This week in Parliament

It has been a big week in Westminster. We started with the 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹 returning to the Commons for Report Stage. Great to see my Co op Party colleague Miatta Fahnbulleh leading on this. It is a real step forward in shifting power from Westminster to our regions and local communities.

On Wednesday at Commons Business Questions, I raised the issue of the 𝗛𝗠𝗥𝗖 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. It has been stuck at the same level for 15 years while the cost of running a car has shot up. It is time working people were treated fairly and properly compensated for the mileage they cover.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁 dominated the rest of the week. One of the most welcome decisions was scrapping the two child benefit cap. That move alone will lift 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 6,000 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘖𝘭𝘥𝘩𝘢𝘮 𝘞𝘦𝘴𝘵, 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘰𝘺𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘺.

The Budget also delivers real help with the cost of living for working people, including freezing rail fares, extending the 3 pound bus fare cap, freezing prescription charges, and support with energy bills, along with an increase in the National Living Wage.

As Chair of the Co-op Party, it was great to hear the Chancellor talk about 𝗰𝗼-𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼-𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀. The government has launched a call for evidence on growing the cooperative and mutual economy. We are determined to double the size of the sector and this is an important step forward.

On Thursday, I asked the Minister for Courts about what support their department can offer in our work 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 in the plans for a new Oldham police station.

Before heading back to Oldham for constituency work, party meetings and advice surgeries, I hosted a roundtable with Cllr Abdul Jabbar and representatives from 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗵. We discussed how digital platforms and AI can widen access to education in both urban and rural Bangladesh.

A busy week, but real progress being made.