workers. We owe so much to all keyworkers who worked so hard during the pandemic and beyond to keep us safe and healthy. They’ve kept our shops open, our shelves stocked, and vital food and supplies available to us all. Shopworkers were those who were on the frontline and deserve our respect however, levels of violence, abuse and anti-social behaviour affecting all retailers have skyrocketed. 
 
New statistics show that in the last 12 months 89% of shopworkers had experienced verbal abuse and, 64% had been threatened by a customer. Too often this behaviour occurs around the enforcement of statutory age restrictions, such as asking people for identification when buying alcohol.  
 
It’s absolutely vital that retail workers enforce the laws that we in Parliament set for them. However, we also must ensure that they have the proper protection they need to do so. I will continue to fight on their behalf for greater protection for those working in retail.  

Last week I updated you on how I met with Police, the University of Birmingham and city centre nightclubs to discuss how we better protect people from drink and injection spiking. This week, I continued this work, writing to all of the bars and pubs across our constituency commending them on actions they've already taken to keep people safe.  
 
Many have incorporated the Ask for Angela training into their establishments which allows individuals to approach bar staff discretely if they are feeling unsafe. I also urged all those who haven’t yet taken this positive step, to work with our local Police teams to ensure this measure is consistent throughout the constituency. 
 
However, given that just yesterday we marked international day for the elimination of violence against women, we must continue our efforts to ensure that more is done, right across the board in keeping women safe. At least 126 UK women have been killed by men so far 2021. This is a huge issue globally as we begin 16 days of action, and I am committed to supporting all women in the fight to end violence against women and girls.  

On Wednesday I attended a Parliamentary reception for Birmingham at the House of Commons. It was great to join parliamentary colleagues who represent Birmingham including Jack Dromey MP as well as Birmingham City Council Leader, Cllr Ian Ward, who shared his vision for Levelling Up Birmingham. His ambition is to make our city a place where all residents share the benefits of sustainable economic growth, and jobs.  
 
I am also thrilled to be announced as the new Co -Chair for All Party Parliamentary Group for Birmingham alongside Andrew Mitchell MP. We must work together on a cross-party basis to unlock our city’s vast potential and secure a bright future for Birmingham. 

Yesterday I met with the Churches for Climate Action at St Boniface Church in Quinton, who represent more than eight different faiths. We had a productive conversation about how churches and communities can come together to tackle issues presented by climate change.  
 
We spoke about how the government missed an opportunity at COP26. Due to their hypocrisy it was near impossible for Alok Sharma to have a credible presidency and lead the way given only weeks before the Summit, the government had been involved in the Cambo oil field development. 
 
While it will sadly be the countries who have contributed to climate change the least who will suffer the most, we are not exempt from the crisis. We have already seen changes in the UK which have been as a result of climate change, more extreme weather and changes in insects, such as more mosquitos. We must protect the future for our children. 
 
This means protecting and encouraging the use of green spaces. Working with partners like the council and private business to identify where buildings are needed and where, instead, we could see more community gardens and spaces being brought forwards.