The two-child limit on Universal Credit

As an MP in Salford, where 44.7% of children live in poverty with some wards closer to 60%, I urged the Government in the King’s Speech debate to scrap the two-child limit on Universal Credit. This is something many struggling families have raised with me but it’s also something that every child poverty expert has called for. Scrapping the two-child limit would lift hundreds of thousands of children across the country out of poverty.

I supported the King’s Speech and I support Government pledges to roll out breakfast clubs and to instigate a child poverty task force. I am gravely concerned, however, that this will take considerable time to pass through the relevant stages of consultation and indeed into final legislation. That is why I voted in favour of scrapping the two-child limit when the matter was debated recently in Parliament.

As a strict matter of conscience, during the Kings speech debate in Parliament I supported an amendment to the Kings speech that called for the removal of the two child limit. The Labour Party position was to vote against this amendment and so keep in place the two child cap but on this occasion I strongly felt I must support scrapping this destructive policy and speak for my constituents who have no voice in the hope that the Government urgently helps them on this issue. Sadly I have been suspended from the parliamentary Labour Party for a period of six months for not voting as directed. I remain as the MP for Salford and will continue to work with the Government and colleagues to help the constituents I represent.

Winter Fuel Payments

Everyone knows that Labour had a difficult job to fix our country after 14 years of Tory austerity. But so many constituents have told me that cuts to winter fuel payments are the wrong choice, that it will cause them significant harm, and they are frightened, especially as they are being introduced without prior consultation or an immediate strategy to tackle fuel poverty, health inequality and low incomes among older people.

8,400 people in the Salford constituency are set to be affected by these cuts, whilst 1,800 older people are already missing out on the Pension Credit they are entitled to. It’s really important to claim Pension Credit if you are eligible and to do so quickly to preserve your entitlement to the Winter Fuel Payment and I wish the Government made sufficient time to put an effective take-up campaign in place for Pension Credit. It is however important to note that these cuts don’t take into account those with modest incomes that are just above the pension credit entitlement threshold, so I am gravely concerned about introducing means-testing of the Winter Fuel Payment so quickly, at a time when energy bills are due to increase significantly and with no mitigations to support the most vulnerable pensioners.

I could not in all conscience vote to support the proposals to means test Winter Fuel Payments as they stand and so did not vote in favour of them when the regulations came before Parliament. I have urged the Government to pause, work collaboratively with colleagues to reconsider these plans in time for the Budget and provide the support so many pensioners need. As such I am pressing the Government to reconsider these plans and provide the support so many pensioners need. I have already expressed my concern by co-sponsoring Early Day Motion 115, which calls on the Government to postpone the ending of Winter Fuel Payments and establish a comprehensive strategy to tackle fuel poverty, health inequality and low incomes among older people.

State Pension Inequality for Women

I was honoured to be re-elected as Chair for the All-Party Group on State Pension Inequality for Women with fellow Co-Chair Lord Bryn Davies, and Vice Chairs Sir Julian Lewis MP and Liz Jarvis MP. Great to see so many MPs joining too. As an APPG, we will continue to work together to secure justice for 1950s born women whose retirements were hit badly by state pension age changes without adequate warning from the DWP.

Many 1950s and 1960s born women’s retirements were ruined by pension age changes they were not adequately informed about, forcing many into poverty. They deserve justice so great to now see Govt offering to meet some of the campaigners. You can read more about this here and watch my interview with That’s TV News Salford here.

Key Cities

I was delighted to be elected Co-Chair with Rebecca Smith MP at the inaugural meeting of the Key Cities APPG in Parliament. During the meeting we discussed fresh ideas for supporting our places and enthusiasm for working with our cities and universities on key priorities such as housing, health and social care, culture-led development, coastal communities and much more.

Nuclear Test Veterans

It was a privilege to host an event for British Nuclear Test Veterans with Sir John Hayes in Parliament where MPs heard from truly inspirational veterans Bryan, Brian and David, descendant and campaigner Alan Owen and indefatigable campaigning journalist Susie Boniface. Thank you to all the MPs who attended. You can find out more about the campaign here.

Grenfell Tower Inquiry

The findings of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry has laid bare a series of failures in safety regulations, failures in oversight and a failure in the duty of care owed to residents of Grenfell Tower. I back Angela Rayner’s calls for the police to bring criminal prosecutions against those responsible for the Grenfell Tower disaster as quickly as possible and it is right that there should be consequences for the failures that led to the deaths of 72 people. Those who perished, and those survived but whose lives were changed forever that day, must be at the centre of our reflection and we owe it to them to ensure that such a disaster never happens again.

There are a number of tower blocks in Salford and across Greater Manchester and residents are rightly concerned about the time it has taken to make them safe and, in some cases, are wrongly burdened with the cost. I have said before that lessons learned from this tragedy must be the basis to ensure that everyone, regardless of their background or means, is protected, respected and valued, further that residents should not be forced to pay for a building safety crisis they are not responsible for, and I will reiterate this until we have created a legacy of lasting change.

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Plans and strategies that work for adults just won’t work for children and young people with cancer, which is why I’m supporting Childhood Cancer Awareness Month this month by tabling a Parliamentary question to the Health Secretary about the unique approach for young cancer patients.

Holiday Activities and Food Programme

It was brilliant to meet the children at Willow Tree Primary HAF Holiday Club during the school summer holidays, and to see them having so much fun and enjoying some great food. Thank you Lifecentre Salford and Salford City Council for the amazing work you do across Salford, and the staff from Willow Tree Primary and Citywide Catering.

The Holiday Activities and Food Programme in Salford supports over 3,000 children during the Easter, Summer and Christmas holidays as well as providing the vital meals these children need. I’ve written to the Education Secretary to ask what considerations are being made to extend this programme to ensure this vital support for communities across Salford and beyond continues.

Advocacy Focus

It was a pleasure to visit members of the Children’s Rights Team at Advocacy Focus in Salford. We discussed the vital work they do in supporting the rights and well-being of children in our communities. I look forward to helping in any way I can to ensure they can continue to advocate for children’s rights and strive to make a positive impact in Salford.

World Suicide Prevention Day

The 10th of September was World Suicide Prevention Day, and I was thinking of those like Jakub Halani, a talented 19-year-old Salfordian with a promising future in music production who sadly took his own life last year. 143 others have taken their own lives in Salford in the last five years. By talking more openly about suicide, we can give people the chance to express how they feel and get the support they need. It could even save a life. Find out what you can do by clicking here.

Regent Retail Park

Following several meetings with constituents and local Councillors, I have written to the planning department objecting to plans which will drastically change Regent Road retail park. The current plans to regenerate the site will not help tackle the urgent need for social and affordable housing, won’t help with the loss of shops, existing employment and parking, and will drastically impact Salford’s skyline. The dream of living in our city centres should not become the preserve of only those on higher incomes. In Salford, we have over 5,000 people on the housing waiting list and almost 1,000 children living in temporary accommodation. Its vital new developments include social and affordable housing. You can read my letter in full here.

End Tragedy Chanting

I’ve backed calls to crack down on tragedy chanting at football matches. Tragedy chanting is when football fans engage in offensive chants or songs that reference fatal accidents or stadium disasters involving fans, players, or officials of rival clubs.

I’m proud to back GMB’s campaign to crack down on tragedy chanting. A healthy rivalry on the pitch is to be expected but hearing offensive chants or songs that reference fatal accidents or stadium disasters should shock us all. This isn’t ‘political correctness gone mad’, it’s about human solidarity that puts aside team colours and respects those victims and their families who are no longer with us. Let’s enjoy football the proper way, and not use it as an excuse to abuse rival fans about Hillsborough, the Munich Air disaster, or any other historic tragedy. Read more about this here.

Quays Mosaic Trail Re-launch

I was thrilled to join the launch of the newly renovated Quays Mosaic Trail. The theme of the original project was “the future” and to me, the trail is now a celebration of all our children and future generations in Salford, and their potential. Originally created by children from 19 schools across Orsdall and the Quays, with guidance from mosaic artist Mark Kennedy (who also helped with the restorations), it was lovely to see children from those same schools taking part in today’s event. Launched by Sir Bobby Charlton 21 years ago, it was really nice to be joined by his brother, Tommy, and those who have been instrumental in the renovation including Jo Joliffe, Mark Kennedy, the Salford Quays Community Forum, Salford City Council and local supporters and businesses — and of course, those children who created the trail. I hope everyone will visit the Quays to take a look.

Hahn Plastics

I was pleased to visit Hahn Plastics Ltd. in Pendlebury, at the former site of Pilkington Tiles, to see the amazing work they’re doing to transform plastic waste into new recyclable products. It was great to see how plastic waste can build infrastructure of the future right here in Salford.

Equal Pay for Asda Workers

I’m supporting GMB Union’s campaign against pay discrimination in ASDA shops. Women workers on the shop floor earn up to £2.84 per hour less than their male counterparts in warehouses, and ASDA’s retail workers are currently owed over £2billion in back pay. Everyone deserves equal pay for equal work and I’ve co-written a letter with other MPs to call on Asda to urgently commence settlement negotiations with GMB union.

Memorial to the Banyamulenge community

Last month at Islington Park in Salford, communities from Salford and across the UK came together to unveil a memorial stone dedicated to the victims of the 2004 genocide perpetrated against the Banyamulenge community in the UN refugee camp in Gatumba. The memorial is a place of reflection, healing and symbol of our duty to never again allow hate to foment in our world today.