Hackney families were recently hit by a £20 per week cut to Universal Credit. There are 16,760 households in Hackney South and Shoreditch on Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit, which meant a total cut of £17,430,400 in our constituency. 6 in 10 of all single-parent families in the UK will be hit. It will bring the basic rate of benefits to its lowest level since 1990.
Good broadband speeds are a vital need but parts of Hackney still face issues with slow broadband speeds.
The average download speed in London is 78.3 Mbps, however in Hackney Central it is as low as 47.4 Mbps, putting it in the worst 30 per cent of areas across the UK. Shoreditch is also in the worst 10 per cent of areas in the UK for people unable to receive good speeds.
On Remembrance Day we take time to thank those who've served and continue to serve in our armed forces as well as reflect on those who've paid the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our country.
We honour and remember them.
I recognise the impact of the pandemic but I believe bus services need to be regular and reliable and these should be a priority for investment.
Buses are a lot cheaper than the train or tube and these are just not affordable alternatives for many. I am keen to promote cycling but this is not an option for many Hackney residents who will continue to rely on the bus.
I will work with Hackney's representative to the London Assembly, Sem Moema, to monitor bus routes and push against the worst changes.
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Parliament
COP 26 and climate emergency roundtable
Global leaders are meeting in Glasgow between the 1-12 November to coordinate the urgent next steps we must take to prevent a climate catastrophe. Leaders will also present their nationally determined contributions (each country’s roadmap for cutting their national carbon emissions). It will be the biggest summit our country has ever hosted and one of the most important.
I've prepared a Thank You NHS video to applaud the hard work of our health and care workers during this pandemic.
Though restrictions have been fully lifted, it's important we still play our part in stopping the spread of COVID. If you haven't yet had your vaccine, please book now.
You can book your vaccine appointment here.
And find out more about the jab from Hackney Council here.
Well done to everyone in Hackney collecting their GCSE results today.
Congratulations to everyone in Hackney receiving their A-Level results today.
I’m concerned that parts of Hackney still face issues with slow broadband speeds. I have been working with Openreach and urging it to address this.
In some cases, there are barriers to installing full fibre as a few private building owners are refusing to grant wayleaves (the formal agreement between freeholders and their fibre providers) or are charging high fees for them. I have been pushing for better broadband for Leabank Square residents for some time and I’m pleased that Openreach have now installed full fibre in this area. I will be visiting the site with Openreach soon.
The Government is not doing enough to increase the supply of housing.
I'll keep pressing the Government to step up and support Hackney families living in severely overcrowded conditions.