You voted for change, and we are delivering it. From September 2026, we will be expanding access to free school meals across the country, which is set to 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝟏𝟎𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲. With Labour, over half a million more children will get free school meals because any child in England whose parents are on Universal Credit will be eligible.

This will mean the 9800 children between years 3-11 who are in families currently claiming universal credit will benefit from the extension. In this way, the government is 𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 £𝟓𝟎𝟎 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭’𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬. We’re giving every child, no matter their background, the nutrition they need to learn, grow and thrive from an early age.

This builds on the work we have already done to put up to £450 a year back into parents’ pockets with the beginning of our Free Breakfast Clubs programme roll-out. Starting in April at Whitegate End, Richmond Academy, Northmoor Academy – which I visited early this year – and Westwood Academy, we will roll them out to every primary school in the country so every child can start their day with a healthy breakfast and and at least 30 minutes of free childcare.

We are proud that the last Labour government took almost 1 million children out of poverty. However, 14 years of Tory chaos and decline led to us reaching record levels of child poverty in the months before they left office. However, this new government is acting to tackle child poverty head on through our recently launched Child Poverty Taskforce, our free breakfast club programme, our cap on uniform prices, enhanced government funded childcare and now our expansion of free school meals.

My thoughts are with the family and friends of the young 14 year old boy who tragically lost his life on Nevin Road, New Moston—just moments from the constituency boundary.

This horrific incident has deeply shaken the local community and beyond. The loss of such a young life in these circumstances is both heart-breaking and deeply troubling for everyone in the community, and especially parents with teenagers in the area.

Greater Manchester Police have confirmed that suspects are in custody, and it’s vital that their investigation is allowed to proceed fully. They are appealing for witnesses who were in the area at the time to come forward, and have appealed for doorbell or dashcam footage, or eye-witness accounts from anyone who was in the area at the time quoting log 2250 of 8/6/25.

Information can be reported to us by calling 101 or anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. You can also use the reporting tools on the GMP website.

Thanks,

Jim

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/manchester-murder-police-release-more-31815055?fbclid=IwY2xjawK0yjZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHjFcOf-xsfOT6rnFDBfs1B4FZ9lwNFDvAL3BV7k8J0pZZ6nWJyG_5DYmsOXL_aem_GteaiJ2UIgmONSSTRkKdCw

Great to drop-in at Dr Kershaw’s Hospice in Royton this week to meet with CEO Adele Doherty, thank the staff there for the work they do to support some of the most vulnerable people in our society, and donate some House of Commons Whisky and golf balls for their next auction.

To see the care and attention staff at the hospice give to those who need it most is a sobering thing to see. Dr Kershaw’s is absolutely vital for those coming toward the end of their lives and the holistic, forward thinking care on offer is absolutely wonderful, it was a privilege to see the facilities and staff in action today.

Although they get funding from the Integrated Care System and act as a business, thy are also a local charity, relying for over two thirds of their income on the generosity of local business and the community to carry out their great work in our borough.

We inherited a hospice system in crisis from the Tories and less than a year into government, Labour has delivered a £100 million boost for adult & children’s hospices and £26 million to support children & young people’s hospices – the biggest investment into hospices in a generation.

Alongside setting up a new commission on adult social care reform and securing an extra £22.6 billion for our NHS which has brough waiting lists down for 6 months in a row; we are building a health, social & palliative care system which is fit for the future.

On Monday, rather than making my usual journey down to London, I stayed in Oldham to be present at the Oldham Athletic celebration event held at the Civic and later at Boundary Park. The atmosphere was absolutely fantastic with a real sense of pride celebrating the weekend’s hard-fought victory.

The rest of the week has been mainly dominated by ongoing work around local government reorganisation. This is a major piece of reform, so I have been speaking directly to MPs whose constituencies are affected by the changes. Our shared goal is clear: to build a more sustainable, efficient, and streamlined system of local government that truly delivers better value for the taxpayer. This means creating unitary councils that are not just bigger on paper, but genuinely stronger and better equipped to lead their communities, manage public services effectively, and improve outcomes for residents in real, tangible ways.

Following up on the plans we laid out back in March, I published a written ministerial statement on Tuesday detailing our progress. We’ve now given detailed feedback to all 21 two-tier areas undergoing reorganisation, and crucially, committed funding to support the development of their final proposals. This is a key moment in the process – backing local areas with the resources they need to get the right outcome for their area.

This week, I also had the pleasure of sitting down with Mayor Steve Rotheram from Liverpool City Region and Mayor Sadiq Khan from London. Central to our devolution agenda are mayors, who act as strategic leaders and pioneers of regional change so regular conversations with them are vital – they help ensure that our approach to devolution is collaborative, responsive, and focused on delivering real improvements for people on the ground.

On Thursday I was pleased to attend the LGA Labour Group meeting, where I had the opportunity to engage directly with council leaders. We discussed a range of pressing issues, from the complexities of local government reorganisation to fair funding formulas and the broader strategic vision for devolution. A key part of our discussion was about how to build flexibility into the funding system so that resources can be targeted effectively – making sure that money reaches those communities most affected by deprivation.

Ahead of next week’s Spending Review, it’s been a particularly busy and productive period working closely across government departments. The goal is clear: to prepare thoroughly and ensure that local government secures the best possible deal going forward.

Wishing all those in Oldham West, Chadderton & Royton observing and celebrating today a happy and peaceful Eid al-Adha.

I hope all have a wonderful time with friends and family!

#EidMubarak#eidadhamubarak