Throughout the pandemic care workers continued to provide care and support to our most vulnerable loved ones, even as the virus brought devastation to care homes.   Despite the words of Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock, there was no ‘protective ring’ around care homes.  Staff struggled for months to access PPE and Covid testing, and a shortage of tests meant that hospitals continued to discharge Covid-positive patients into care homes where they spread infection.  I have heard harrowing accounts from care workers of their grief and fear as they saw colleagues and residents contracting the virus. Yet so many went above and beyond the call of duty, leaving their families to move into care homes, to avoid the risk of bringing the infection in from outside, comforting residents who were unable to see family and friends, and going to great lengths to help residents to maintain contact through FaceTime or Zoom.  No-one should be paid less than the living wage for this work which requires skill, commitment and compassion. 

In 2019, Boris Johnson promised he had a comprehensive plans ready to go to reform the social care system. Almost two years later, and after more than a decade of detailed cross party work by select committees, all-party parliamentary groups, think tanks and others, there has been no progress at all.  We hear today just the briefest mention of social care in the Queen’s Speech, when it should be centre-stage.  This simply isn’t good enough, the Government must urgently work to build cross-party agreement on a plan for social care reform, a long term, sustainable funding settlement and a proper pay rise for social care workers.  I recently led a debate in Parliament on social care.  You can see my recent speech here>>

I am deeply concerned about the escalating violence in East Jerusalem. The brutal attacks on worshippers in the Al-Aqsa mosque during Ramadan are wholly unacceptable. The evictions of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah in breach of international law must stop. I have written urgently to the Foreign Secretary to call on him to engage with the Israeli government and work with international partners to end the immediate violence and re-start a meaningful peace process. You can read my letter below>>

I have been contacted by many constituents in Herne Hill and Loughborough Junction about the planning application for a 29 storey tower and a 20 storey tower on Hardess Street/Wellfit Street and Hinton Road. I have previously opposed this development and I continue to believe that these proposals are wholly unsuitable for the local area. Along with local Labour councillors, Cllr Jim Dickson and Cllr Pauline George, I have written again to Lambeth Council to object to the development.

Under Sadiq Khan’s leadership, the London Violence Reduction Unit, established in 2019, has began important work to reduce violence, including knife and gun crime, in Lambeth and Southwark. This includes funding and supporting inspirational projects and organisations based in Brixton and other parts of my constituency.

Violent crime is preventable, but this can only be achieved by creating positive opportunities for young people and tackling the underlying causes of crime. This will not be quick or easy, and needs a long term strategy. Yet, currently the Government will only fund VRUs one year at a time making it impossible to plan long-term interventions. Last month, I called on the Minister to provide the multi-year sustainable funding needed for the VRU to succeed>>

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, as a Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Adult Social Care, I have been meeting regularly with a wide range of people who work in social care and rely on social care. Their first-hand experiences have born no relationship to the Government’s statements on social care: there was no protective ring around care homes, and staff and residents were left exposed without PPE or testing, care home residents died in shockingly high numbers as a result.

Social care workers have carried on in desperate circumstances caring diligently for our most frail and vulnerable loved ones. As we emerge from the pandemic, the Government must recognise their sacrifices by delivering the long overdue reform of social care funding, putting care on an equal status with the NHS, and ensuring all care workers are given a real living wage. You can see my speech from last week here >>

It was fantastic to be back at the amazing Ebony Horse Club yesterday with Mayor Sadiq Khan.  Ebony Horse Club enables young people living in south London to ride horses and learn skills of animal care and equestrianism and it was great to meet some of the young riders and to hear what a hugely positive experience Ebony has provided for them, and to see their riding skills in action. Under Sadiq’s leadership, City Hall has provided vital funding for Ebony Horse Club and other projects supporting young people in Brixton and elsewhere in my constituency.

Yesterday Sadiq announced his pledge to place young people at the centre of London’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic if he is re-elected as Mayor on 6 May, and to keep on investing in positive futures, guaranteeing access to a mentor for every young person in need by 2024 and high quality local youth services.