I welcome the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill which begins the work of stitching back together a system of support for children & families & places children once again at the heart of government policy

I spoke today on why this is needed & the areas I’ll be scrutinising>>

Today Parliament voted on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill which would give people aged 18 and over the right to be prescribed medication to end their life in circumstances where they have been given a prognosis of six months or less to live, two doctors and a judge have agreed their decision and they are able to administer the medication themselves.

In my nine and a half years in Parliament, few decisions have weighed more heavily on my mind or caused me more sleepless nights. 

I am really glad to see a focus in the King’s Speech on children and young people. This Labour government will deliver thousands of new teachers in our schools, action to improve the mental health and wellbeing or children and young people, free breakfast clubs in every primary school and support for young people who are at risk of serious violence.

Child poverty has risen shamefully under 14 years of Conservative government, and it must be an urgent priority of the new government to eradicate it. You can see my speech from today here >>