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MP’s UPDATE OCTOBER 2020
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You can find previous reports of my work on my web site; www.ruthcadbury.co.uk I also report regularly on my Facebook page and via Twitter and Instagram @RuthCadbury. You can see full details of my questions and speeches in Parliament, and get Regular updates about my Parliamentary activities on TheyWorkForYou in Hansard and on YouTube
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See my special Coronavirus Web-page for information on
local and national services, help-lines and volunteering;
and to sign up for Hounslow Council’s daily updates.
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September has been as busy as ever for my team and I - sorry for the latesness therefore of this newsletter. The issues around Covid are having a huge effect on constituents’ lives and livelihoods along with the many other topics of concern.
The rate of infection is spinning out of control as a result of the government’s guidance being ill-thought out and badly managed, and the messages being inconsistent “Do as we say not as we (and our friends) do”. The Government’s (relative) incompetency compared to other nations can be seen in the graph below.
Whole sectors are closed down completely, such as the creative industries which generate billions in taxes and employ thousands of people here in West London. These jobs are viable in the long term, and I have called on the government to provide them with the support they need to protect those jobs and skills. I also challenged the Government in the Commons to recognise the 3 million self-employed and freelancers who have been excluded from all the Government schemes after many constituents, who have been excluded, wrote to me about their experiences.
We are also still waiting for the long-promised aviation strategy, while airport Unions have told us at Zoom meetings, how employers at Heathrow are forcing staff (many of whom are on low pay) to decide between taking redundancy or accepting very significant wage cuts.
I am seeing a growing number of constituents, who have never claimed benefits, now dependent on the inadequate levels of Universal Credit. As this is subject to an absolute cap, many people paying average West London rents have little if any money to pay for food and basic bills.
Covid Deaths v Economic Growth – showing just how badly the UK is performing against other countries
[Source OECD Statista 99% analysis]
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In the Commons Chamber:
- At the first PMQ after the summer recess I focussed on the summer of incompetence and asked the PM which was his favourite of the 12 U-turns that he's made this year
- I challenged Trade Secretary Liz Truss for appointing a misogynistic, homophobic and climate change denier as a Trade Advisor
- I called on the Government to support Hounslow & other aviation communities by following the German approach to Sector support and Airport testing
- I asked why the Government was undermining the Withdrawal Agreement and the Good Friday Agreement in the Internal Markets Bill. I addressed the negative impact that the Bill would have on the devolution settlement with all the devolved nations, the lack of action on state aid and the impact of the Bill on the rule of law
- I spoke about self-employed constituents who are excluded from the various Covid support programs
- At Environment Questions I asked the Government to adopt World Health Organisation guidelines on air pollution
- I spoke in the very well subscribed Debate on the Covid impact on Aviation, and called for sector support and short term area based support for aviation communities
I wrote:
- to the Chancellor asking that the furlough & SEISS programme be extended in certain sectors
- to the CEO of Centrica (parent company of British Gas) to oppose their fire & re-hire plan for British Gas Workers
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Period Poverty:
Too many young women cannot afford proper sanitary protection and miss school as a result. It was welcome that the government replaced the voluntary Red Box scheme last year with a Government-funded scheme to provide schools with a budget to acquire supplies. I asked a series of written questions to ascertain the Government’s long-term commitment to this vital scheme. The Minister replied by saying the Government is monitoring the scheme and will report back “in due course”.
Free Travel for Under 18s in London At Risk:
In July I sponsored an adjournment debate, to oppose the Government’s forced ending of Under 18s free travel in London. I pointed out that the Government would have to address where the costs would fall of travel for those entitled to free travel under the national rules. London Labour MPs wrote to the Transport Secretary and now it appears the Government have done the sums as we have now heard that the Government have postponed the measure until sometime next year.
COMMUNITY UPDATE
Recovery Plan for Hounslow Borough Our borough is expected to be one of the hardest hit with 42,500 jobs based at Heathrow, almost half of jobs in severely impacted sectors, and a forecast £1bn loss to the local economy. Most of the economic hit is because of the area’s dependence on Heathrow.
Job losses will disproportionately affect poorer and ethnic minority communities here. There is also a serious concern about greater levels of homelessness and of the impact of stress and poverty on children growing up here.
The Council is developing a recovery plan for the local economy and the community with public and private sector organisations. It will be a long time until the aviation sector recovers, so help is needed now. Along with the Council, business and community representatives, we are working with the Council to make the case to government for specific support for communities like ours that are so dependent on aviation for jobs and economic prosperity.
In September I spoke at West London Business’ annual meeting about Covid recovery, and also at the Council’s community event which focussed on how we can all work together to empower local people through the pandemic and the looming economic and social impact we face.
Cladding in Flats: All residents of modern flats fear for their safety while many leaseholders have told me they are unable to sell because they cannot get the EWS1 form to confirm their building is safe from potentially flammable cladding. A worrying fire hit Sperry House in the Great West Quarter development in Brentford. Luckily no-one was seriously hurt, but this showed how too many blocks are still vulnerable over three years after the Grenfell fire.
The Government promised that by now all modern flats with dangerous cladding will be re-clad but the funds they set aside are £2bn short. Following the fire I had meetings with residents of Sperry House, and next door Gilbert House with concerns about the way the housing associations who own and manage these particular blocks are communicating with residents about safety and the recladding programme. I had written to Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick the day before the fire for which I am still awaiting a reply and I am also seeking meetings with the housing associations.
Brentford FC: For those of us living near Griffin Park, it is a bitter-sweet feeling that Brentford FC have now moved to their new stadium on Lionel Road. But it is right for an ambitious club to have a ground fit for the 21st century. As with other league clubs, BFC is desperately frustrated that they have spent time and money making the ground safe for fans to
return, yet are still waiting for clarity from Government on this. I therefore wrote to the Government on behalf of the club, and am still awaiting a response.
As in previous seasons, I’m proud to be sponsoring manager Thomas Frank’s home kit for 2020/21.
MPs and the Council leaders to force the Government to take responsibility for the cost of the repairs, an amount that is way beyond the budget of the local Councils or even Transport for London. Full details of the saga can be found here
“Virtual” London Marathon: On October 4th I ran 26.2 miles along the Thames raising money for two local charities; Our Barn Youth Club for young people with learning disabilities and autism, and AgeUK Hounslow. Both charities need extra funds now to address the isolation experienced by those they support who have missed their normal social and support activities. Any support for either or
Constituent Surgeries on-line: I re-started my regular surgeries in September, “meeting” people who would like a chat 1-1. The issues raised with me included two business travel companies seeking support for 2-stage airport Covid testing, a company unable to get the bounce-back loan scheme, local crime issues and bullying at work. These are a fraction of the issues my team and I are contacted about, and we seek to provide active support, or advice, to each.
Local Markets: In among the gloom it’s great to see the regular markets are back, with good food, art and crafts made and sold by local people.
They are: Brentford on the second Sunday each month, Isleworth on the third Saturday, Chiswick Farmers Market every Sunday, and Gunnersbury Duckpond market on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays.
While there’s no market in Hounslow, Watermans Arts Centre are organising a programme of events in Bell Square at the top of the High Street, which started with the impressive 7 metre globe “Gaia” by Luke Jerram.
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AFTER FOUR LONG MONTHS OF LOCKDOWN the need for help and support for vulnerable people has increased, so if you have time, or money, please do support your local community.
If you can volunteer please do; with your local Covid19 Mutual Aid Group, or Hounslow Volunteering Centre to help a Hounslow community organisation.
If you can spare money to hard-pressed charities – then please do that too. Many vital charities may not survive the loss of income as normal charitable giving collapses. And now there will be the exponential growth in demand for some such as foodbanks, advice and information services and domestic violence charities.
Here are some local ones: Hounslow Community Foodbox Ivybridge Foodbank (run by All Souls Church, St Margaret’s), Ague Hounslow, and Hounslow Open Kitchen
If you can – please give generously of your time or your money!!
You can get daily updates about national and local information and services from Hounslow Council here
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Printed from an email sent by Ruth Cadbury MP
London, LON W4 4AG
United Kingdom