Residents across many parts of Dulwich and West Norwood have reported significant problems with postal deliveries since last year.  Although there have been problems in the East Dulwich SE22 postcode area since Royal Mail closed the SE22 delivery office on Silvester Road two years ago, these problems have worsened even further since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.  Since late 2020, residents in SE19 and SE27 have also experienced serious delays, with some problems in other postcode areas too.

I have been in constant communication with Royal Mail about these problems and it is very disappointing that they are still unresolved.  I am clear that the problems are not the fault of postal workers, who have been working tirelessly throughout the pandemic, and have been a vital lifeline for many people.  It is very concerning to hear that many postal workers have fallen ill with coronavirus and that sickness rates at Royal Mail have been very high.  I am grateful to every single postal worker for their vital work at the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic.  Notwithstanding the hard work and commitment of postal workers, there are serious problems at Royal Mail.

In order to reduce the transmission of the coronavirus, it is essential that anyone with symptoms or who is contacted by the test and trace system self-isolates fully for the advised period. However, Statutory Sick Pay is just £95.85 per week – which doesn’t even cover rent for a single bedroom in London, so for many people who are unable to work from home, self-isolation will lead to a devastating loss of income. 

Earlier today the head of the government’s Test and Trace programme admitted that at least 40% of people are refusing to self-isolate and many are too scared to get tested in case they lose work. I asked the Minister for Work and Pensions what is being done to ensure that Statutory Sick Pay is sufficient to enable everyone who needs to self-isolate to do so >>

The Tories are planning to cut Universal Credit by £20 a week, or £1,000 a year.  The pandemic has been devastating to household incomes across Dulwich and West Norwood.  11,190 households in my constituency are now supported by Universal Credit and we know that this number will continue to rise in the coming months.  With so many people struggling to make ends meet, pay the bills and put food on the table the Government shouldn’t be making people on the lowest incomes shoulder the burden of this terrible pandemic.  Unfortunately I wasn’t called to speak in the debate today, but I will be voting against this cruel and shameful cut. #CancelTheCut

Yesterday, Parliament voted to confirm the new lockdown regulations. Unfortunately, the debate ended before I was able to speak, but I am in no doubt that these new measures are necessary. In London we have seen the rapid rise in cases in December sadly translate into increasing hospitalisation and deaths. It is imperative that we all follow the restrictions, which you can see in the image below, and urgently suppress the spread of the virus.

I am deeply disappointed that the Government has wasted the past nine months and have not prepared for the widely expected winter surge. We have seen decisions taken far too late creating confusion and distress for people across Dulwich and West Norwood. In the past six weeks, London has gone from national lockdown, Tiers 2, 3 and 4 and now returning to national restrictions. The Government now must drastically increase the speed of the vaccine roll out and get a grip on this virus.

I am in regular contact with King’s College Hospital and our local health care providers. Staff across our NHS are continuing to work relentless hard in exceptionally challenging circumstances, and my heartfelt gratitude goes to every single one of them. Due to the surging numbers of serious cases of Covid-19 and increasing numbers of staff needing to self-isolate, local services are incredibly stretched. I know many residents will be concerned about reports that non-covid services including cancer surgery have been disrupted. Such decisions are only taken as an absolute last resort and are the clearest illustration of why these new restrictions are needed. If you are in need of care please call 111 or your local GP for advice and only attend A&E in an emergency.

The new lockdown is very hard, and will be devastating for many residents’ livelihoods. I am continuing to call on the Government to close the gaps in financial support and provide businesses with what they need to survive. I welcome the Chancellor’s announcement of some business support, but this did not mention the millions of employees and self-employed people who will be impact by the new restrictions. The Government must ensure these groups are supported and extend the £20 uplift in Universal Credit which is currently due to end in March.  It is also completely unacceptable that the government is refusing to reinstate the ‘Everyone In’ programme of emergency accommodation for rough sleepers at a time when both the weather and the risks of coronavirus are much worse than they were during the first lockdown when this scheme was introduced; or extend the eviction ban currently due to end on 11^th January.

I also know that the closure of schools will have a severe impact on the education and wellbeing of children and young people across Dulwich and West Norwood. Although, I agree that this closure is sadly necessary, the Government’s last minute announcement gave teachers no time to prepare for remote learning and left many working parents unable to make childcare arrangements. I am deeply concerned that children across our area have still not been provided with the laptop devices and broadband services they need to access learning from home, and that the Government is continuing to refuse to reimburse local schools for their costs. I am in contact with local headteachers and I will be following up on their concerns with the Department for Education.

As the mass roll out of vaccines is getting underway, we can now begin to see a way through this crisis. However, the threat from Covid-19 to our health and to the NHS remains very real. It is important that we all continue to follow the restrictions to relieve pressure on the NHS and save lives whilst the vaccination programme is rolled out.

Please keep safe at this difficult time. Along with my small team, I am working hard to support everyone in my constituency who needs help.  Please let me know if there is anything that I can do to support you.  I am still receiving an exceptionally high level of correspondence, so please bear with me and my small team as we work hard to get back to everyone as quickly as possible. 

Today the House of Commons has been given just five hours to debate and scrutinise the trade deal that Boris Johnson has negotiated with the EU and the implementation legislation.  Fewer than one in ten MPs have had the opportunity to speak in the debate on legislation which will have profound implications for our economy and national life for years, if not decades to come.  I was not successful in the ballot to speak in the debate, so I have published the speech that I would have given here, setting out why I cannot support the bill and have therefore chosen to abstain.

This Christmas will be especially difficult for hundreds of families in our area who have seen their income drop due to coronavirus and are struggling to make ends meet. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, food poverty was rising in the UK, a shameful fact in one of the richest countries in the world. 

We need major changes in government policy to put an end to food poverty, policies which ensure that people are paid a real living wage, and that meaningful support is there for everyone who needs it.  I will keep campaigning in Parliament for this change.  But in the meantime I am so grateful for the tireless work of the staff and volunteers at Norwood and Brixton food bank.

This Christmas they are busier than ever, currently delivering hundreds of food parcels each week to people who need extra help, and doing so with real love and care. Please help our local foodbanks ensure that no-one in our communities has to go hungry this Christmas.  You can give £5, £10 or £20 by texting DINNER (eg to give £10 text DINNER10) to 70085.  More details are at the end of my short film.  Thank you!

On Saturday, Boris Johnson announced at the last minute that London would be moved into the new Tier 4 coronavirus restrictions and that planned household mixing over Christmas will be cancelled for Londoners. This will be a devastating blow for local businesses who have only just reopened, and for families across our constituency who were looking forward to reuniting after this difficult year. You can see the full rules below.

The spread of the new more infectious strain of Covid-19 is extremely worrying and it is important that we all follow the new rules and do whatever we can to stop its rapid spread across our communities. However, it is also clear that Boris Johnson and the Tories have once again waited far too long to act, let the virus spread out of control and caused chaos and distress for thousands of families and small businesses who were left with plans in disarray and no time to adjust. Only last week the Government dismissed legitimate concerns about the safety of the planned Christmas easing as inhumane, and many families will have made travel plans and other arrangements on this basis.

At the end of this extraordinarily difficult year, I know how much so many people were looking forward to the comfort of time with family and friends.  By acting far too late, Boris Johnson is compounding the pain of the coronavirus pandemic, promising one thing, but then ripping up long-made plans at the last minute. The Prime Minister must show some leadership, be honest with the country and stop leaving the difficult decisions until it is too late.

Wherever you are, please keep yourself and others safe, have a Happy Christmas and a peaceful and healthy New Year.