My latest newsletter is out now!


** April 2022 Newsletter
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** MAYOR OF NPT COVID RESPONSE AWARDS
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This month I attended the Mayor of NPT Covid Response Awards at The Orangery, Margam Park. Some inspiring stories of the community's resilience and some of the exceptional individuals who stepped up during the pandemic. The courageous actions of the recipients and all our key workers helped – and continue to help – keep us all safe. Congratulations to Gemma and Vicky, winners of the Supporting Education Award. Thank you for all your hard work at Awel y Môr Primary School.


** BRITON FERRY ADVICE SURGERY
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This month I had a busy advice surgery in Briton Ferry. It was great to speak with residents about local issues. My next advice surgery is on Friday 13 May between 4 pm and 5.30 pm at Margam Community Centre.


** AFAN ARTS
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It was great to meet Denise at Afan Arts and chat about some of the exciting projects in the pipeline. For example, on 28 April, Afan Arts launched a free and inclusive Youth Theatre – Port Talbot Youth Theatre – in Ysgol Cwm Brombil. Denise and her team are doing some fantastic work in the community focused on upskilling our young people and giving them the confidence to succeed.


** YSGOL CWM BROMBIL DEBATE CLUB
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I was honoured to meet the conscientious pupils at Ysgol Cwm Brombil's debate club this month. I enjoyed answering the student's questions about the cost-of-living crisis, local bus services and rejuvenating our high street, and I look forward to revisiting them soon.


** CHILLI FESTIVAL AT MARGAM PARK
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This month I had a great time at the Chilli fest in the Orangery at Margam Park and got to try some seriously hot sauces. It was also great to catch up with Austringer Cider, one of the Small Businesses I celebrated as part of Small Business Saturday 2021.


** GOODS FOR GOOD
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It was a pleasure to meet Rosalind Bluestone, the founder of humanitarian aid charity Goods for Good and talk about some of the meaningful work they’ve done in the community and to support Ukraine. Goods For Goods support vulnerable people in need across the UK and the world to receive essential everyday items such as clothing, footwear, toiletries, and hygiene products. Working with local not-for-profit organisation A2B Active Sport CIC, they have received and distributed over £30,000 worth of goods and equipment in Aberavon.


** DOOR-KNOCKING FOR THE MAY ELECTION
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I've been out knocking on doors in Margam Village, Briton Ferry West, Coedffranc Central, Port Talbot, and Resolven with our excellent candidates for the 5 May Local Authority Election. We received some wonderful responses at the doors with lots of positive feedback from residents.


** WELSH LABOUR LOCAL ELECTION LAUNCH AND DOOR KNOCKING
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This month I attended the Welsh Labour local election Launch with lovely Welsh Parliamentary Labour Party colleagues, outstanding candidates and fab activists. I then had a great time speaking to voters on the doorsteps of Merthyr and Blaenau Gwent. I also went door knocking in Denydarren, Galon and Uchaf. Welsh Labour Councils provide first-class education, build 21st century schools, give care workers a real living wage, build low carbon social homes, and deliver free school meals to every child in Wales.


** This Month In Parliament
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Afghan Women and Girls Football Team

It was great to be in a packed room welcoming the Afghan Women and Girls Football Team to Westminster. They represent the progress and freedom that the Taliban are mercilessly trying to reverse but are failing to suppress. Their activism and heroism is an inspiration to us all.
Standing up for Steel

This month in the House of Commons chamber, I questioned Conservative MP and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak on the need to provide support for the steel industry. Our steel industry is utterly critical to Britain's prosperity and security, and UK firms are still paying 61% more for energy than EU competitors. Yet during his time as Chancellor, Sunak has offered steelmakers nothing - and he knows it.
UK Steel Charter re-launch

It was great to join colleagues for the re-launch of the UK Steel Charter. Steel is not a sunset industry - it is a cornerstone for our present and future prosperity. It is right - for our communities, our economy, and our net-zero targets - that British projects use British steel
Nationality and Borders Bill and the Government’s Rwanda Offloading announcement

The Home Office’s shambolic Nationality and Borders Bill is currently completing its passage through Parliament, and as Labour’s Shadow Immigration Minister I have led on scrutinising the Bill. This Bill works in tandem with the Government’s unworkable, extortionate and deeply un-British Rwanda offloading plan which will see refugees shipped 4,000 miles away to a country from which thousands are fleeing every year. The policy will cost three times as much money per refugee than our current system, and that’s before the £120m ‘sweetener’ paid to Rwanda is taken into consideration.

Experts also say it is highly likely to deter refugees and the criminal gangs who exploit them from crossing the channel because relatively few asylum seekers will actually be sent to Rwanda. Instead of this unworkable plan, Labour would increase security cooperation with France, Belgium and other EU countries to break the business model of criminal gangs, using our party’s stronger relationship with European nations to succeed where Johnson has failed.

Priti Patel’s Bill will also do nothing to tackle the huge waiting lists where 60,000 people are waiting 6 months to have their asylum claims process, costing the tax payer £4m per day in emergency hotel costs. This is because Patel’s department are processing 50% fewer claims than 5 years ago, illustrating the staggering levels of incompetence being shown by ministers. Labour would ‘invest to save’ – using tax payer money on employing more caseworkers to clear the backlog, rather wasting millions more on contingency accommodation.

The British people want and deserve a fair, compassionate, and orderly system, as has been made abundantly clear by the fact that more than 150,000 households have signed up to house Ukrainian refugees fleeing the horrors of Putin's barbaric war. The Tories offer only incompetence and indifference.


** Media Highlights
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Mail Online - UK took in asylum seekers fleeing Rwanda as policy-driven by 'rank hypocrisy', 16 April 2022

I critiqued Priti Patel's plan to fly refugees fleeing other countries 4,000 miles to Rwanda in the Mail Online. Priti Patel's Rwanda deal is both unworkable and eye-wateringly expensive. The Guardian - Home Office contractors, accused of paying for sex while deporting migrants, 12 April 2022 I was quoted in the Guardian calling out the alarming reports from whistle-blowers who claim colleagues at the Home Office regularly paid sex workers for ten years. I called on the Home Office to investigate the allegations immediately. Any type of sexual exploitation is unacceptable, and those responsible must be held to account.

Mirror Online - Labour blasts Home Office as latest passport 'chaos' derails Easter plans, 15 April 2022 and Holidaymakers urged to apply for passports early amid ten-week waits for renewals, 9 April 2022

The Mirror Online cited me highlighting the incompetence of the Home Office. I criticised Home Office ministers and have written to the Government over passport chaos which derailed families' Easter plans. Delays were due to the backlog in applications fuelled by a race to renew documents after coronavirus curbs were lifted. Time and again, Priti Patel's department messes things up and fails to put proper plans in place. These are entirely unacceptable delays. British families shouldn't be missing out on hard-earned breaks because the Home Office didn't plan.

BBC Newsnight, 7 April 2022

I went on BBC Newsnight, where I spoke about Priti Patel's failings in the visa processing for Ukrainians and welcomed her long-overdue apology on the matter. I called for Patel to take action to match her words. Priti Patel has 7000 staff yet can't get a single project running. Just 4700 of 32000 Ukrainians have been matched to homes. 12000 loyal-to-UK Afghans stuck in hotels – costing £1.2m per/day! Patel should seek to match those Afghans with the 200,000 Homes for Ukrainian offers.

BBC Radio 5 Live, 30 March 2022

On BBC Radio 5 Live, I spoke on the urgent need for Boris Johnson to resign as Prime Minister. The fundamental problem with Johnson is that no one actually trusts him. People make mistakes, but he has lied constantly. Ukraine is not a reason for him to stay in No10. The Tories got rid of Thatcher two months into the First Gulf War; they should get rid of Johnson now.

Sky News, 30 March 2022

On Sky News, I spoke about the inadequacies of the Spring Statement. For every £6, the Chancellor is hiking taxes; he is only giving £1 back. Working families are feeling the pinch due to the cost-of-living crisis and need help now - not just before the next election. The Chancellor should put aside his leadership ambitions. I set out what Labour would do, including a windfall tax on the big oil and gas companies who are making eye-watering profits.

LBC, 28 March 2022

I spoke to Iain Dale about my dad, former Labour leader Neil Kinnock, on his 80th birthday. I'm very proud of dad, and I've been proud of him my whole life.

Sharp End - Kinnock at 80, 24 March 2022

I was featured on a lovely programme made by Sharp End about dad to celebrate his 80th Birthday. Dad talks about how growing up in the Valleys shaped his politics and memories of his time at the top. In it, we talk about Mum having Alzheimer's. It's been very difficult for us as a family, as it is for so many, but we're coming to terms with it, and she is a much-loved wife, Mum and Nain.


** Contact Details
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You can get in touch with us by calling the office on 01639 897660.

Alternatively please send an email to [email protected] (mailto:[email protected] )

We are not currently operating a drop-in surgery in the office, but you can book a call-back or Teams appointment with a caseworker, Monday to Friday, by completing this form [link removed]

Check my website and Facebook page for details of my next advice surgery.
All the best,

Stephen Kinnock
MP for Aberavon

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My mailing address is:
MP for Aberavon
Water Street Business Centre
Water Street
Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot SA12 6LF
United Kingdom

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