This week the Prime Minister addressed the Conservative Party conference. His speech was heavy with the bluff and bluster but light on the detail for how this Government will support families hit hard by the cost of living crisis. He gave his speech on the same day the Government cut £20 per week from Universal Credit.

It's important to remember that 60 per cent of families impacted by this cut are already in work. 6 in 10 of all single-parent families in the UK will also be hit. It will bring the basic rate of benefits to its lowest level since 1990. This is unacceptable and I will continue pressing the Government to change its mind. 

I attended the opening of a new public space in Shoreditch Park named after Hackney’s grassroots answer to Live Aid – the British Reggae Artists Famine Appeal (BRAFA). Brafa was created in 1984 when Hackney resident and lead singer of The Blackstones, Leon Leiffer, became frustrated by the lack of African and Caribbean artist representation in Band Aid. See here for a livestream of the event.

I also sent out my climate emergency parliamentary update to constituents that have previously been in touch on climate issues. If you would like to receive a copy of this, please let me know. 

Ahead of COP 26 (the vital international climate change conference in Glasgow taking place during November), I will be hosting a climate emergency virtual roundtable on Wednesday 20 October 4-5 pm so interested constituents can meet and feed in their views about what steps we should be taking. I will also provide an update on my work with the Public Accounts Committee scrutinising the Government’s climate policies. Please contact me by emailing meg.hillier.mp@parliament.uk with your full name and postal address if you are interested in attending (it will be held virtually).