Great to respond on behalf of the government in a Westminster Hall Debate on the effectiveness of the Nolan Principles in Local Government. These principles – selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership – are the least local people deserve from their representatives and are essential for ensuring that local councils are working in the best interests of the people they serve.

We need to make sure these values aren’t just words on paper. Councils should be living and breathing them in everything they do, from decision-making to delivering frontline public services. The public must feel that they can have confidence in their local leaders, and we need to strengthen accountability to make sure the highest standards are upheld for councillors of every stripe.

Ensuring the standards regime has the teeth to be able to enforce a more explicit code-of-conduct with proper independent scrutiny is vital, especially given local concerns about recent behaviour at Oldham Council.

There have been growing issues with opposition councillors disrupting meetings and failing to show the respect needed for proper debate. Our community deserves better. We must all work together, regardless of party affiliation, to create a council that sets a positive example, upholds the highest standards of behaviour, and focuses on what’s best for our borough.

From restructuring local government, to devolving more powers to communities and increasing accountability for those deliver services; Labour is working towards building a local government system that everyone can be proud of.

Head to my Facebook page to see more.

This Labour Government is focused on improving housing and infrastructure through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. This will have a tangible difference for Oldham through boosting housing, transportation, and local development and creating more decent jobs in skilled trades.

Nationally, the Bill supports the building of 1.5 million homes and the making of 150 decisions on major infrastructure projects by the end of this Parliament, while also accelerating clean energy projects to meet the Clean Power 2030 goal.

Key reforms include:

Faster approvals for infrastructure, including clean energy and transport.

Smarter planning for better environmental and economic outcomes.

Improved local council decision-making and better use of land for investment, including councils being able to purchase land at a reduced cost with better compulsory purchase powers.

Enhanced planning for larger projects across regions.

For Oldham, this means more local control over planning decisions so we can address any regional housing shortages, particularly in social housing. Oldham Council will now be able to set their own planning fees ensuring they can cover costs, speed up the planning process and make decisions that benefit our community.

The Bill will also speed up important national projects like reservoirs, clean energy sites, and transport links, ensuring they get built as quickly as possible, supporting jobs and growth.

Labour is committed to getting Britain building again and driving growth at every corner of the country.

Today the Employment Rights Bill returns to Parliament for its remaining stages, and through its completion will make significant changes for working people in Oldham and across the country.

The Employment Rights Bill is a landmark piece of legislation that strengthens workers’ rights and provides the protections that employees deserve in an ever-evolving world of work. It’s about ensuring that every worker has access to fair treatment and a safe working environment.

At the election I prioritised good jobs for the people of Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton. A good job is one with security, fair working conditions, and sufficient pay. This Bill goes some way to achieving this by improving protections for zero-hour contracts, ensuring better sick pay, and giving workers more say in their conditions. It’s a win for all those in our local factories, shops, and services who work hard to keep our town moving forward.

The fight for fair pay, better conditions, and equal opportunities continues, but this Bill is a crucial milestone in making that a reality. I’m proud to vote for this Bill, and to fight for workers’ rights now and always for our town.

We’re building a fairer future, one where workers come first.

Last night Parliament passed Second Reading of the Crime and Policing Bill, moving it closer to becoming law and giving victims the justice they deserve .

𝘾𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙨

The Bill introduces new powers to tackle child sexual abuse and other sexual offences, strengthening protections for victims, and closing legal loopholes that have allowed offenders to evade justice. These changes help to tackle abhorrent child exploitation, online abuse, and the inadequacy of the current law in addressing emerging threats.

It will take forward two significant recommendations from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA).

𝙏𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨

First, the bill would make grooming an aggravating factor in sentencing adults convicted of child sexual offences. This means that if an offender is found to have engaged in grooming behavior—such as building trust with a child, manipulating them, or coercing them into a vulnerable situation—this will lead to a more severe sentence.

By now recognising grooming as an aggravating factor, the courts will have the power to impose harsher penalties on those who exploit children in this way.

𝙇𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙡 𝙙𝙪𝙩𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩

Secondly, the bill would introduce a legal duty to report child sexual abuse for those in positions of responsibility, such as teachers, healthcare workers, social workers, and potentially others who work closely with children.

Ensuring that cases are identified and acted upon at the earliest opportunity to prevent further harm to victims. There has never been an excuse for professionals who fail in their basic duty of care, or worse who turn a blind eye, but now there will be consequences.

𝙊𝙣𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙚

The Bill goes further to combat the creation and possession of child sexual abuse material. Given the rise in online exploitation and the increasing sophistication of offenders in distributing illegal content, the law brings in stronger penalties for offenders found guilty of producing, sharing, or possessing such material.

This would help the police and prosecutors better tackle the growing threat posed by online platforms being used to facilitate abuse.

“𝙎𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙝’𝙨 𝙇𝙖𝙬” 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚

Furthermore, the bill seeks to place ‘Sarah’s Law’—the child sex offender disclosure scheme—on a legal footing. Introduced in 2011, Sarah’s Law allows parents, carers, and guardians to request information from the police about whether an individual with access to a child has a history of child sexual offences.

𝙊𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨

The bill would also introduce several new offences including taking of intimate images and voyeurism, addressing growing concerns about non-consensual photography and the misuse of technology to exploit victims. This includes strengthening laws around ‘upskirting’ and ‘downblousing,’ as well as criminalising the sharing of intimate images without consent, commonly referred to as ‘revenge porn.’ These provisions aim to protect individuals from privacy violations and modern forms of sexual harassment that have been facilitated by digital communication and online platforms.

Taken together, these measures represent a significant step forward in addressing sexual offences, particularly those involving children and vulnerable individuals, creating a safer environment and ensuring that perpetrators of sexual crimes face the full force of the law.

At the election, I promised to make Oldham West, Chadderton & Royton a safe place for everyone to live. Today, I will vote for the Crime and Policing Bill to improve local services and fulfil the promise of a safe community.

The impact of reducing neighbourhood policing, austerity measures, and cuts to public services under the Tories can not be underestimated; leaving us with rising crime, increasing antisocial behaviour, and a sense of insecurity in our community.

The Crime and Policing Bill will make a fundamental shift towards making our streets safer, our community more secure, and ensuring that the most vulnerable among us have the protection they deserve.

It covers a wide range of issues, including violence against women and girls, anti-social behaviour, offensive weapons, retail crime, child exploitation and abuse, sexual offences, fraud, police powers, and terrorism and national security. The Bill includes measures such as:

Largest investment in neighbourhood policing in a generation through the recruitment of 13,000 new police staff to support local communities.

Introducing new powers for the police to crack down on theft and burglaries.

Cracking down on retail crime after the alarming rise in violence against workers.

“Respect orders” and tougher enforcement on issues like public disorder to allow the police to curb antisocial behaviour.

Creating a new offence of possessing a weapon with intent to cause unlawful violence or serious property damage, increasing the penalties for the sale of offensive weapons.

Criminalising the possession or supply of electronic devices for use in vehicle theft, criminalising the possession or supply of ‘SIM farms’ (used for sending scam texts and calls), and criminalising the possession or supply of technologies that can be used in online fraud.

And it goes further to protect children and young people. Real action after years of inaction;

Implementing the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, by introducing mandatory reporting and an aggravating factor of grooming behaviour.

A new offence of child criminal exploitation and establishing a new civil preventative order designed to prevent child exploitation.

Introducing new offences around the taking of intimate images, a standalone offence of administering a harmful substance (including by spiking), and giving victims of stalking the right to know the identity of their perpetrator, and restricting the ability of sex offenders to change their name where there is a risk of sexual harm.

And we recognise that early intervention is critical, especially when it comes to giving young people positive choices and activities to reduce the likelihood of drifting into bad behaviour.

𝙍𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 “𝙏𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙤𝙣 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙢𝙚, 𝙩𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙢𝙚”! 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙙.

And we’ve seen how young people from our town and others, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, can be groomed into gangs, drug dealing, and county lines operations. I have consistently spoken out on this growing issue and I welcome Labour’s commitment to disrupt criminal networks and protect vulnerable young people.

That is why investment in supporting families through Early Intervention Hubs is also important, bringing together police, schools, and social services to spot the warning signs early and provide the right support before problems escalate, alongside investment in Violence Reduction Units to tackle and disrupt organised crime and gangs.

After years of police cuts and a hollowing-out of local services, Labour is taking action. This Bill represents a real shift towards community safety, focusing not just on enforcement, but on prevention, support, and rebuilding trust in policing.

I am proud to support this landmark investment in safer streets, stronger neighbourhoods, and better opportunities for young people—and I am proud to vote for this Bill to make our communities safer.

Thank you to Countryside Homes, Vistry Group, Great Places & Sigma Capital for having me yesterday at the soon-to-be-completed Hartshead View housing project on the site of the former Hill Farm estate on Fitton Hill.

While praising the work being done to provide more homes for the community, members of the local Labour team in Medlock Vale with the excellent Cllr Hussain and Cllr Nasheen.

We know more houses are needed to end the housing crisis, boost living standards, and breath life into communities. This is why the Labour government is abolishing section 21 no-fault evictions, building 1.5 million new homes and reforming the planning framework, while the Labour-led council has developed a brownfield-first approach, starting with the Oldham Town Living Development Framework.

We also know houses are not enough, which is why I prioritised decent homes for local people at the election in July. Through developments like this, Labour is creating the environment for more good-quality family homes, first-time buyer homes, and retirement homes to give local people a stake in the future; while also tackling HMOs and poor quality housing.

We want every local person to have the opportunity to stay in the area they have grown up in with a safe, secure & affordable home in a high-quality neighbourhood like this.

To best explain why the need to build decent homes is so important is the experience of a local decent working family who were made homeless by a private landlord who took advantage of ‘no fault evictions’ we are outlawing, to hike up the rent on the home they lived in for over a decade. After being moved to temporary accommodation numerous times across Greater Manchester miles away from the kids primary schools, they now have a wonderful, affordable and secure home down the road from school, friends and family. That’s the difference it makes.

I raised concerns from constituents to the developers about ongoing building issues such as road cleaning from the mud from site, and we’ve dealt with a range of issues previously as casework, such as repairs needed to grass verges, the blocking of roads, anti-social behaviour, and damages which need to be addressed. We will continue to be working closely with the Council to monitor these issues and chase-up updates from residents.

On International Women’s Day, it’s the perfect moment to reflect on Oldham’s proud history of pioneering women who have shaped our borough, our country, and beyond.

Perhaps most famously, Annie Kenney led the fight for women’s right to vote alongside her sister Jessie Kenney. Annie’s contribution to the suffrage movement is now commemorated in Parliament Square, ensuring her place in history alongside the greats.

Oldham was also home to Dame Sarah Anne Lees, a true trailblazer who became the first female councillor in the county of Lancashire and later the first female Mayor of Oldham—only the second woman in England to hold such a role. Her daughter, Marjory Lees, continued her legacy, serving as President of the Oldham Women’s Suffrage Society and championing women’s rights in her own right.

But while we celebrate our past, we also look to the present and future—and today, women continue to lead the way in Oldham and beyond.

Following last week’s Council meeting, Oldham Council is now led at the top by women: Cllr Arooj Shah as Leader of the Council, and Shelley Kipling as its new Chief Executive, alongside Deputy Leader Cllr Elaine Taylor.

On the national stage, women are driving change in local government too, with Cllr Louise Gittins serving as Chair of the Local Government Association (LGA), Cllr Bev Craig leading the Labour Group, and Joanna Killian as LGA Chief Executive.

And of the three Members of Parliament representing Oldham, two women holding senior positions in nationally:

• Lucy Powell, MP, serves as Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the (King’s) Council.

• Debbie Abrahams, MP, chairs the influential Work and Pensions Select Committee.

And prior to the recent boundary changes, Angela Rayner, MP, now Deputy Prime Minister, also represented part of the borough—and, of course, she’s my government departmental boss!

In policing, Oldham’s Chief Superintendent Estelle Mathieson leads as District Commander, while Kate Green serves as Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, overseeing policing across the region.

The Royal Oldham Hospital also boasts strong female leadership, with Director of Nursing Karen Coverley and many other women playing vital roles in healthcare.

And in news and media the Oldham based Manchester Evening News is led by Editor Sarah Lester.

And beyond politics and public service, Oldham continues to produce inspirational women in sport, entertainment, and business—from Nicola White MBE, Olympic gold medalist and Freeman of the Borough of Oldham, to the many talented and driven women making a difference across all sectors.

And of course the women who lead and support my own role in my family and also in my parliamentary offices in Oldham and London, who are the best of public service and make a difference to thousands of people every year.

Happy International Women’s Day to all!

As Ministers in the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, we answered questions from MPs about our agenda for change to give power back to communities and drive up living standards far & wide; whether about reforms to planning to get national infrastructure built, plans to build more to solve the housing crisis, reforms to provide more security for renters, or local government reorganisation to allow for better delivery of frontline public services.

Took part in a “Statutory Instrument” debate on the Non-Domestic Rating Regulations 2025. It is great that so much goes on the legislative process outside of what is seen in the Commons chamber to make sure Bills put forward are properly analysed and improved before they become law. The Business Rates Bill will provide security for small businesses and put our high street shops on a level playing field with large online retailers.

Had a great time getting out of Westminster on Tuesday to meet with local council leaders and chief executives from Thurrock, Southend-on-Sea & Essex to discuss devolution in Greater Essex, along with taking a walking tour of Harlow to understand their vision for the area under the Plan for Neighbourhoods programme.

We held our third Leader’s Council in Essex with senior councillors from around the country where we focused on issues in early years, skills & employment. The Leaders’ Council brings together frontline expertise & experience to help ensure we can provide solutions & deliver on the issues that matter most to communities.

I took the opportunity on Wednesday to get staff who work in our finance, local government and devolution teams and thank them for their hard work since we came to government. We’ve hit the ground running on a programme of reform and modernisation to rebuild the foundations and I’m incredibly proud of them.

Again lots of internal meetings including those to plan the upcoming introduction of the English Devolution Bill into law, which we are obviously very excited by.

Gave the keynote speech as the Local Government Association Member Peer Conference in Manchester about the importance of localism and the need for local champions, before heading back home to Oldham on Thursday. It was great to be there now we have the opportunity to bring real and meaningful change to the sector. With Labour’s Plan for Change, we have already set out the next generation of devolution, financial stability for local government, and £1.5 billion investment into local neighbourhoods across the UK to create growth and opportunity.