One of the saddest things about being an MP are the emails and messages from desperate parents or grandparents about housing problems. They often describe homelessness or awful accommodation and its impact on mental health or illnesses suffered by children. I write to the council who tell me where that person is on the waitingContinue reading Save our family homes
It’s great that Mondelez, who now own Cadbury, have announced a further £15 million investment at Bournville in addition to the £80 million programme since 2014. It means production of Dairy Milk is coming home with workers gearing up to produce 125 million bars per year. Some like to say Dairy Milk doesn’t taste theContinue reading A sweet future depends on research opportunity
Steve McCabe MP, Birmingham-Selly Oak, is a member of the Work and Pensions Select Committee who in a report released today, recommend that the Chancellor must maintain for another year ‘at the very least’ the £20 per week increase in Universal Credit (UC) and Working Tax Credit introduced to support families during the coronavirus pandemic. The report notes that sinceContinue reading Universal Credit uplift must be extended to prevent hundreds of thousands falling into poverty
Steve McCabe MP has called a Government decision to raise the energy price cap at the very time when unemployment is set to soar as ‘ratcheting up not levelling up.’ Today Ofgem announced the energy price cap will return to pre-pandemic levels on 1 April 2021, putting thousands of households at risk of fuel poverty. The most recent GovernmentContinue reading Birmingham MP Condemns Ratcheting up of Energy Bills as Unemployment Soars
Selly Oak MP, Steve McCabe is calling on the Council to refuse plans to build a 4 storey student accommodation block next to a local nursery. Plans were submitted to Birmingham City Council to turn a semi-derelict 0.2 acre portion of land next to Selly Oak Nursery into a 4-storey purpose-built student accommodation block. The site would pose safeguarding concerns for the local nursery as their Forest SchoolContinue reading MP Supports Local Nursery in Fight Against Student Developers
Steve McCabe MP for Birmingham Selly Oak has called the Government’s proposed plans to cut Universal Credit reckless, as unemployment rises again. Figures released today show an estimated 1.72 million people were unemployed between September and November 2020, which is the highest rate of unemployment in five years. Locally in Birmingham Selly Oak 7.4% were claiming unemployment benefits in December 2020. ThisContinue reading Birmingham MP warns of benefit cuts as unemployment soars
REMEMBER Mrs Thatcher selling off all those council houses! The government’s got a new plan called ‘Right to Regenerate’ which they say will increase house building and improve local areas. Like council house sales, it involves selling off council land, garages and empty properties, but will it work? Birmingham, with a population of over oneContinue reading Housing plans central to who we choose as mayor
As New Year progresses, the struggle continues with much focus now on the vaccine roll out, but there’s also growing concern about the enforcement of lockdown arrangements. Two women were fined by Derbyshire Police, later rescinded, after a story appeared about them driving five miles to walk around a reservoir while carrying hot drinks. ThereContinue reading Officers at receiving end of trying to police lockdown
Steve McCabe MP, Birmingham Selly Oak is calling on the Chancellor to act now to save jobs, businesses and livelihoods in Tier 3 Birmingham. Figures released today show a bleak trend of rising unemployment across the country. In Birmingham Selly Oak constituency 7.5% of the population are now claiming unemployment benefits, well above the nationalContinue reading Birmingham MP Stands with Businesses in calls to Protect Jobs
IT appears that a small group of cabinet ministers decided last week to place Birmingham in Tier 3. Without further support, that amounts to another nail in the coffin for our hospitality sector. I’m not sure I follow the reasoning that sees Birmingham in Tier 3 and London in Tier 2. If we judge itContinue reading A final nail in the coffin with no-one fighting our corner
