COVID-19 cases are rising at a concerning rate, including in Hackney.
This week the Public Accounts Committee challenged Home Office officials over the ludicrous suggestion asylum seekers may be sent offshore for processing.
Tonight we’re voting on the Internal Market Bill, which is an utter shambles.
❌ It breaks international law,
❌ Shreds our country’s credibility,
❌ Risks a No Deal Brexit.
I called out the Prime Minister for shredding our country’s international credibility and challenged him over his constant use of cheap slogans that are now coming home to roost.
The removal of dangerous cladding and delays in obtaining an EWS1 form is an issue that continues to affect thousands of leaseholders in Hackney.
The Public Accounts Committee, which I chair, published a report on this issue that calls out the Government’s unacceptably slow progress in resolving this issue. Read that report here.
This week the Government announced a new set of COVID-19 restrictions.
See my weekly round up for my take on the Government’s testing fiasco and the impact on Hackney. People have been turned away from the two walk-in centres in the borough. The Secretary of State undertook to look into the matter. The Government needs to get to grips with this quickly; it’s critical, particularly with a second wave looming.
I continue to press the Government for action to support those who are self employed, many of whom have been living on fresh air during the pandemic.
Many have good track records with HMRC but still fall into the gaps in support. The Government needs to understand the cost to the Exchequer as well as the impact on people’s lives.
I will continue to make the case.
The Public Accounts Committee has today published a report on the Government's Progress in remediating dangerous cladding.
Three years after the Grenfell Tower disaster in which 72 people lost their lives, only a third (155 out of 455) of high-rise buildings with Grenfell-style flammable cladding due to be fixed by now have had their cladding replaced with a safe alternative.
All walk-in services at Hackney COVID test centres have now stopped although it took over two days for the Government to notify Hackney Council. This is not good enough.
The Government needs to step up and get a grip on this testing fiasco.
This week the Government confirmed what has become increasingly evident over the previous months: it is one rule for them and another for everyone else.
I was astounded to see the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland admit that the Government was preparing to break international law. The UK Government is proposing to unilaterally rewrite previously agreed sections of the EU Withdrawal Agreement. When this comes before Parliament next week, I’ll be working with my Labour colleagues to stop this.