Climate Emergency: Here’s the action

This Monday marked the start of two weeks of global action by the climate activist group Extinction Rebellion.  The action the group plans to undertake will be disruptive and it’ll be annoying for commuters and the free flow of traffic, but I feel it is right to mainstream this debate and unfortunately that only happensContinue reading “Climate Emergency: Here’s the action”

Oldham and Universal Credit

Figures given to me by the House of Commons Library state that the percentage of claimants for Universal Credit in my constituency for August 2019 stands at 7.2% of our economically active population (16-64). This compares starkly nationally, with an average of 3.7% claiming Universal Credit, almost double.   I see this not as aContinue reading “Oldham and Universal Credit”

£25 Billion Shortfall in Local Government Funding

The report by the New Economics Foundation and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has highlighted real and necessary concerns about funding for local services in the coming years, with a no deal Brexit and reforms meaning that funding for Local Government will reach a critical point, even surpassing the cuts from Austerity we have facedContinue reading “£25 Billion Shortfall in Local Government Funding”

Raise the Rate. Back our Sixth Form Colleges

I have joined with 92 MPs in backing our Sixth Form Colleges. We all know the value of a good quality education and there has been lots of activity on School Funding, but often further education doesn’t get the attention it deserves.  The Institute for Fiscal Studies reports that education funding for 16 to 18Continue reading “Raise the Rate. Back our Sixth Form Colleges”

GM MPs come together over Fire Service cuts

All 27 Greater Manchester MPs have written to both Andy Burnham in his capacity as Mayor and additionally to the newly appointed Minister for Policing and the Fire Service regarding the cuts we have seen to the Fire Service as a result of austerity. We have asked the Minister to halt the agenda of austerityContinue reading “GM MPs come together over Fire Service cuts”