MP’S UPDATE FOR BRENTFORD & ISLEWORTH RESIDENTS
APRIL 2022
YOU CAN FIND PREVIOUS REPORTS OF MY WORK ON MY WEB
SITE; WWW.RUTHCADBURY.ORG.UK [1] I ALSO REPORT REGULARLY ON MY FACEBOOK
PAGE [2] AND VIA TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM @RUTHCADBURY.
YOU CAN SEE FULL DETAILS OF MY QUESTIONS AND SPEECHES IN PARLIAMENT, AND
GET REGULAR UPDATES ABOUT MY PARLIAMENTARY ACTIVITIES THEYWORKFORYOU
[3] (VOTES) IN HANSARD [4] (SPEECHES) AND ON YOUTUBE. [5]
DUE TO ONGOING CONCERNS ABOUT COVID INFECTION, I AM HAPPY TO MEET
CONSTITUENTS EITHER BY PHONE, OR ON-LINE, TO DISCUSS YOUR CONCERNS.
PLEASE EMAIL ME ON
[email protected] WITH YOUR ADDRESS, A QUICK
SUMMARY OF THE ISSUE (AND RELEVANT REFERENCE NUMBERS).
SEE MY CORONAVIRUS WEB-PAGE [6] FOR INFORMATION ON LOCAL AND NATIONAL
SERVICES, HELPLINES AND VOLUNTEERING; AND TO SIGN UP FOR HOUNSLOW
COUNCIL’S DAILY UPDATES.
MY PARLIAMENTARY ACTIVITY IN MARCH
SPRING STATEMENT: Put simply the Chancellor provided nothing to address the
huge spike in energy bills, refused to reverse the national insurance hike
which will hit working people and businesses, and did nothing to grow the
economy. I specifically raised the cost of private sector renting which
many low-income families in West London struggle to afford. Meanwhile
Labour again called for a windfall tax on the energy companies, a VAT cut
on energy bills, and insulation for 19 million homes.
On the sad case of SURROGATE MOTHERS of UK babies stuck in Ukraine, after
being approached by two constituents I wrote to the Home Secretary and am
glad that the Government u-turned and announced they are eligible for the
family scheme.
_I SPOKE, AGAIN, IN PARLIAMENT [7]_ about VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS,
saying it felt that women's safety has reverted to the situation we had
when I was in the student women's movement in the early 1980s. I said we
should be building on the achievements of the past. Instead specialist
community support organisations are now closing down, rape prosecutions are
at an appallingly low level and women are feeling less safe to walk around
on our streets.
I had a number of emails about the shocking story of CHILD Q - a black
school girl subjected to an intimate strip search by two police officers
with no responsible adult being present to support her. I joined London MPs
in writing to the Home Secretary raising our concerns about this.
P&O FERRIES: The disgraceful action by P&O summarily sacking 800 workers
led to a Commons debate _AT WHICH I SAID [8]_ this was able to happen due
to weak employment law and processes in the UK. I referenced the Fire and
Rehire tactics also used by BA when 400 of my constituents were blackmailed
into being forced to accept significantly worse terms and conditions. My
point has been proved by the fact that still no legal challenge has come
from Government. Meanwhile Labour is calling for the outlawing of Fire and
Rehire
NATIONALITY AND BORDERS BILL: This is truly an atrocious piece of
legislation still bouncing between the Commons and the Lords. I have
continued to support amendments which would have removed Clause 9 (which
gives the Home Secretary power to deprive someone of their British
Citizenship without notice). I also voted against the processing of asylum
seekers offshore and voted to uphold the 1951 Refugee Convention. This is a
bill that criminalises refuges. Hounslow has a proud traditions of
supporting refugees and I believe that this cruel and unnecessary bill
turns our country's back on those seeking refuge from conflict.
IN TRADE QUESTIONS I challenged the Government on its 80% target of UK
trade being with Free Trade Agreements. The policy risks a reduction in
standards and would impact on British businesses, farmers and consumer
standards.
In Business Questions _I SOUGHT A DEBATE ON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF LOCAL
GOVERNMENT [9]_ and referenced CLLR STEVE CURRAN’S achievements as Leader
of Hounslow; building over 1,000 council homes, providing Covid support for
residents & businesses, achieving net zero targets, and being awarded
Council of the year.
WEST THAMES COLLEGE VISIT: I welcomed students on the English as an
Additional Language course to Parliament. They hail from countries both
with and without functioning democracies, and we had an interesting
discussion about the extent of transactional politics in different systems.
They agreed with me that the UK's reputation for being a well-functioning
democracy has been somewhat dented since the influence of Russian Oligarchs
over the Conservative Party.
FOUR UKRAINIAN MPS met a cross-party meeting of MPs and Peers. They told us
of the conditions their county people are experiencing and asked for our
help in spreading the word. They also reiterated their President's call for
NATO to implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine - but did acknowledge there is
little appetite in the UK for such a move.
SOUTH AFRICA AND LESOTHO In Parliamentary activity of a different type - I
had the pleasure of spending a week in Lesotho and South Africa, meeting
Parliamentarians in two very different countries, on a visit organised
through the UK branch of the Parliamentary Commonwealth Association.
THE KINGDOM OF LESOTHO, is one of the poorest countries in Africa almost
totally dependent on remittances home from adults working in neighbouring
countries. Those men who stay can expect to herd sheep and goats on the
large expanses of grasslands, whilst women run a large proportion of the
small businesses. Lesotho's parliament is going through a period of
instability with party splits being resolved by MPs starting new political
parties. The PM was sacked by his party the week before we arrived yet
retains the support of the majority of MPs. Despite all this, or perhaps
because of it, members of several parties and both houses were keen to
discuss with us how they could improve Parliamentary process. Here's us
meeting the PM and Foreign secretary, and also some of the few women MPs.
IN CAPE TOWN, where politics is more stable, having been dominated by the
ANC since the fall of Apartheid, we discussed the workings of the Business
and Trade Committee, which plays a key role in scrutinising and holding
Government to account on International Trade negotiations. It brought home
to me just how much the UK Government keeps, not only Parliament, but also
affected trade groups, out of any but the most superficial level of trade
negotiations.
I also chaired a discussion with the SA Parliamentary Women's Caucus,
probably more akin to our Women and Equalities Select Committee. However
their reach into womens' organisations across South Africa was something we
in the UK could truly admire.
At Cape Town's Langa township we saw the mobile IT classroom funded by the
Atlas foundation, the UK charity founded by Jason Leonard and supported by
the UK Rugby Union family. We had time for a quick trip up Table mountain
and a wave to Nelson Mandela at Cape Town's City Hall (well - the great
man's statue anyway).
THE SUFFERING OF UKRAINE and its people continues thanks to Putin's
appalling actions. Chiswick School sent their mini-bus to the front line
loaded with items Ukranians needed and so many constituents have
volunteered with items, money and other support and have offered space in
their homes. But they, and Hounslow Council, are still waiting for the
Government to issue visas for fleeing Ukrainians seeking entry to the UK,
and to sort the process for matching hosts with refugees. It's just not
acceptable that only 1 out of 100 visa applications under the Homes for
Ukraine scheme have been approved. Furthermore, those welcoming fleeing
family members but who themselves have a very small flat, are ineligible
for the "Homes for Ukraine" scheme, so these refugees must declare
themselves as homeless at the Council. I raised this issue in a meeting
with the Minister, Lord Harrington and suggested the Homes to Ukraine
scheme could be extended to those arriving on family visas.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY was celebrated by Hounslow Chamber of Commerce
at Sky's HQ with an interesting line-up of speakers - who all had a story
to tell of their route into business (or politics, in the case of me and
Cllr Lily Bath). Sam Leigh of Lampton Group and Carol Massay of
Construction Access were particularly inspirational.
THURSDAY 5TH MAY IS ELECTION DAY for all Councillors in Hounslow (and
across London). The deadline to be registered to vote is 11:59pm on
Thursday 14 April, and to apply for a postal vote for the elections is 5pm
on Tuesday 19 April. The links to find out who can vote in these elections,
and to register _ARE HERE [10]._
I WOULD LIKE TO FINISH BY WISHING ALL MY READERS EVERY HAPPINESS FOR APRIL;
particularly those for whom the month brings; Ramadan, Vaisakhi, Passach,
Easter, and St Georges Day!
UNSUBSCRIBE [11]
Printed from an email sent by Ruth Cadbury MP 367 Chiswick High Road
London, LON W4 4AG
United Kingdom
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