MP’s REPORT TO BRENTFORD & ISLEWORTH

RESIDENTS; January 2020

I provide regular updates on my work to local residents.

 

You can find previous reports of my work on my web site; www.ruthcadbury.co.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, and get Regular updates about my Parliamentary activities on TheyWorkForYou

Thank you to everyone who supported the incredible election effort in this constituency and thank you to everyone who voted for me.

 

Goodbye 2019

Having got rid of Theresa May and his one-nation pro- EU rebels, Johnson tried to shut down Parliament to avoid scrutiny and the opportunity for a confirmatory referendum.  When that failed he called an election instead, so for over 6 key weeks before the 31 January Brexit  deadline, there was no debate about transitional arrangements for leaving the EU, or the UK’s future relationship with our former partners, or about anything else either.  We’ve had no debate, no committee scrutiny, and there has been little Government accountability, and like all re-elected MPs I am still waiting for replies from Ministers on a number of topics…..

 

The whole atmosphere in Parliament before dissolution was toxic, as highlighted by Paula Sheriff’s powerful emotional anger about Johnson’s inflammatory language when talking about his opponents. Debate has become not about left and right, Brexit or Remain, but fundamentally about right and wrong.  And we are seeing this atmosphere spreading out from Westminster with the shocking rise in all forms of hate crime…..

 

In other news; Climate Change became the issue that rightly galloped up the political agenda.  In May, following pressure from Labour, Parliament declared a climate emergency and called on Government to return in 6 months with a detailed plan of action – but there is still nothing to show….

2020:  Looking ahead

2020 has hardly begun, yet each new day brings further uncertainty.  As I write, we learn that Trump instructed US forces to assassinate Suleimani (the head of the Iranian equivalent of the CIA and special forces combined) bringing an unprecedented level of uncertainty to international relations and peace-keeping.

 

Brexit is just round the corner and yet we’re hardly further on in knowing the nature of our departure. Last week Dominic Cummings announced a fundamental culture change in the Civil Service and with it a further power grab by Government from Parliament. Despite his apparently radical agenda, Cummings clearly has no ideas or even interest in addressing the country’s top challenges; the distribution of power and wealth, gross inequalities and poverty, tackling climate change etc.

 

Heathrow:  We are waiting for the High Court judgement on the judicial review of the decision to proceed with Runway 3 at Heathrow.  A recent announcement has the project delayed by a year, and I would like to hope that the project will be scrapped.  The associated but essential rail infrastructure make the scheme increasingly unaffordable to both Heathrow and the Government, whilst it brings little economic benefit and involves huge levels of carbon emissions that the rest of the economy will have to trade.

 

My Priorities: As Labour MPs we now face being in continuous opposition for the months and years to come.   Nevertheless I will continue to raise the impacts of Government policy that matter most to my constituents such as the housing crisis and poverty.   Particular local focus will be on;

• addressing knife crime and support for our young people;
• services for children with disabilities and additional needs;
• air quality and climate change – including the impact of Heathrow expansion
• the rights of leaseholders
• running the London Marathon again!

I will also play a continuing role on the All Party Groups for Cycling and Walking, and on the Loan Charge.

Parliament sat for only a few (short) weeks between September and Christmas, thanks to the conference recess and the election, but it was not without incident as we tried to thwart the Government’s efforts to crash the UK out of the EU with no deal and no confirmatory referendum.  However, Johnson returned after the election with an unassailable majority, his revised Withdrawal Bill is even worse than the last.    Just before Christmas I spoke in the 2nd reading of the Withdrawal Bill – condemning the Government for dropping even those commitments made in the Bill’s last iteration; workers’ rights, the rights of refugee children, and concerns about proposals to remove the role of the courts in interpreting EU law.

 

Other updates since my last MP report

• urged the Government to support London Mayor Sadiq Khan in enshrining the legal right to clean air and include World Health Organisation targets into domestic law
• joined calls for the Government to release the Intelligence and Security Committee report into Russian interference in UK elections and the Brexit referendum – as I write, we are still waiting
• signed the letter to the BBC criticising them for censuring Naga Munchetty over her remarks about Donald Trump’s “go home” language.
• was pleased to be named by the Evening Standard as one of London’s most influential Environmental Activists for my role as co-Chair of the All Party Cycling Group attended a celebration of Mahatma Ghandi’s birth 150 years ago
• signed a letter to the DWP Secretary demanding full state pension uplifts for the 1/2m expatriate UK pensioners living across the world but mainly in Commonwealth countries
• signed an Early Day Motion on charging mothers for Maternity care

LOCAL UPDATE

 

 Chiswick is due to lose its sorting office this year, Brentford already has no Post Office counter, and I am now told that Chiswick’s Post Office and Brentford’s sorting office will both close at some point in the future.  I am still waiting for answers from Royal Mail and the Post Office about their plans for these essential services – and will be working with the CWU and Hounslow Council on solutions to ensure that local people are not left stranded.

 

The new Co-op store opposite Gunnersbury station has had a persistent problem of anti-social behaviour that’s affected customers, staff and local residents.  I am awaiting a response to my letter to the Co-op’s management about their plans to address the situation

 

It was a pleasure to attend a number of important local events;

KEEPING IN TOUCH

 

Twitter: @RuthCadbury Web: www.ruthcadbury.org.uk Facebook: “ RuthCadburyMP”

 

Casework: for issues to raise with me as your MP, please contact my office: [email protected]

Tel: 020 8581 3646 or write: Ruth Cadbury MP, House of Commons, SW1A 0AA. I hold weekly advice surgeries, please get in touch for an appointment. Many issues can be dealt with quickly be email or a phone call which saves waiting for the next available surgery.

 

Diary:  I welcome the opportunity to attend community events and to meet residents or party members, concerned about issues affecting the area or specific groups of people.  Please do get in touch with by emailing [email protected] or phone 020 7219 8590

Printed from an email sent my Ruth Cadbury MP