It was straight to work this week with internal meetings in Parliament and on Whitehall. It was great to speak at a Devolution North All Parliamentary Party Group briefing on the upcoming English Devolution Bill. We talked about how it will reset the relationship between the government, local councils and mayors by extending devolution to drive growth far and wide in every community.

I strongly welcome this week’s publication of Baroness Casey’s review into group-based child sexual exploitation. This is a vital and long overdue step towards justice for victims and survivors across the country.

After engaging with MPs, group leaders and the local government sector, we have announced a consultation on council tax reforms bills more manageable for working people across the country. Labour inherited a local government sector on its knees – councils pushed to the financial brink, facing rising demand, and working people not receiving the quality local services they rightly deserve.

There’s broad agreement across council leaders, experts, and parliamentarians that the current funding model is broken and unfair. This government is stepping up to deliver the fairer system promised in the 2017 Fair Funding Review but never delivered.

These reforms are urgently needed to put councils on a stable footing and ensure better services for residents – especially working people – right across the country. It’s a key part of our Plan for Change to deliver the outcomes people deserve.

We are also reforming children’s social care and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), including ensuring councils are properly funded to support the most vulnerable children.

This work comes alongside measures to simplify the funding system to get better value for money for the taxpayer and make tax collection fairer by spreading payments over 12 monthly bills as standard. Under these new plans, payment plans will now need to be offered, with councils working closely with those struggling with their bills – overhauling the current cruel system where people who miss a payment are expected to immediately pay the year’s sum.

More widely, we are doing more to tackle the cost of living crisis by expanding our Warm Home Scheme. This will means millions more families will get £150 off their bills this coming winter – putting more money in the pockets of working people as part of our Plan for Change.

Instead of being back in Oldham on Friday to end the week, MPs stayed down in Parliament to vote on the Assisted Dying Bill at its third and final reading in the Commons. The compassion that motivates many who support this bill is evident, and I do not question the sincerity or integrity of those who voted differently today. However, having weighed the final version of the bill against my own reservations, I have again voted against it.

Today, Parliament held the final vote on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill at its third reading in the Commons. This bill, which proposes to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill individuals with six months or less to live, has sparked one of the most serious and heartfelt debates of this Parliament – and rightly so.

Since its introduction and during each stage of scrutiny, I have listened closely to the arguments put forward both inside and outside the chamber. I have read moving accounts from constituents who have written to me from deeply personal perspectives – some in support, others in opposition. I remain grateful to all who have taken the time to share their views.

As the bill has progressed, it has undergone important revisions – but, in my view, not the kind that resolve the concerns I have raised throughout. The removal of judicial oversight, for example, remains a significant departure from the original safeguards and continues to raise serious questions about the robustness of protections for the most vulnerable.

Despite the assurances provided by the bill’s supporters, I remain unconvinced that the current framework offers sufficient safeguards to prevent coercion, ensure full informed consent, and protect those who may be at risk due to age, disability, isolation, or inadequate access to appropriate care. These are not abstract risks – they are very real concerns, particularly within a healthcare system under immense strain.

I recognise the compassion that motivates many who support this bill, and I do not question the sincerity or integrity of those who voted differently today. However, having weighed the final version of the bill against my own reservations, 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐭.

I continue to believe that the right response to suffering at the end of life lies in improving access to high-quality palliative and hospice care, ensuring that no one faces their final days without adequate support, dignity, or compassion. I recently visited Dr. Kershaw’s Hospice in Oldham and saw the incredible work done to make sure people live well at the end of their life. I believe we are at a point in this country where that should be our national priority – expanding and improving access to palliative care, not introducing a law that, however well intentioned, could place already vulnerable individuals at even greater risk.

My foundational belief remains that it is not the state’s role to sanction when someone should die but instead is to actively protect people throughout all stages of their life.

Although I voted against the bill, it has now narrowly passed its third reading and will move forward into the Lords for further scrutiny. I respect the outcome of the democratic process and also commend how thorough and respectful the discussion on this issue has been.

What must not be lost now – and what I will continue to advocate for – is a renewed national focus on palliative and end-of-life care. Legalising assisted dying cannot become a substitute for the comprehensive, compassionate care that every person deserves in their final days. If anything, this moment should serve as a wake-up call to address the gaps in our current system that we inherited from the Tories.

Whatever one’s view on assisted dying, we must ensure that no one ever feels they have to choose it because they were denied proper care, dignity, or comfort at the end of life.

Thank you again to everyone who has engaged with me on this profoundly important issue.

Pavement parking continues to be one of the most common complaints raised with my office and it’s clear we are facing a serious problem that is affecting every corner of our borough.

I hear from residents who are blocked from using the pavement safely, whether they’re pushing a pram, using a wheelchair, or just walking to the shop. It’s not just frustrating, it’s dangerous.

On Broadway outside Henry Newman School families doing the school run are having to walk in the road because cars are blocking the pavement.

Frederick Street and around Hulme Grammar have become known hotspots with reports of vehicles parked fully on pavements, forcing pedestrians into oncoming traffic.

But perhaps most persistently Union Street in the town centre has become a real flashpoint. The mix of fast food outlets, high footfall, and a sharp increase in delivery drivers means we’re seeing regular obstructive pavement parking. Vehicles are double parked, blocking bus stops, and mounting kerbs, especially during evening hours. Residents and businesses alike are raising concerns and it’s clear that more needs to be done.

These are just a handful of examples. Let me be clear, this is a borough wide issue affecting both our town centres and residential areas. Too often, it feels like those doing the right thing are being punished while those who flout the rules face no consequences.

I welcome the Council’s decision to bring enforcement back in house and the transfer of enforcement staff under TUPE. This move has the potential to make a real difference but it must come with a clear shift in focus toward proactive visible street level enforcement, especially in areas like Union Street where confidence in enforcement has worn thin.

It’s time for a joined up approach;

Officers where they’re needed, when they’re needed

Community feedback informing where action is taken

Engagement with businesses and delivery operators to reduce the problem at its source

It is good news to see that the Council have committed to establishing a red route on Union Street. This means that only emergency vehicles will be permitted to park on the road, with blue badge holders and Hackney Carriage Taxis allowed to stop briefly to allow passengers in or out, but will not be permitted to wait. This will be enforced by ANPR cameras, this is a positive and welcome step forward.

And while local councils do their part, it is also important that they have the tools and powers to properly tackle this issue. I will continue working with colleagues in Westminster to ensure areas like Oldham have the support needed to keep our streets safe and accessible for all.

Everyone has a right to walk safely in their own neighbourhood.

If pavement parking is a problem where you live, I want to hear from you. Please get in touch with my office so we can keep building the case for stronger action.

I strongly welcome the publication of Baroness Casey’s review into group-based child sexual exploitation. This is a vital and long overdue step towards justice for victims and survivors across the country.

Child sexual abuse is one of the most horrific crimes imaginable. Young girls, often in care or with vulnerabilities, exploited, abused, and traumatised by groups of adult men, then let down again by the very institutions that were supposed to protect them. The scale and nature of these crimes demand a national response, rooted in justice, accountability, and the safety of every child.

For over a decade I have been raising awareness of this issue and took it to Parliament to press for action on behalf of families and survivors in Oldham. I have seen the pain these failures caused, but also the courage and persistence of those who refused to be silenced, and groups like KOGS (Keeping Our Girls Safe) and others who have stood firm in demanding change.

𝙂𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨

The Government has accepted all 12 recommendations in the review including a new national statutory inquiry. Oldham is already underway with a locally led inquiry and the Government will soon confirm how that will develop.

The Government has also confirmed a coordinated national criminal operation. We have seen some successful prosecutions in Oldham and neighbouring towns, but it is vital victims and survivors here benefit from the national criminal operation.

I also welcome the commitment to review and overturn the criminal convictions of those who were criminalised as children while being exploited, something I have repeatedly advocated for. It is not right that victims go on to suffer more as a result of the convictions handed down at the time of abuse. That is wrong and will now be put right.

I’m pleased to see action being taken to close the loophole on taxi licensing. Oldham and Greater Manchester has taken action over a long period of time to drive up standards, but that isn’t consistent across the country and local efforts are being undermined by ‘out of area’ drivers. I fully support the introduction of stronger national standards, and local enforcement will help to rebuild public confidence and keep people safe.

It also recommends making it mandatory for the police to collect ethnicity and nationality data on all suspects in child sexual abuse and exploitation cases, and to improve the collection of data on victims.

As we move forward, it is vital that victims and survivors remain at the heart of everything we do. Their bravery in coming forward, often in the face of disbelief and indifference, is the reason this review exists. We must now deliver the justice and reform they have long fought for.

𝙏𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣

And while the Government will rightly act on these new recommendations, it is also moving quickly to secure recommendations in the previous 7-year national Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse by Professor Alexis Jay which sat waiting under the previous government, and which will now be voted for in the Crime and Policing Bill. These include introducing a legal duty for professionals to report child sexual exploitation, and making grooming an aggravating factor in sentencing so that offenders feel the full weight of the law to reflect the horrific abuse they carried out.

Forces across the country have been tasked with identifying cases closed without further action for formal review. This now includes over 800 cases, but it is likely to exceed over a thousand. It shows the scale of the task ahead, and the urgency needed.

This review must mark a turning point. With full implementation of its recommendations, we have an opportunity to right past wrongs and build a future where safeguarding, justice, and support are delivered without compromise. I will continue to work with colleagues across Parliament, with local authorities, and with survivors themselves to make sure that the mistakes of the past are never repeated.

𝙊𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙮

The report makes clear that there were examples of authorities who failed to address the issue head on. Transparency is essential both to instil public confidence and to raise awareness.

All aspects of abuse in all forms must be set out, so the public are fully informed and to reduce the risk of harm; especially the rising risk of online grooming and exploitation, and the risks to young girls and boys alike. But the gravity of this particular form of abuse is significant, it has specific characteristics of the victims targeted and perpetrators who seek to abuse them.

I set out in a post now over a decade ago why I felt this was so important, and it holds today;

“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…”

“…𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 – 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘷𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 – 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘵.”

“𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘥𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩.”

“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.

“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.”

The Home Office commissioned Casey Review is due to be published and it must be a turning point. Ahead of that publication the Prime Minister has confirmed the Government will accept one key recommendation; for a government commissioned national inquiry with statutory powers, the details of which will be published in the coming days and weeks.

This is strongly welcomed and I hope gives weight to the Oldham process which had already begun its initial work, whether that continues as is with additional powers granted, or is brought into the new approach more fully.

Many of the people campaigning on this issue do so from a place of deep personal experience—either as victims themselves or as friends and family members of those affected. They’ve seen up close where the system failed, and they deserve to be heard.

I said two years ago during the parliamentary debate on the Oldham Assurance Review: That means clear and determined action. We must acknowledge the true scale and nature of this abuse, commit to rooting out offenders wherever they are found, and ensure that no survivor is left without the support and justice they deserve.

I have seen all aspects of this; working to get authorities to respond on behalf of victims and survivors, to be open and transparent about the nature and scale of abuse, and to secure justice. I’ve seen too the exploitation of the issue by bad faith political activists, from the early days of the EDL and others who would seek to tarnish whole communities and drive division, to the present day where both aspects are still very much alive, and in the end failing the only people who matter; the victims and survivors.

Over a decade ago I and others began the work of raising awareness and speaking out against this. One article I’ve posted previously from that time stands today, and I’m resharing here https://oldhamcouncil.wordpress.com/…/child-sexual…/

I want to finish where I started with the victims and survivors. The courage and determination they have shown has stood firm, for some over a very long period of time. They must be central to what follows.

I always watch out for the Oldham names recognised in the honours. It was a decade ago I received news of one myself, and I know personally how much it matters to friends and family who provide unconditional support. All of those recognised will have people who have given them practical and moral support, a hand up, and someone to lean on as challenges mount. All of those I’ve spoken to who have been recognised previously reflect on a team effort.

The town will be joyous that Latics owner Frank Rothwell has been recognised for this charitable work – though I won’t be the only one to want to see this upgraded soon for leading Oldham to promotion, and for Judith to also be recognised…

And on a personal note too I’m delighted to see Harry Catherall recognised, though you might say anyone who is required to attend an Oldham full council meeting deserves a medal! More seriously, public service needs more people like him; straight talking common sense coming through the ranks of local government straight from school to become Chief Executive. I wish him well in his new role at Tameside Council.

Congratulations to you all, I hope you all enjoy your day at the palace!

Stephen Watson – Knights Bachelor

Chief Constable, Greater Manchester Police. For services to Policing.

Frank Rothwell – OBE

Philanthropist and Fundraiser, Alzheimer ‘s Research UK. For charitable services to Dementia Research.

Harry Catherall – MBE

Civic leader as Chief Executive of Oldham Council and interim chief for Tameside Council.

Muzahid (Muz) Uddin Khan – MBE

For services to Charity and to the community in Oldham.

Susan Margaret Crook – BEM

Founding member of the Dobcross Youth Band.

Dwayne Michael Wells – BEM

Head of Commercial at Arriva Yorkshire, recognised for his services to the bus sector.

What an incredible testament to the spirit of Oldham! A huge thank you to these individuals whose dedication uplifts our community—your achievements inspire us all.