My latest update from Harrow and
Westminster ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌


[Update]

 

Dear John,

 

It’s the end of the first week of March and I’m looking forward to
longer, brighter days as the Spring equinox approaches. February
passed by quickly in Harrow and Westminster and I fear, with average
energy bills set to rise, that some of the coldest days of the year
are not yet behind us for many in Harrow.

 

While people are struggling to keep homes warm, I completely recognise
the need to normalise the support for those that need it, please do
visit a warm hub if you are in need of a warm drink and warm company.
The excellent Voluntary Action Harrow Co-operative have set-up a very
helpful map of all the warm hubs accessible across Harrow, which can
be found here:
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Below is my newsletter covering some of my work in Parliament and
locally in Harrow too – through out the month, you can find regular
updates from me on FACEBOOK [[link removed]],
TWITTER [[link removed]] and INSTAGRAM
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SURGERIES, LITTER-PICKING & TOURS 

[Great British Spring Clean]

[Wealdstone Clean]

Following our recent community clean-up of West Harrow Park, where
together, we collected over 30 bags of rubbish from across the park, I
look forward to joining an even bigger project. The indefatigable
Harrow Litter Pickers will be taking on Wealdstone as part of the
Great British Spring Clean from the 17th March - 2nd April. 🌳 🚮

 

I look forward to joining the first day meetup at Harrow and
Wealdstone Station at 10.30AM and hope to see many local residents
there!

 

Last year, #LitterHeroes from around the country pulled on their
gloves, grabbed their litter-pickers and pledged to join the
#BigBagChallenge. Together, many removed almost half a million bags or
rubbish from the environment.

18 MARCH - 2 APRIL 2023

 

SHEET TO SIGN UP AND VOLUNTEER

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MAP

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(Credit to George Bit of Harrow Litter Pickers for working so hard to
put this together)

[Walk-in surgery]

Last year, I held at least one walk-in surgery in every ward of Harrow
West, collecting hundreds of cases in surgeries across local churches,
temples, mosques and community centres.

 

If you have a suggestion of where you would like me to host a surgery
in 2023, do please drop me a line. I also run my regular advice
surgery, taking on casework at my constituency office at 132-134
BLENHEIM ROAD, this surgery is appointment-based and appointments can
be made by calling my parliamentary office on 020 7219 4243.

[parliament]

It was a privilege to show a number of families around Parliament over
the last month – as always, great questions about political
decisions in Westminster and the impact they have locally on people in
Harrow.

 

A reminder that anyone living in Harrow West and wanting to join a
tour of your House of Commons
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please feel free to let me know by filling out a form here:
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CAMPAIGN FOR TOWN CENTRE POLICE TEAM

[SNT Meeting]

As many will recall, I wrote to the Met Police Commisioner in late
2021 to outline our urgent need for a Town Centre Police team in
Harrow. This followed a number of meetings I had held with local
residents & SNT to discuss the issue of violence against women and
girls & safety in the Town Centre.

 

It astonishes me that after our efforts, with hundreds of residents
supporting the campaign- Harrow only just missed out on a Town Centre
Police team last year. Last week's stabbing in central Harrow only
emphasised the need for one.

 

According to Independent Crime Statistics, since 2010, crime has risen
by 15% in Harrow. Our Town Centre is definitely in need of its own
inspector, three sergeants and 21 police constables. If you haven't
already - sign and/or share my petition calling on the Met
Commissioner to support us with a Town Centre team:
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I will aim to present another letter to Sir Mark Rowley after I meet
with local police.

PARLIAMENT ROUND-UP

[GT Parliament]

CAMMELL LAIRD 37

 

Earlier this month I led a debate to call for a Public Inquiry into
the potential historic injustice of the Cammell Laird 37. It is almost
40 years since Cammell Laird ship workers voted for strike action in
an effort to save their jobs as the yard faced a round of 800
redundancies.

 

This led to a four-month occupation of a rig and frigate under
construction at the yard, with the men only reluctantly agreeing to
leave after having their water cut-off and threats of special forces
taking them by force. The men were arrested as they left the rig they
were occupying and imprisoned at Liverpool’s HMP Walton without the
representation of their choice. The strikers were also striped of
their right to redundancy, pensions and blackballed from their trades.

 

Whilst documentation surrounding the imprisonment is scarce or
admitted to having been destroyed by government departments involved
in the case recently released documents suggest the Government of the
time, led by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, were keen to mothball
the shipyard as they sought to privatise the sector.

These men were at the heart of a legitimate national industrial
dispute about the very future of British Shipbuilding. Shipbuilding
yards across the UK were pitted against each other. These men built
the ships our defence industry relied upon, and they were also trying
to defend their jobs that was the lifeblood of their community, but
they were painted as militants and thrown into prison as the Thatcher
Government sought to sell off the nations thriving shipbuilding
industry.

I will continue to do what I can to fight on behalf of the 37, these
men deserve justice, and the case resonates to this day as we see the
current Tory government perpetually trying to smear key workers as
they try to save their sectors.

 

·      You can read the full debate here:
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·      And watch my speech here:
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TRADE QUESTIONS

 

The Department for International Trade has recently been merged with
the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in a
reshuffle by the Prime Minister. Whilst I understand there might be an
argument for the interlinking of these two departments, I cannot help
but fear this is an effort by government to sweep their appalling
record on trade under the carpet, a move which will lead to even less
scrutiny of the government on their failed trade policy.

The scheduled trade questions did go ahead and took the opportunity to
ask Ministers from the newly amalgamated Department of Business and
Trade (BaT) why exports to Germany from nations around the world are
up but exports to Germany from the UK are DOWN. Was it the EU deal at
fault or lack of support for exporters? Ministers once again didn’t
have any explanation for these shocking figures.

 

I also pushed Ministers on their once much trumpeted trade deal with
the United States. They, of course, never managed to secure a deal.
Once again overpromising and underdelivering. A situation which is
particularly problematic as had they negotiated a free trade agreement
with the U.S., as they all promised at the last General Election,
British firms would have been protected from the Inflation Reduction
Act that means new investment & jobs here in green energy & tech are
at risk. Unfortunately, the infighting in the Conservative Party last
year led to Ministers waking up too late to the threat and they’ve
done much too little since to respond to the problems these new
subsidies will cause British firms.

 

You can watch and read Ministers evade these important questions here:
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And here:
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GOVERNOR OF XINJIANG - UK VISIT:

 

As it turned out the Governor of Xinjiang, a man who appears to be
directly responsible for human rights violations taking place towards
the Uyghur Community, ended up cancelling his visit to the UK. Until
he did the Government were intent on meeting with rather than
sanctioning him. A point I raised to the Minister.

·      Available here:

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·     
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OVERSEAS AID: CHILD HEALTH AND EDUCATION

 

Westminster Hall saw an important debate on overseas aid and its
impact on the health and education of children around the world. I
have always believed that our first responsibility in this House is to
our own citizens. However, there is also a moral responsibility for
us, to do our bit to help those in the poorest countries.

It is in our self-interest to do so. DFID was a global leader
throughout its existence, which enhanced UK soft power. Development
assistance helps to build up markets, creating job opportunities not
just in country but, as a result of trade, also benefits people here
in the UK.

 

 

READ AND WATCH MY FULL SPEECH HERE:

·     
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·     
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And

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HARROW COUNCIL

[Council Tax rise]

One of the biggest campaign issues raised during last year’s council
elections was the high levels of council tax being forced on the
Harrow taxpayer. The low level of funding to Harrow from central
Government is an issue I have raised in Parliament on a number of
occasions over the years. A sad outcome of the Conservatives making
Council Tax a huge campaigning issues is that they have been
unsuccessful in cutting council tax.

 

In grim news for Harrow residents, Harrow Conservatives have decided
to raise our tax bills by the maximum 5% this year, while cutting
support to the elderly and cutting street cleaning and refuse
collections. These cuts can not come at a worse time – as my office
is receiving several e-mails per weeks relating to missed bins and fly
tipping. Good to know then, they’re setting aside £250,000 for
videos to promote themselves and the Council...

 

READ MORE:

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[Energy price cap rise]

It's also worth recognising, the Conservatives have no plan to end
soaring energy bills. Their Government is still refusing to scrap the
planned £500 rise in household energy bills on April 1st. I know many
families are really worried about prices soaring in April and so it's
urgent the government gives them reassurance now, and extends the
windfall tax on oil and gas giants to give them support for their
energy bills as Labour would.

 

Worth remembering, this is at the same time that Centrica, the company
that owns British Gas
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made a record profit of £3.3bn in 2022. Lower energy bills, warmer
homes, and clean power. That’s the difference a Labour government
would make!

CAMPAIGN FOR MORE ITU BEDS AT NORTHWICK PARK HOSPITAL

[gareth northeick]

The Accident & Emergency service at Northwick Park continues to be the
busiest in London and one of the busiest in the country. The Intensive
Therapy Unit ITU regularly receives the highest number of blue-light
ambulances in London, placing additional pressure on critical care.

 

As a result, Northwick Park’s ITU has regularly averaged AS HIGH AS
99% OF ITS BED OCCUPANCY and is clearly in need of additional ITU
beds. Our ITU is in need of additional beds to meet its current
pressures. This would also allow our local Trust to use existing space
to increase its general and acute bed base.

 

 

[Ltr to SoS]

It is clear that a new 60 bed unit would offer better staff to patient
ratios, create a much better working environment and crucially,
provide improved clinical outcomes. I have written to the Health
Secretary to find out how the Dept for Health will seek to improve our
ITU facilities.

 

HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE NOW SIGNED MY PETITION – PLEASE CONTINUE TO
SHARE AS I CALL ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR HEALTH TO FUND MORE ITU
BEDS IN NORTHWICK PARK HOSPITAL:
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UNIVERSITY FAIR - FEBRUARY 27TH 2023

[Uni Fair]

O n MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH , I JOINED WHITMORE HIGH SCHOOL TO HOST OUR
SIXTH ANNUAL UNIVERSITY FAIR - I was delighted to meet with hundreds
of Harrow students, from Whitmore and Avanti, to Nower Hill and
Pinner, to Rooks Heath and more, all in attendance at my University
Fair this afternoon! Great to have local representation in Brunel and
Westminster, as well as unis further out in Newcastle and Oxford too.
I really appreciated meeting Year 11s too. It’s never too early to
have these discussions - university comes around quite quickly and if
students can’t plan a visit to one, it’s always helpful to get
reading up on different universities and different degrees or
apprenticeships.

The University Fair is one of the only events in Harrow’s calendar
where students from local Harrow state schools have the opportunity to
engage with 30 of the UKs leading universities including Oxbridge.
Harrow has excellent schools with an estimated 63% of local school
students going onto Higher Education. Until six years ago there
wasn’t an opportunity within the borough of Harrow for these
students to speak with representatives of the leading UK Universities
prior to submitting their UCAS applications.

All the big private schools across the country organise their own
University Fairs giving their students a significant advantage in the
UCAS process as well as ensuring that they have all the information
necessary to make the decision that will define their future for at
least the next three to four years if not longer. With this event, in
partnership with Whitmore School, I have alwayed aimed to even out the
playing field, to provide our school students with some of the same
opportunities as their privately educated peers.

SUPPORT IN HARROW

[Warm Hubs]

In the backdrop to all the political turmoil in Westminster this year
- on the ground here in Harrow, one of the richest countries in the
world will be dependent on the good will of some amazing charities,
churches and mosques for  “warm hubs” this winter.

 

I will aim to drop by to more of the warm banks and offer my support
when I can. While people are struggling to keep homes warm, I
completely recognise the need to normalise the support for those that
need it, so do visit a warm hub if you need a warm drink and some warm
company.

 

Voluntary Action Harrow have set-up a very helpful map of all the warm
hubs accessible across Harrow, which can be found here:
[link removed]
[[link removed]]

 

 

NEW MENTAL HEALTH PARTNERSHIP FOR HARROW

[Young Harrow Foundation]

THE EXCELLENT YOUNG HARROW FOUNDATION HAS CREATED a suite of FREE new
mental health services and resources for young people aged 5-25. THE
SERVICES ARE DESIGNED TO HELP EMPOWER YOUNG PEOPLE TO TAKE CONTROL OF
THEIR EMOTIONAL HEALTH, BEFORE THE CRISIS POINT. SCHOOL BASED SERVICES
FOR TEACHERS AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES OPEN FOR REFERRALS FROM
PARENTS, SCHOOLS, GPS, AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS WORKING WITH YOUNG
PEOPLE. 

 

VISIT THE SUITE HERE: [link removed]
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LONDON’S COMMUNITY KITCHEN:

[London's Community Kitchen]

LONDON'S COMMUNITY KITCHEN (based at The Bridge, next to Harrow
Leisure Centre) run a Free Surplus Food Market open to everyone
every FRIDAY FROM 3-5PM. At the height of the pandemic, this
operation served over 10,000 people across Harrow and London. Please
consider donating or getting involved in any way that you can with
this incredible Harrow-wide response to the cost of living crisis: 
[link removed]
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If you’re ever in need of their support, the Community Kitchen want
to help - they won’t ask you for any details, or anything in return,
just turn up and they will provide you with food.

 

[Labour Rose]
 

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