Another good advice surgery this week helping local people with some complex cases, thanks to those who came along.

My fantastic team of caseworkers support many thousands of individual cases and lobbies every year, but it’s important to meet personally on some cases, especially when they might need raising in parliament or directly with government ministers.

It really doesn’t matter what else in politics you do, few things beat winning a fight for decent people when they’ve been let down, frustrated or their concerns unfairly dismissed.

Please get in touch with me at jim.mcmahon.mp@parliament.uk to book an appointment if you need some advice about a problem you are facing and are a constituent of mine in Oldham West, Chadderton & Royton.

Huge congratulations to Lucy Powell as our next Labour Deputy Leader, a formidable Northern voice – and also of course a Co-op Party MP too.

It is great to see a fellow Oldham MP hold this important post, and surely a record for Failsworth folk to have been represented by two Deputy Leaders.

It is important we listen to our members and the country. We’ve done a lot of very commendable Labour things since being in government, but there is a clear impatience for change and the public don’t yet feel the benefit is felt in better living standards or in the communities where they live and care about. That must be our focus.

Lots to do, but take time to take in the moment for Lucy and her family.

Great to speak with 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗲𝗶𝗹 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗰𝗸 and friends in Parliament. A nice way to start the parliamentary week ahead

I gave an oral statement in the Commons on the 𝗶𝗻𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝘅𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲, and asked the Safeguarding Minister to confirm that arrangements are made to have an independent “front door” for victims and survivors into the process fully independent of councils and police forces. I also sought assurances that through the inquiry cross border offending will be pursued.

It was great to host 𝗮 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼-𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 later on Tuesday. For me as Chair of the Co-operative Party, the case is clear; if we want an inclusive, sustainable and resilient economy we have to deliver on our promise to double the size of the co-operative sector.

My opinion piece on this subject was published by PoliticsHome. Our work with the Government centres co-operative and community ownership, from clean green energy to fan-owned football.

It’s time we embedded co-operatives in our economic model itself. That’s how we can build a legacy of real grassroots growth. Without a new model of growth, we’ll be just another government of empty promises. Click here if you’d like to read it: https://www.politicshome.com/…/without-new-model-growth….

I was proud to vote to take the 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹 one step closer to becoming law. We inherited a broken justice system with prisons on the brink of collapse and backlogs meaning too many victims have not been getting the justice they deserve. Our approach is clear, being tough on crime, and tough on the causes of crime to punish criminals and reduce reoffending so we can finally take back our streets from crime.

Our landmark Renters Rights Bill has now passed all stages in both Houses of Parliament and is ready for the King’s Royal assent to become law. This is a historic moment: Labour in government delivering on our manifesto promise to 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 ‘𝗻𝗼-𝗳𝗮𝘂𝗹𝘁’ 𝟐𝟏 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, apply the Decent Home standard to the private rented sector, and end rental bidding wars.

𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗮 𝗥𝗮𝘆𝗻𝗲𝗿 deserves huge credit for us getting to this moment. From workers rights to a securing a generational investment in safe, decent & affordable housing, and much more she can be proud of what’s been achieved so far, and in what lays ahead as those efforts are felt by millions across the country. Great to sit by her side as she returned to the Commons.

Now back to Oldham for meetings with constituents …

Thanks to everyone who came to the Westminster Hall Debate in Parliament about government support for the co-operative sector.

With 2025 being UN International Year of Co-operatives, it is right to celebrate the contribution of UK co-operative retail societies to local communities and national economic life which contributes an estimated £179.2 billion to the UK economy.

Here in Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton, co-operative heritage runs deep. We’ve always believed in the power of people coming together to take control, create good jobs, and build a fairer local economy. Whether it’s communities saving much-loved pubs, or co-ops giving workers a real say in the workplace, the difference is felt on our doorstep.

Yet still, too many people feel like no matter how hard they work, they still can’t get ahead, while the wealth their communities create is taken elsewhere. That’s why we have to double down, it’s time to return to co-operative principles: building together, sharing the rewards, and reinvesting locally.

The case is clear; if we want an inclusive, sustainable and resilient economy we have to deliver on our promise to double the size of the co-operative sector.

It’s a promising time for our movement!

Head to my Facebook page to see a clip from the debate.

Over a decade ago I wrote;

“Anyone who shies away from accepting that in Rotherham, Oxford, Rochdale and here in Oldham – and that this particular form of abuse is predominately Pakistani men targeting white girls – is not helping the victims, and nor is it helping the Asian community at large.

“Our own experience is that when we do see this kind of crime brought in front of the court, very shortly afterwards far right groups will jump on it to try and tar a whole community. [for instance Britain First, English Defence League, North West Infidels and others]

“That, however, isn’t an excuse not to do something – it’s actually even more of a reason to ensure that we act.

“If we don’t tackle wrongdoing we give more oxygen to those who seek to gain politically by accusing those in authority of cover-ups and failures. You can’t beat that world view with more cover ups. You beat it with honesty and by acting responsibly.”

My view hasn’t changed in fact it has become more resolute, not because of the focus on this issue now, but because victims and survivors have the right to secure the justice too often denied to them, and no offender should feel secure that the passage of time will mean they do not have to face justice.

Abuse takes place in every community and by all types of offenders. Victims will be sought out by vile abusers wherever they are, in any setting, and increasingly online as any vulnerability is exploited. But it benefits no one not to acknowledge and raise awareness of this particular pattern of abuse. By raising awareness we give confidence to victims to come forward and hopefully reduce future harm because the pattern of grooming is better understood and guarded against. It was this very reason such an effort was made, including by holding plays in schools and public awareness campaigns all those years ago.

𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

One benefit of being on the backbenches is the ability to speak on a much wider range of issues in parliament. And so today I asked Safeguarding Minister that arrangements are made to have an independent “front door” for victims and survivors into the process fully independent of councils and police forces.

Secondly I sought assurances that through the inquiry cross border offending will be pursued. It is important to recognise abusers don’t stop at council or police boundaries, and given there is clear evidence of trafficking in some cases it must be open to the team to follow all lines of inquiry wherever it leads.

Oldham Council was the first to put itself forward to undergo a local inquiry, and has been waiting alongside victims and survivors to see how it interacts with the national inquiry.

𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺

Protecting young people requires vigilance from everyone, especially as online risks continue to grow. Safeguarding is a collective responsibility, and we all share the duty to protect children and young people from harm.

Further information, including details of support services and warning signs, can be found at www.itsnotokay.co.uk.

To see a clip of my intervention in Parliament, head to my Facebook page.

It was great to join the fantastic Co-operative Members Council in Manchester with Co-operative Party General Secretary Joe Fortune to talk all things co-operative and how we can realise our ambition to double the size of the sector, and more!

There is real power in our movement with over 7,300 co-ops in the UK backed by 17m members who together generate over £42bn a year to the country employing 240,000 people. The Co-op Party has been its political voice for 108 years and counting!

It’s an important part of my own politics – working people self organising to hold real power in our economy instead of distant interests removed from the community it serves.

We now campaign all things community ownership, grassroots community power and more