As we mark the third anniversary of Putin’s illegal and brutal invasion of Ukraine, it is important to remember the sacrifices Ukrainians have been forced to make. To those who have lost their homes, their families, and their lives – they are in our thoughts.

I also want to thank those in Oldham West, Chadderton, and Royton who have worked to support those displaced by the war and shown true humanity in this dark period.

Today is a day to remember the Ukrainians fighting for the values we share – freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of international law.

Labour is proud to have stood with Kyiv since day one, and we will continue this support by boosting military aid, extending the UK’s training programme for Ukrainian troops, and signing a 100 year landmark partnership to strengthen our ties for future generations.

We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.

Put failing water companies under tough special measures

Block bonuses to executives who pollute our waterways

Criminal charges against persistent law breakers

Automatic and severe fines for wrongdoing

Independent monitoring of every sewage overflow outlet

Today our water reforms become law with the Water Act 2025 getting Royal Assent – a turning point where we begin to put right the wrongs we inherited from the Conservatives.

It was great to set out the framework for reform to our water system as Shadow Environment Secretary, put the outline of our policy in our manifesto in July, and see these changes come to fruition so soon now in government. I have long campaigned for measures to clean up our rivers, hold executives accountable, and for stricter oversight of water companies. Today, we have made that happen.

Local people deserve good quality drinking water, unpolluted rivers & streams where they live, and not to fit the bill of corporate greed. Through tying this reform in with more investment, we are creating the environment for cheaper bills, a better service and improved green space in our communities.

After years of Tory negligence, where the previous government turned a blind eye and weakened rather than strengthened regulation, Labour have stepped in to end illegal sewage dumping and clean up our coasts, rivers, & lakes for good.

This week, it was great to visit local football club AVRO FC at their stadium on Whitebank Road in Hollinwood alongside Leader of the Council Arooj Shah.

I was delighted to see the brilliant work they are doing in supporting the local community and in particular the work they do to support youth in the area to get involved and stay off the streets and out of trouble.

It is a brilliant venue that has had the heart and soul of those involved poured into it to make it what it is today, building from the ground up.

Community Ownership, a priority of mine for Oldham West, Chadderton & Royton at the election in July, is about empowering local people and securing the future of our community institutions like sports clubs for the long term. This is what AVRO FC is all about.

I would urge any interested in sport or wanting to get involved in the various activities in offer to head down and see for themselves!

Oldham, Chadderton and Royton are privileged to be blessed with so much heritage. From our town halls, to our historic parks: our borough has a rich and cherished history. While we look to the future, we must also remember what came before us and do all we can to protect and preserve these keystone buildings for the long term.

This is why I fully support the work being done by the Labour-led council to take ownership, invest in and then give back to the community our buildings of heritage; as has been done recently at Royton Town Hall and is being done for the Prudential Building, Old Library on Union Street, and the Coliseum at it’s historic Fairbottom Street site.

We want these buildings and monuments to have a future use which is for the good of the community. In very difficult circumstances, to prioritise works like these is massively to the Council’s credit. This approach achieves three goals in one: preserving heritage; bringing these buildings into the modern day so they are of value to the community; and avoiding chasing the modernist building of the day, which too often doesn’t stand the test of time.

We have so much to be proud of in our home town.

I am extremely concerned about the amount of nitrous oxide canisters I have seen littered across the constituency.

Following lockdown there was an increasing prevalence of nitrous oxide use in Oldham, particularly among young people. I am very concerned that this has not curtailed, and we need to raise awareness of the risks associated with laughing gas to both protect our young people and our wider community.

Potential harms include nerve and spinal cord damage, as well as associated long term red blood cell problems that result in anaemia. Misuse of nitrous oxide can have very serious implications that we can’t be naïve to.

In the past I have rallied Oldham Council in its capacity of overseeing public health, and Greater Manchester Police to raise greater awareness with young people and their parents. However – it is clear there is more work to be done and we must go further.

Our young people need to understand the full risks of laughing gas and we must stop its persistent use in Oldham. I will continue to raise awareness about the dangers of nitrous oxide and push for stronger action from our local authorities.

It’s time to protect our young people and tackle this growing problem head-on.

We pledged at the election to deliver two million more NHS appointments a year as our first step to bring down waiting lists. We have hit that target already – seven months early, thanks to a share of the investment of £22 billion set out the in the Budget.

Through the difficult decisions taken at the Budget local people will see improved public services for people in Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton, and our NHS beginning to get back on its feet.

We are well aware that much more needs to be done to build an NHS which is fit for the future, so we are taking this achievement in our stride and are going further and faster as a government.

The two million extra NHS appointments have included chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endoscopy, and diagnostic tests, and have driven down waiting lists by almost 16,000. Achieving this milestone early is a huge step to getting the NHS back on its feet and delivering efficient and reliable services.

We know there is a long road ahead, but this is exactly the start needed to deliver on our promise to fix the NHS and cutting waiting times to make sure people get the care they need, when they need it. Hard work is paying off!