This week in Parliament

The house rose for a short recess on Wednesday but it was still a fruitful few days down in Westminster this week.

I spoke in the Chamber during a 𝐝𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬. Oldham has always been a town of hard work and heart, but let us be honest: the challenges facing towns like it up and down the country are significant.

In large towns, we have seen the hyper-local becoming more popular. District centres like Royton, where people want to create somewhere to go, are thriving, and our cities are thriving, but the towns, somewhere in the middle, are struggling. We need a strategy for our towns, as well as wider investment.

Through co-operation, we can give power to people in the places where they live and that they care about. We can end the top-down model of command and control, in which we tell people what they need for their area. We should give money to communities, so that they can decide matters for themselves and collectively co-produce solutions for their places.

Thank you to 𝗢𝗹𝗱𝗵𝗮𝗺’𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 who met with me this week as they came to Parliament to look around and watch PMQs from the gallery before the UK Youth Parliament met.

It was an honour to once again 𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘀’ 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 as the representative for Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton to commemorate those who sacrificed so much for our country.

Members voted on both the 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹 during its final stages in Parliament and the Second Reading of the Public Accountability Bill, also known as “𝗛𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗟𝗮𝘄”. Both are landmark pieces of legislation which deliver on key manifesto commitments we put forward at last years election. One is a once-in-a-generation enhancement to rights at work; and the other will be there to make sure victims & families get the truth, accountability, and fair treatment they deserve.

Now back up to Oldham for a weekend of commemorations and reflections ahead of Armistice Day next week.