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  I also report regularly on my Facebook page 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 (votes) in Hansard (speeches) and on YouTube.

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 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 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 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 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.

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!

Printed from an email sent by Ruth Cadbury MP