In December, I had the chance to tour Knight’s Youth Centre to hear about the work they are doing with young people in our community. They have been doing inspiring work with local young people, undeterred by the challenging conditions of an ongoing global pandemic. Their longstanding efforts have helped countless people in our area to reach their full potential. I was impressed by the range of activities they offer to local youth and their strong emphasis on equalities. I’m proud to support them in all they do as they continue to grow and adapt their services to the needs of children and teenagers in our area.

The Tories inflicted 70% cuts on youth services over the last decade, forcing over 1,000 UK youth centres to close. Earlier in 2021, I used one of my PMQs to raise this with Boris Johnson. Seeing the work our youth centres do in person and talking to local youth workers only strengthens my resolve to fight for fair funding for youth services over the coming years. We must ensure for proper investment so that every young person has the support they need to fulfil their potential.