It’s become fashionable to claim our politics is broken and, given the recent behaviour of a few leaders, it’s easy to understand why, but are some of the loudest critics also breaking our politics? I’m talking about the intolerant activists, those who never stand for election to anything but assume they’re always right and knowContinue reading Critics Must Allow Debate
I was upset to hear that two elderly constituents have been found dead in their own homes, particularly as I received the news shortly after the horrific story about an elderly, south London woman who lay dead in her flat for over two years. It’s horrible to think of anyone dying in such circumstances butContinue reading Elderly Must Be a Priority
Racism and prejudice affect all cultures and societies, and the temptation to look for scapegoats in times of difficulty is not unusual. A sense of unfairness, lack of reward for honest work and justice for those trying to do the right things is currently impacting on the normal tolerance of British people. In 2019, antisemitismContinue reading No Place for Fearmongering
When will this government address the problems of damp and mould in housing, so starkly revealed by the coroner’s findings in the tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishack? I’m horrified at the condition of properties which constituents of mine, with young children, are being forced to live in. It reminds me of the BBC dramaContinue reading Housing Reaches Crisis Point
Can you believe it’s been thirty eight years since the release of ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’? Stars of the time came together to raise money for famine victims in Ethiopia. It’s thought as many as one million starved to death. Bob Geldof and Midge Ure were the leading figures, following in the footsteps ofContinue reading Aid Needs More Than a Band Aid
I started this week on a positive note by attending the launch of the Midland Hub at Birmingham Council House. It’s a plan to improve rail services across the region with more routes and increased frequency. Not entirely a new idea, I remember a version in the mid-90s when a young Councillor McCabe chaired Birmingham’s TransportContinue reading All Aboard the Midland Hub Express
‘Levelling Up’ is supposed to be the government’s flagship policy but what does it mean? The PM says it’s about reducing imbalances across communities without penalising others. He promised us a White Paper to explain it, a government discussion document leading to legislation and action, but it keeps getting put back. The latest date isContinue reading £52m won’t ‘level up’ city
Just when you might have thought they’d secretly passed a law to ban it, we’ve finally seen the resignation of a government minister. Is it just a story about someone having an affair or does it say much more about this government? The former Health Secretary has enjoyed extraordinary power during his time in chargeContinue reading Kiss was tip of iceberg
