Today, I joined young people in Brixton to call for urgent action to save our planet, as part of the global climate strike. Millions of people in 139 countries are striking from school and work to demand that their governments act to prevent catastrophic climate change. We are already seeing the effects of global heating with extreme weather events, dramatic losses in biodiversity, and rising sea levels.

Scientists agree that to stop warming beyond 1.5C we must reach net-zero emissions by 2050. However, even this small temperature increase would be devastating for our environment. We need to be bolder and urgently transition away from the use of fossil fuels and lead the rest of the world in fighting climate change.

At Labour Party Conference this coming week, I will be supporting proposals to introduce a Green New Deal for our economy. I will also be speaking on panels throughout the week to discuss how we can tackle both the climate crisis and the housing crisis through zero carbon homes and sustainable development and the urgent action we need to improve air quality.

This has been an extraordinary week in our politics.  On Saturday, I joined the protest outside Downing Street against Boris Johnson’s undemocratic decision to prorogue Parliament, stopping MPs from representing our constituents and holding him to account during a time of national crisis and risking a catastrophic no deal Brexit unleashing across the country with job-losses, shortages of food and medicine and peace in Northern Ireland at risk.

In Parliament, I voted for the Bill to stop Boris Johnson from allowing the UK to crash out of the EU with no deal, requiring him to seek a further extension to Article 50 until the end of January 2020.  I am pleased that this Bill is set to complete all its stages in Parliament by the end of this week.  While a majority of MPs have been working to stop no deal, Boris Johnson has shown himself to be a liar and a charlatan at the despatch box – casually referring to Scotch Whiskey – a product already exported to the US with zero tariff as a product which would benefit from a trade deal with the US, petulantly sacking the longest serving MP and twenty other colleagues out of his party, and using inflammatory language to stoke further division in our country.

I look forward to a general election and to campaigning for a Labour government, and since Boris Johnson now has no majority in the House of Commons, an election must take place very soon, but we must first make sure that every possibility of the UK crashing out of the EU with no deal has been removed.  I will continue to do everything possible to stop no deal, oppose Boris Johnson and represent the strongly held pro-Remain views of my constituents.

Photo credit - Jacqui Hawking

Earlier today, I signed the Church House Declaration along with over 160 MPs including John McDonnell and Keir Starmer. This makes clear to Boris Johnson that MPs will not allow his Government to shut down Parliament to force through a no deal Brexit. We have pledged to work together across parties to do whatever is necessary to prevent a disastrous no-deal Brexit. I welcome the statement between opposition party leaders following today’s meeting led by Jeremy Corbyn. The attendees agreed on the urgency to work together to find ways to prevent a no-deal Brexit, including passing legislation or a vote of no confidence in this right wing Tory Government.

A no-deal Brexit will be a disaster for our country and our communities. It will lead to job-losses, food and medicine shortages, and the return of a hard border in Northern Ireland putting peace at risk. I am currently supporting legal action to prevent the prorogation of Parliament and calling for MPs to be recalled early from recess. I will continue to work tirelessly to prevent this disastrous outcome and to call for the public to be given a final say on Brexit through a People’s Vote with the option to Remain.

I have today written to the Prime Minister to demand the urgent recall of Parliament.

A no-deal Brexit poses significant risks to our country’s economy and security threatening immediate disruption to food and medical supplies, wide-spread job losses and the return of a hard-border in Northern Ireland. It would be outrageous and wholly undemocratic for the Government to deny Parliament the opportunity to hold Ministers to account at this time of national emergency. You can read my letter below>>

Today, I challenged the Tory Minister for Local Government on his department’s shocking complacency regarding local council funding. The austerity begun under the Tory-Lib Dem coalition in 2010, has cut local councils to the bone. London Councils will have seen a 63% real terms cut to core funding from central government by 2020. These cuts have direct consequences for the services residents rely on.

Children’s services and adult social care look after the most vulnerable adults and young people in our communities. There is currently a £3.1 billion gap in the funding for children’s services and a £4.3 billion gap in the funding of adult social care. This means that thousands of people are living without the care and support they desperately need - it is nothing short of a scandal.  

To add to the uncertainty, the government has failed to set out the local government funding settlement for 2020-21, so just 8 months from the beginning of the new financial year our councils have no idea what budget they have available to plan the services they need to provide.

Today, I supported Diane Abbott’s urgent question condemning the shameful revelation that the Home Office has placed more than 500 people who were identified victims of modern slavery in immigration detention. It is completely unacceptable for anyone to be held in the appalling conditions found in detention centres, like Yarl’s Wood, but especially innocent women who have been victims of exploitation and trafficking. The Home Office should be focused upon prosecuting those who have exploited these vulnerable people and, rather than being forced to undergo lengthy immigration proceedings, these women should be offered protection and support by the state.

The immigration detention system is one of the most extreme manifestations of Theresa May’s hostile environment policy, separating parents from children, and incarcerating people who present no risk to the public indefinitely. Labour has promised to close Yarl’s Wood and use the money saved to invest in support for survivors of modern slavery, trafficking and domestic violence. 

Today, I challenged the Immigration minister on the lack of funded support for young adult asylum seekers. These young people have faced unimaginable experiences to reach the UK, often making a treacherous journey as children, and facing separation from their parents, and they are often particularly vulnerable.

On arrival in the UK they are left with no designated person to support them.  I am proud to support Refugee Rights Europe’s calls for a youth welfare officer in every asylum accommodation to provide young asylum seekers with the emotional support to recover from their experiences, offer guidance on engaging with the Home Office and ensure they are protected from exploitation. 

Many of my constituents have got in touch in relation to several amendments to the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill. I will be in touch with everyone who has contacted me soon to explain my thoughts on each of the amendments in much more detail, but I wanted to set out right away a brief explanation of how I voted.