Lives have been ruined due to the Government’s actions against those falsely accused of cheating on their English language tests for visas. Many have gone to court and proved the Government wrong, but at great cost to themselves and the British taxpayer. The simplest, fairest, and most cost-effective solution for everyone is to allow those accused of cheating to re-sit the test. But the Government is so far refusing. This scandal feeds into a wider pattern of behaviour and culture in the Home Office, as seen with the Windrush scandal. The Government must change tack.

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Private renting is unaffordable for too many in Hackney.

I’ve seen children grow into adults unable to move out of the family home because they cannot afford private rents, even though they working in good jobs with good salaries.

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As MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch, I can obtain tickets to Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) for constituents. But as these tickets are very limited (I can only get two every month, subject to availability), I operate a ballot system. 

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It was a delight to visit Hackney New Primary School which, due to the pandemic, is the first time in a while I’ve been able to visit a school. As ever, the pupils spoke eloquently about the issues that matter to them, particularly on the climate crisis. I encouraged them to remain involved in politics and write letters so that their voice can be heard.

My visit also included a first-class demonstration of the musical education offered at Hackney New Primary School and the rooftop garden managed entirely by pupils. 

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Yesterday’s announcement of an increase in the energy price cap will hit most Hackney households with a rise of about £700 in their energy bills. The Chancellor’s response does not do enough to support struggling families and forces households to pay later for today's high energy costs. It is also a gamble that energy prices will fall in the future and there is still not enough detail on how local authorities will be supported in rolling out parts of this plan.

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The energy price cap increase will hit struggling Hackney families hard. It comes after a decade of dither, delay, and poor planning of Britain’s energy sector by this Government.

The Chancellor's response forces households to pay later for today's high energy bills and gambles on energy prices falling in the future.

There is also little detail on how parts of it will be rolled out. I'll keep pressing for answers.

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Not one English river is in a healthy condition, with none meeting good chemical standards and only 14 per cent meeting good ecological standards. It is a shameful record that England has the worst river quality in Europe.

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It is vital our curricula in schools reflects the rich diversity and history of our country. The contribution of people from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities must be celebrated in schools.

I wrote to the Secretary of State for Education after receiving a letter from a year 7 student in Hackney, who raised concerns about the lack of diversity on the GCSE English literature curriculum. Click the pdf link below to read the response in full.

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In a shocking development this week, the Metropolitan Police announced it is investigating the allegations at the heart of PartyGate. This is a damning reflection of the Prime Minister who has brought the country’s highest office into disrepute. But as shocking are the allegations of bullying and Islamophobia at the heart of government made by the former Conservative minister Nusrat Ghani MP. She was allegedly told she was “too Muslim” and that her “Muslim woman minister status was making colleagues feel uncomfortable”. There is no space in our politics for racism of any kind.

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