This week the Public Accounts Committee discovered that the Government never considered the economic effects of a pandemic during its 2016 pandemic preparations. It explains the many gaps in support, including for the forgotten freelancers, and why it is lurching from crisis to crisis. 

I welcome Marcus Rashford’s excellent campaign shaming the Government into a U-turn so that vulnerable children do not go hungry over the summer. 

I’m continuing to receive an unprecedented number of emails supporting Black Lives Matter. Thank you. We need to turn this anger into action and I look forward to working with you on how to create lasting and meaningful change.

The scenes from the US and the outrageously racially divisive approach of Donald Trump are very distressing. I'm backing Dawn Butler MP's call to end the export of riot gear to the US.

This week I challenged the Prime Minister on his double standards for lockdown at the Liaison Committee. This is the select committee made up of the heads of the other House of Commons select committees. You can see clips of my questions here and here.   

It’s clear that for Hackney schools and workplaces to return safely, we need a test, track and trace system in place. I continue to make the case to Government that it needs to be done at the local level. In Hackney, we have the experience and capability to deliver. Our Council, community leaders and health professionals stand ready to help.

Hackney Council is facing a funding gap of up to £19 million. I know other councils in the UK are in a much worse position, with some (not Hackney) technically bankrupt. 

Councils are a vital provider of frontline services. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government promised to pay back councils for all Covid-related emergency spending. There are now concerns the Government is backtracking from this. The Public Accounts Committee is on the case. 

Hackney teachers and schools achieved a miracle when they transformed, in a matter of days, to teach and support students virtually. But the Government is letting them down by hinting at a physical return without any proper guidance or plans to keep students and teachers safe.

Parliament is still working but with a mixture of virtual and physically present, socially distant MPs.

This week I continued to press the Government on freelancers, the self-employed, and small businesses falling through the gaps of Government support schemes. See me raise these concerns in the Finance Bill debate here.

Parliament returned virtually this week with Labour’s new leader, Keir Starmer, challenging the Government over its poor record on testing and PPE. 

I’m continuing to press the Government over small businesses, the self-employed, freelancers, and vulnerable families still falling through the gaps of Government support. 

I also met with local Hackney groups and we are determined to help those affected by the digital divide. 

See me discuss this and more in my new weekly round-up above.

This week the Government has announced a three-week extension to the lockdown but we still have no information on what might come next. This is not good enough. We need a discussion about how the Government will plan its next steps so that no person or business is left behind.

Next week Parliament will meet, for the first time in its history, virtually. I welcome this important step as it is vital MPs can challenge ministers about actions and decisions on important issues. These include: