New Police Powers to tackle Anti-social Behaviour

✅ Tough new Respect Orders to crack down on anti-social behaviour

✅ Police and councils with more power to deal with crime

✅ Bringing back neighbourhood policing

✅ Tackling the causes of crime as well as incidents

We want to restore respect, increase accountability, and build confidence of local people in their neighbourhoods and on our high streets. This is why the government has announced today new powers for the police to tackle anti-social behaviour, delivering on our manifesto promise.

Locally, we want to do even more to create a safe place, a priority of mine at the election for Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton. We are continuing to target problems in our area from nuisance fireworks, to child criminal exploitation, to dangerous driving.

As well as what has been announced today, Oldham Council and local GMP services will be supported even further with the government soon legislating for both a Crime and Policing Bill and a Victims, Courts, and Public Protection Bill, while also delivering half a billion pounds of additional funding for policing next year.

With Labour in power at local, regional, and national levels, we are taking back our streets from crime and creating safer communities.

Labour are putting Oldham bus services in the hands of local people

This Labour government is expanding the power of communities to take back control of local bus services. For passengers in Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton, this means:

✅ Over £66 million more for Greater Manchester buses

✅ £2 single fare cap extended in our city-region

✅ Reforms to speed up delivery of public control

✅ A Buses Bill to end the postcode lottery of services

✅ Unlimited off-peak trams and buses on any day for £7.80 in 2025

✅ Roll-out of Bee Network buses completed in every borough in January

By removing barriers to bus franchising and public ownership, we will speed up the process of fair funding and serve the best interests of every community.

Visit from The Radclyffe School to Parliament

Wonderful to meet students from The Radclyffe School yesterday in Parliament who came down for UK Parliament week.

They had great questions on the role of an MP in representing local people, top priorities for the borough, support to tackle hate crimes, and action to improve community safety.

Hope you all had a good day and safe journey back home.

Support for Veterans

While it is important to reflect on the past as we did on Remembrance Sunday, we must make sure we do our bit now for those who have returned from and continue risking their lives to fight for our nation, for freedom and for democracy.

Our Labour government understands this, which is why we have committed a package of practical measures to support veterans:

✅£3.5 million for a dedicated wraparound service to tackle veteran homelessness and specialist support for employment and independent living.

✅Armed Forces Commissioner Bill introduced to provide the Commissioner with new functions to investigate general service welfare matters in the Armed Forces.

✅HM Armed Forces Veteran Card has been approved as Voter ID.

✅Discounted use of Oldham Active leisure centres across the borough.

✅Homes for Heroes Scheme to deliver £3.7 million in capital housing grants for veterans.

Under a Labour government, veterans can be sure that they will be protected, honoured, and respected in the way that they deserve.

Pension Market Reforms

This Labour Government is going for growth – growth which is felt far and wide.

As Minister for Local Government, I know local government pension schemes do good work to support growth in the UK, and we know from our discussions with funds that there is so much more potential.

Merging Local Government Pension Scheme assets and consolidating defined contribution schemes into megafunds will boost people’s pension pots, deliver for members in retirement, and put the billions of pounds of investment unlocked into places members live and love.

Supporting the largest public sector pension schemes will drive national economic growth and bring back the benefits to Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton by freeing up money for local public services in the long-term and securing more than £20 billion for investment in local communities.

Labour is tackling shoplifting

I prioritised creating a safe place for Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton at the election, and now we are in power, we are delivering.

✅ Millions of pounds of new money to tackle shoplifting

✅ Tougher action against criminals who assault retail workers

✅ 13,000 additional neighbourhood police and PCSOs back on the street

After a strong campaign by the Co-operative Party to end violence against shopworkers, the Labour and Co-op government is keeping to our manifesto commitments to protect retail workers and make our high streets safer.

This will strengthen the work already done by Oldham Council to reinvigorate our high streets and town centres, including the regeneration projects in and around Spindles.

Parliament Garden of Remembrance

‘When you go home tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow we gave our today.’

To commerate those who died for our country, I laid a stake in Parliament’s Remembrance Garden for Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton.

It is important we take some time during Remembrance Day today to reflect and remember all those who have given so much for us and for future generations.

#LestWeForget