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.
Great to see Oldham’s own Members of the Youth Parliament supported by Oldham Youth Council in Parliament yesterday as they got to look around and watch (deputy) PMQs from the gallery before today’s House of Commons sitting of the UK Youth Parliament.
Oldham Youth Council is a fantastic local institution which we continue to work closely with, especially given the Private Members Bill which we drafted for Votes at 16 in 2017 is now the basis of the new law which will lower the voting age in time for the next general election. Something we are really proud of and goes in a strong line in our history growing the nations democracy.
Today they will debate a range of issues from health, crime, economy and more. They’ll be amazing.
Progress is being made on righting the terrible wrong which saw victims of child sexual exploitation let down repeatedly and given criminal records themselves by the system which should have been there to protect them.
This is an issue I’ve raised with the Home Office previously and I’m pleased to see progress is now being made.
There was never a justification for criminalising victims especially children, and it’s a scandal it was ever allowed to happen. That a child in the midst of exploitation and abuse could be considered a prostitute, or that when they tried to flee their abusers were charged with criminal damage beggars belief, but it’s the lived experience of too many victims. That will now be put right with a proposed change in the law meaning that criminal records for these offences will be expunged.
In related news, the National Crime Agency (NCA) have reported that they are currently reviewing 1,273 files from 23 police forces from 2010 to date, with 236 being reviewed as priority cases across the country. Operation Beaconport is in addition to localised investigations, such as those under Operation Sherwood in Greater Manchester.
Initial findings reported appear to mirror previous reviews in that obvious cases of exploitation and abuse were simply not followed up to any acceptable standard. That must be put right.
Seeking help;
If you have been affected by abuse or want to find out more about what support is available visit https://www.itsnotokay.co.uk
To commemorate those who died for our country, I laid a stake yesterday in the House of Commons’ Garden of Remembrance in Parliament as the representative for Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton.
It is important we take some time during this period to reflect and remember all those who have given so much for us and for future generations.
It was great to be at Manchester Airport last week to meet with Managing Director Chris Woodroofe as the next step on our campaign to change the airport’s approach to drop-off and collections charges, given the impact on drivers who find themselves faced with unfair charges.
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 …
We discussed the issues we raised in letters in August and September with the current approach to parking, drop-off and pick-up charges. Mainly, poor signage before entry, the stacking up of charges, ‘no-loss’ appeals, and extending the payment period.
It is positive that the airport confirmed the ‘no loss’ appeal has been mitigated with the clock stopping on the deadline for a payment of a fine when an appeal has been made, so that if an unsuccessful appeal was made during the ‘discounted’ period, the lower amount can still be due rather than being penalised for making an appeal.
However, we’re pushing for more. The airport confirmed they are currently reviewing signage given the expanding Terminal 2, and changes at Terminals 1 & 3. It was encouraging to hear that this review will consider making the process more transparent to drivers so they have the clear option of only entering the ‘contract’ involved with paid parking after they are made aware by signs of what it involves in terms of costs & timing.
We also want an extension to the payment period from 24 hours to 48 hours and more transparency on the stacking up of charges. While I was given positive assurances about the success of appeals which involve stacked up charges, there is still a lack of transparency. The airport has a duty to make it clearer to drivers if it is the case that appeals should be successful if charges have been inadvertently or unfairly stacked up.
To be clear, we are not against parking charges but a fairer & more transparent system is needed. As an institution which is important for our city-region and the North more generally, the airport must recognise its social responsibility for the local area.
𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝟮 …
Fantastic to be given a tour of the brand new Terminal 2, from the expanded & modernised security desks, to state-of-the-art boarding gates with greater capacity. After the difficulties the aviation industry around with world suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns, Manchester has bounced back and proved once again it is at the forefront of the industry, offering passenger experience local people deserve.
Continued 5% year on year growth is good to see, which will only be bolstered by the £1.3 billion 10 year transformation of Terminal 2 finishing soon. As Terminals 1 & 3 are reconfigured to accommodate this expansion, the next step is to nail down the public transport option for passengers. The current offer of trams and direct trains from the city centre is good, but ambitions should be raised. A growth of passengers using public transport from 14% to 19% in recent years shows we are going in the right direction, but this is still well below that of Gatwick and other London airports which are of similar size to Manchester.
Better infrastructure is needed and Labour in power is showing our commitment to this, from the backing of the new Liverpool to Manchester rail which will go through the airport, to commuter rail coming into the Bee Network over the next few years, the ongoing Transpennine Route Upgrade improving connectivity, and potential to simplify ticketing for those trying to travel from our borough to the city centre and then onto the airport.
𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 …
The Manchester Airport jobs fair in Wythenshawe is being held tomorrow, showing the airport’s commitment to driving local job growth. Why can’t our borough get this same opportunity given the airport is only 20 minutes down the road and our Council is a shareholder in it
350 jobs at the airport being held by people in Oldham West, Chadderton & Royton is positive but more can be done. The working class aspiration which drove me to become an apprentice is offered by jobs at Manchester Airport. That is why we are working to get the Airport to join our jobs fairs here in Oldham too.
This week marked the Second Reading of the Public Accountability Bill, also known as “Hillsborough Law”, and it did so without a division bringing in cross party support for it to progress to the next stage.
This landmark legislation aims to ensure that public authorities always act with a duty of candour and transparency, especially in the aftermath of major disasters and public tragedies.
The Bill’s origins lie in the decades-long fight for justice by the Hillsborough families but its impact could reach far wider. If passed, it would help prevent future injustices following tragedies like the Manchester Arena attack, Grenfell Tower, and other public failures, by making sure victims and families get the truth, accountability, and fair treatment they deserve.
This is a vital step towards a fairer system that puts people before institutions.
Great to meet with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, Deputy Mayor for Safer & Stronger Communities Kate Green, Head Of Estates at GMP Peter Bannister, and Oldham Council Leader Arooj Shah last week as part of our local campaign to secure a restored justice centre for our borough to go alongside plans for a new police station.
This is a once in a generation chance to secure a new Oldham police station and get the facilities our borough deserves. We need to seize this opportunity and get it right. After years of Tory cuts which resulted in the closure of the Magistrates Court & County Court in Oldham as well as police posts at Limeside, Chadderton & Royton; we are finally turning a corner.
It’s one thing to end the ‘Oldham Premium’ – which means due to poor parking, it costs more to attract officers & staff with the current police station – by getting our Oldham GMP team the facilities they deserve to be able to best tackle crime & antisocial behaviour. It’s a whole other thing to bring back a wider justice centre with court space and custody cells so we can truly bring local confidence back to our policing and justice system. That’s why as your local MP, I am pushing for more.
There are plans in place which are being developed to make the police station a reality and there is a case which we are making to bring custody cells too so local people are no longer undersold. All crime needs to be punished, deterred & prevented, hard-working officers and public servants can only do that if they have proper facilities & capacity.
Much more is needed to be done to make people feel that their community in Oldham, Chadderton & Royton feels like a safe place. However, this constructive meeting last week following up from our letter to the GMCA & Oldham Council in August is a step in the right direction.
Investment, infrastructure, enhanced powers, and a proper prevention strategy: this is the difference with Labour. Taking both crime and its causes seriously with action, not just words.
We have been campaigning for this new police station for years, and having a renewed justice centre alongside it as a possibility makes our fight all that more important.
This week MPs met in the commons to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the rebuilding of the House of Commons on 26th October 1950 following its bomb damage in World War II as an incendiary hit the “mother of all parliaments” on 10th May 1941.
The history is deep and most interesting is the rebuilding was an international effort of solidarity with gifts from all corners of the commonwealth furnishing the new chamber.
They include;
• Australia – Speaker’s Chair made from Blackbean wood (Moreton Bay Chestnut), Castanospermum australe.
• Bahamas – Minister’s writing desk and chair, English oak (Quercus robur).
• Barbados – Minister’s writing desk and chair, English oak.
• Belize (previously British Honduras) – Minister’s writing desk and chair in Mayflower wood (Tabebuia pentaphylla) and Royal Coat of Arms, English oak.
• Bermuda – Two triple silver gilt inkstands.
• Botswana (previously Bechuanaland Protectorate) – One silver gilt ashtray.
• Canada – Table of the House in Canadian Oak (Quercus spp.).
• Cyprus – Members’ Writing Room table, English oak.
• Dominica (as part of the Windward Islands) – One silver gilt inkstand.
• Falkland Islands – One silver gilt ashtray.
• Fiji – One silver gilt inkstand.
• The Gambia – Two silver gilt ashtrays.
• Ghana (previously Gold Coast) – Minister’s writing desk and chair in Mansonia wood (Mansonia altissima).
• Gibraltar – Two oak table lamps with bronze shades.
• Grenada (as part of the Windward Islands) – One silver gilt inkstand.
• Guernsey – Minister’s writing desk, three chairs, and armchair, English oak.
• Guyana (previously British Guiana) – Four triple silver gilt inkstands.
• Hong Kong – One triple silver gilt inkstand.
• India – North entrance doors to Chamber, English oak.
• Isle of Man – One silver gilt inkstand and two silver gilt ashtrays for Prime Minister’s Conference Room.
• Jamaica – Bar of the House in bronze.
• Jersey – Minister’s writing desk and chair, English oak, and silver gilt inkstand.
• Kenya – Minister’s writing desk and chair in Olive wood (Olea hochstetteri).
• Leeward Islands – Six English oak table lamps with bronze shades.
• Lesotho (previously Basutoland) – Two silver gilt ashtrays.
• Malawi (previously Nyasaland) – One triple silver gilt inkstand and one silver gilt ashtray.
• Malaysia (previously Malaya) – Minister’s writing desk and armchair, English oak.
• Malta – Three silver gilt ashtrays.
• Mauritius – Minister’s writing desk and chair, English oak.
• Newfoundland – Six chairs for Prime Minister’s Conference Room in Newfoundland Birch wood (Betula spp.).
• New Zealand – Two dispatch boxes in Puriri wood (Vitex lucens).
• Nigeria – Furniture for ‘Aye’ Division Lobby in Iroko wood (Chlorophora excelsa).
• Northern Ireland – Two clocks for the Chamber and one division clock for the Clerks’ Table.
• Pakistan – South entrance doors to Chamber, English oak.
• Sabah (previously North Borneo) – One table and five chairs for interview room in White Seraya wood (Parashorea spp.).
• St Helena – One Chairman’s chair for Prime Minister’s Conference Room in Iroko wood (Chlorophora excelsa).
• St Lucia (as part of the Windward Islands) – One silver gilt inkstand in Prime Minister’s Conference Room.
• St Vincent (as part of the Windward Islands) – One silver gilt ashtray.
• Seychelles – Minister’s writing desk and chair, English oak.
• Sierra Leone – Minister’s writing desk and chair in African Gold Walnut wood (Juglans spp.).
• Singapore – One table and five chairs for interview room, English oak.
• South Africa – Three chairs for Clerks’ Table in Black (or True) Stinkwood (Ocotea bullata).
• Sri Lanka (previously Ceylon) – Serjeant at Arm’s chair, English oak.
• Swaziland – One silver gilt ashtray.
• Tanzania (previously Tanganyika) – One table and five chairs for interview room in Iroko wood (Chlorophora excelsa).
• Trinidad and Tobago – Minister’s writing desk and chair, English oak.
• Uganda – Furniture for ‘No’ Division Lobby in Mvule wood (Milicia excelsa).
Jim McMahon OBE MP 