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Dear *|FNAME|*,
This week, the government introduced legislation that would slash disability benefits by £7 billion, pushing 300,000 people into poverty, including 50,000 children. I have consistently opposed these plans and made it clear that I will vote against them. I continue to urge the government to reconsider these cuts.
A Freedom of Information request just this week revealed that these cuts would hit more than half of the disabled workers who claim PIP. We also heard that the government initially underestimated the number of people claiming PIP.
These are two reminders that the cuts are too widely targeted and have not been properly thought through. This is unsurprising when you consider that the government actively chose not to consult on these specific measures with those who would be affected by them.
These cuts would have made George Osborne blush. We cannot underestimate their human and political cost. Rather than facing another embarrassing u-turn, as happened with winter fuel cuts, the government should go back to the drawing board. The public will not forgive us if we remove support from those most in need of it.
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Alleviating Disability Poverty
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On Tuesday, I spoke in a Westminster Hall Debate, setting out the damaging impact that disability benefit cuts will have on disabled people living in my constituency. We know households with disabled members are much more likely to live in poverty because of historic cuts to disability support and because it remains more expensive to be disabled.
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I reiterated the fact that these cuts are not about getting people into work. The government has produced no evidence that they will do so. All the evidence so far does show clearly that they will force more disabled people into poverty and ill health.
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Protesting for Peace in the Middle East
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In recent days, we witnessed another worrying escalation of events in the Middle East as Israel launched new strikes against Iran. Last weekend, I joined an emergency demonstration calling for an end to the bombing of Iran and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
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We need to be clear that Israel has been emboldened by the support and impunity it has enjoyed whilst carrying out a genocide in Gaza. The IDF is now engaged in military operations in Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. This is not about defence, it’s about regional domination.
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End UK Military Support for Israel
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On Monday, the Foreign Secretary appeared before the House of Commons to give a statement on the strikes traded between Israel and Iran. Britain has a role to play in pushing for de-escalation and restraint from both parties. But UK military aircraft have been deployed ready to protect Israel, IDF troops continue to be trained in the UK and UK arms sales to Israel continue, including F-35 parts.
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In my question, I asked the government whether it accepts that calls for de-escalation are undermined by bolstering of Israel’s military, even as the Gaza genocide continues. You do not have to support the Iranian regime’s repression of its people, its persecution of women and minorities, or its destabilising regional role to acknowledge that another campaign of indiscriminate bombing only undermines long-term prospects of a just or lasting peace. You do not build democracies with bullets and bombs.
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Voting on the Assisted Dying Bill
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On Friday, MPs were asked once again to vote on the Assisted Dying Bill and related amendments. As those of you who have followed this debate closely will know, I have consistently voted against this legislation, despite supporting the principle of giving people more autonomy over their own deaths. This legislation does not just have implications for people who want to end their own lives but also for those who do not.
With many important safeguards rejected at committee stage, this bill would undoubtedly leave the most marginalised and vulnerable exposed to coercion. As Mother of the House, Diane Abbott MP, put it in Friday’s debate: “if this Bill is passed in its current form, people will lose their lives who do not need to. They will be among the most vulnerable and marginalised in our society”.
When MPs legislate, we must be realistic about the impacts of that legislation. In the current context of our overstretched health and social care system, supporting this bill would not have been consistent with my responsibilities to my constituents or my principles.
Read my full statement on the Assisted Dying Bill over on my website →
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Support Local Families with Baby Clothes
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Little Village are a fantastic charity who support local families living in poverty by providing them with good quality second-hand baby clothes and equipment. They are currently in desperate need of:
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Clothes for newborns.
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Clothes for children aged 3-5 years old.
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Toiletries for babies and children: nappies, baby wipes, toothbrushes etc.
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A huge thank you to everyone who has dropped off donations for Little Village at my constituency office already. If you haven’t had a chance yet, there’s still time! I’ll be collecting for another week or so. Please keep your pre-loved baby items coming to support families in need in our area!
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More Power Must Mean More Scrutiny
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This week, I spoke during the Crime & Policing Bill’s Third Reading, the stage where MPs propose amendments to legislation. My own New Clause 107 would have required a proper equality impact assessment of new policing powers. We have a situation where successive governments have sought to increase the reach and scope of police powers. If we decide to hand more power to police and state, I believe that has to come with more transparency, more accountability and more scrutiny. An equality impact assessment would at least show the real world impact this is having on communities who have already lost trust in policing.
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I also spoke in favour of several other amendments to this bill, which would have protected the right to protest, reviewed discriminatory and outdated joint enterprise protections and in favour of better guardrails for the use of predictive policing, facial recognition and AI by the state.
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A Stride Forward in the Struggle for Reproductive Rights
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This week, MPs voted to stop women being prosecuted for terminating their own pregnancy in the most significant change to abortion laws for almost 60 years. It is a crucial step forwards for reproductive rights, which will ensure women are no longer treated like criminals. The status quo ante meant that women were being subjected to multi-year investigations, including in instances of miscarriage and baby loss. Some women were even tried and convicted. I was glad to vote for this change, which centres care and compassion.
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Firefighters’ Charity Car Wash
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With the weather heating up last weekend, I stopped by Clapham Fire Station to support their charity car wash, raising funds for the Fire Fighters Charity. Huge thanks to our local firefighters who go above and beyond for our community, whether they are on or off-duty.
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It was perfect weather for last weekend’s Eco Summer Fair at St Paul’s Church, Clapham. From stalls showcasing sustainable local crafts to workshops focused on climate solutions, this was a a fantastic celebration of community-driven climate action. Thank you to everyone who organised it.
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Another Plea for New Blood Donors
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Last week, I was shining a light on the current issues facing NHS blood donation services. The NHS has been on its longest ever Amber Alert for low blood stocks since last July. Supplies are still dangerously low.
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The NHS particularly needs to recruit 12,000 new Black blood donors each year. This is to meet growing demand for life-saving blood transfusions from patients with Sickle Cell, the UK’s fastest growing genetic condition. National Blood Donor Week may be over but the need for blood continues 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Please continue to give blood and save lives whenever and wherever you can.
Book an appointment to give blood today →
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