Stronger Rights at Work

I am pleased that the Employment Rights Bill has passed Parliament and will soon become law. It will mean fairer sick pay, stronger protection from zero-hour contracts and unfair dismissal, improved parental leave and tougher redundancy rules, all backed up by enforcement through a new Fair Work Agency. This is a significant step towards making work more secure and treating people with the dignity and fairness they deserve.

Calling for the Return of Local Maternity Services in Salford

Ingleside has long been a valued local facility, and it is deeply concerning that almost three years after its closure, Salford women are still being forced to travel outside the city to give birth. I have written to the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board to seek clarity on the long-term future of the Ingleside Birth and Community Centre. While I recognise the serious workforce pressures facing maternity services, there is growing concern locally that this situation is becoming permanent by default.

In Salford’s centenary year, it would be a real shame if our city continued to have no local birthing provision at all. I am therefore calling for urgent action and a clear plan to ensure Salford women have equitable access to safe, local maternity services within Greater Manchester, including a proper review of how Ingleside can be brought back into use.

Read my comment and more in this Manchester Evening News article.

£20 Million Pride in Place Investment for Pendleton

I am really excited to see the £20 million Pride in Place project in Pendleton get under way this year. This investment will make a real difference to the area, and I want local residents to be fully involved as plans develop. I will be sending out letters soon with more information to households in Pendleton. If you are interested in getting involved or would like to find out more, please contact me at rebecca.longbailey.mp@parliament.uk

Watch the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government’s message here.

Calls for a Fairer Economy That Works for Everyone

I welcomed the Government’s decision to scrap the two-child benefit cap, a humane and necessary step that will lift nearly half a million children out of poverty and ease hardship for almost a million more. It showed that when Government chooses to listen and act with compassion, lives can be changed. I was proud to support the Chancellor as she began the hard work of restoring the public finances after 14 years of austerity, while also making the case for the next stage of reform: a fairer tax system that supports people on modest incomes, backs young people and ensures prosperity is shared.

I also set out the need to tackle unfairness in the financial sector, reform energy policy so it works for families and not just profits, and commit to long-term investment in infrastructure, green industries and skills. Initiatives like Pride in Place, which will bring £20 million to parts of Salford over the next decade, are a welcome start, but this must be the beginning of a wider transformation to rebuild our economy, restore fairness and renew hope for future generations.

You can watch my speech in the Commons here, where I share my thoughts on the budget and what’s needed next.

Raising Serious Concerns About Digital ID

I have consistently raised serious concerns about the Government’s plans for a mandatory digital ID system, particularly the risks to privacy and civil liberties, the lack of evidence it would tackle illegal working, and the danger of discrimination and exclusion for vulnerable groups. I am pleased that the Government has now stepped back from making digital ID compulsory for the right to work. This is a welcome recognition that such far-reaching proposals must be approached with caution. I will continue to scrutinise any future plans to ensure people’s rights, privacy and freedoms are properly protected.

Read my latest speech in Parliament in full here.

Defending the Right to Jury Trial

I co-signed a letter with Labour colleagues urging the Government to pause and rethink concerning proposals that would limit jury trials and restrict appeal rights. These plans risk undermining a fundamental safeguard in our justice system without addressing the real causes of court backlogs. I am clear that the right to be tried by a jury of your peers is a cornerstone of our democracy, and any changes must strengthen justice, not weaken it. Read the letter in full here.

Putting Rail Workers at the Heart of Change

I welcomed progress towards a unified, publicly owned railway and paid tribute to the thousands of rail workers whose skill and professionalism keep the network moving every day, including in moments of real danger. A world-class rail system must put those workers at its centre. While the Bill is a positive step, I raised serious concerns about uncertainty for the more than 150,000 people who make up Britain’s rail workforce, many of whom still do not know who their future employer will be, what will happen to their pensions, or how they will transfer into Great British Railways. I argued that workers and their unions must have a clear voice in the new structure, as they do in transport bodies elsewhere, and that decades of damaging outsourcing should not simply be carried over. Bringing key roles back in house would improve accountability, service quality and value for money. I urged the Secretary of State to work constructively with the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers to strengthen the Bill and deliver a railway that workers and passengers alike can be proud of. Watch my speech here.

Local Media and BBC Charter Renewal

I spoke in Parliament about the crisis facing local journalism, with nearly 300 local papers lost since 2005 and millions of people now living in news deserts with no meaningful local reporting at all. When there is no journalist in the room, power goes unchallenged and communities lose their voice. This damage has been driven by broken business models and excessive media concentration, with a handful of corporations prioritising consolidation and profit over public service, while newsrooms are hollowed out and hundreds of journalists lose their jobs. At the same time, advertising revenue has been siphoned off by tech giants who give little back, while AI-generated content risks imitating local voices rather than genuinely representing them. I argued that it is time for a reset, based on the proposals in the National Union of Journalists news recovery plan, including stronger media ownership rules, proper support for public interest journalism, fair taxation of tech companies, protection for public notices, and action through the BBC charter to safeguard trusted local radio. Local journalism is not a luxury. It is a cornerstone of our democracy, and it must be protected. Read my speech in full here.

I also spoke about the importance of fair and sustainable funding for public service broadcasting. I made clear that the BBC must remain universal, with no subscription model, paywalls or two-tier system. Fourteen years of real-terms cuts, around a 30% reduction in funding, have weakened public service broadcasting, hollowed out newsrooms and hit local and regional news hardest, particularly through damaging cuts to BBC local radio that have stripped communities of trusted, genuinely local programming. I argued that these cuts should be reversed, alongside renewed investment in local journalism and the BBC World Service, whose trusted global role has been undermined by repeated funding reductions. I also highlighted the importance of the BBC to Salford and the wider north-west, where its presence at MediaCityUK has driven jobs, skills and creative growth, proving that world-class broadcasting does not have to be London-centric and must be protected. Watch my speech here.

Standing Up for Families Affected by the Conflict in Sudan

I recently raised the heartbreaking case of one of my constituents in Parliament. She was separated from her five-year-old son during the horrors of displacement in Sudan. By a sheer miracle, he made it to Saudi Arabia, where he is staying temporarily, but without action he faces being forced to return to Sudan after 1 December. I asked what more the Government can do to support families like hers, including through evacuation pathways and humanitarian schemes to help reunite loved ones. In response, the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, agreed to look into this individual case and acknowledged the wider urgent need for humanitarian aid and protection. Watch here.

£400,000 Boost for Creative Skills at Futureworks

Congratulations to Futureworks on securing £400,000 from the Government’s Strategic Priorities Grant. This funding will support the development of new learning spaces, a virtual production studio and improved digital infrastructure, helping to equip learners with the skills our regional economy needs. Since beginning teaching 17 years ago, Futureworks has grown into a highly respected specialist provider of higher education for the creative industries, with a strong reputation across Manchester and the UK for the quality and high standards of its degree programmes.

Standing Up for Hongkongers on the BN(O) Route

I have joined MPs from across Parliament in writing to Ministers about proposed changes to Indefinite Leave to Remain rules, calling for fairness and protection for Hongkongers on the BN(O) visa route. We made clear that there must be no retroactive rule changes, and that common-sense exemptions are needed so humanitarian visa routes remain true to their purpose. People who came to the UK in good faith, often fleeing repression, deserve certainty, fairness and compassion, not shifting goalposts. Read the letter in full here.

King’s New Year Honours

Huge congratulations to Salfordian and CEO of The Lowry, Julia Fawcett, recognised in the King’s New Year Honours 2026 with a CBE for Services to the Arts and Creative Industries. A richly deserved honour for her cultural leadership in Salford and beyond

Salford Foodbank support

Thank you to the people of Salford. Before Christmas, you donated an incredible amount of food for local food banks at Pendleton Tesco, showing the very best of our community spirit. Huge thanks to the Pendleton Labour Councillors and local activists including Andrew Behan and Owen Power, for organising, to everyone in the local community who helped out, and to all those who donated so generously. Your kindness and solidarity make a real difference.

Wonderful Community Carol Services

Huge thanks to Salford Loaves and Fishes for the brilliant work they have done over the last year and for organising the Community Carol Service, for Notability for such a warm and uplifting performance, to everyone who attended, and to St Paul’s C of E Church for hosting. It was a really special community moment. Please save the date for next year’s carols on 11th December and pop it in your diaries.

It was lovely to attend Sacred Trinity Church’s annual carol service with Reverend Andy Salmon, alongside Salford Mayor Paul Dennett and Councillors Jane Hamilton and Emma Cammell. The Flat Iron Choir were absolutely brilliant and helped make it a warm, uplifting evening that captured the true spirit of the season.

Spreading Christmas Cheer in Salford

It was wonderful to visit Bridgewater Foundation, Step into Action and Bridgewater Security with Councillors Michelle Barnes and Teresa Pepper for their Christmas party for local children and charities. The generosity on display was incredible, with lorry loads of toys and presents donated to support families across our community. Huge thanks to the whole team and to everyone who donated for making such a positive difference.

Weaste Pride Fundraiser

Spread the word! The fantastic folks at Weaste Pride are looking for brilliant businesses across Salford and Greater Manchester to ask if they would consider donating a prize to the Weaste Pride raffle, taking place on 11th July 2026. Thanks to the generosity of local businesses and our community, last year’s raffle raised over £2,500 for charity. This year, they are hoping to raise even more for Jaks World, a vital suicide prevention charity supporting young people with their mental health by providing hope, support and a safe space when it is needed most. Every donation, big or small, helps make Weaste Pride possible and makes a real difference to young lives. If you are able to donate a prize, please do get in touch by emailing: weastepride@gmail.com

Out and about in Salford

It was great to be out across Salford recently with our hardworking Team Salford Labour councillors and members, speaking to residents, listening to concerns and picking up casework. Thank you to everyone who took the time to speak with us on the doorstep, and to those who came along to show their support. Conversations like these are vital in making sure we are representing Salford as effectively as possible.