Weekly Round-Up
This week we saw the shameful rhetoric of this Conservative Government born out in Parliament with legislation to curb the right to strike, and an Online Safety Bill that does anything but keep people safe online.
Far from bringing some much-needed stability to British politics, Rishi Sunak has shown that he is just another Tory PM who is held hostage by his own party.
Another week of flip-flopping and concessions proves how weak his leadership is, putting his own political safety over the need to deliver for the people of our country.
The sooner we have a General Election that can deliver the Labour government we so desperately need, the better.
Anti-Strike Bill
The Government’s failed approach has led to the worst strikes in decades. At every stage they’ve sought to collapse the talks and thrown in last minute spanners.
This shoddy Bill is unworkable and impractical - the Transport Secretary admits it won’t work, the Education Secretary doesn’t want it, and it will put intolerable burdens on employers.
We all want minimum standards of service and staffing in the NHS and on our railways but Ministers are failing to provide it at all.
Labour strongly opposes this fundamental attack on working people’s freedoms on the principle - and we’ll repeal it.
Online Safety Bill
Labour has long campaigned for stronger protections for children and the public online. There’s a broad consensus that social media companies have failed to regulate themselves. There has been a wild west online for too long, the need for regulation is now urgent.
The Government have made a mess of the Online Safety Bill. Rishi Sunak is so out of touch he’s completely misread the room. There’s a parliamentary majority to strengthen the Bill and ensure company directors are liable for their failures to protect children and families yet instead the government are watering it down.
The Prime Minister is too weak to stand up to big tech vested interests. Labour is on the side of the public and will argue for keeping children safe online and protecting our democracy.
Whitewebbs Update
Having received significant further correspondence from residents, I have published an open letter setting out my position on Whitewebbs.
The lack of clarity that residents have received on all stages of this project, could have been averted by a more rigorous and meaningful engagement and consultation process.
It is the failure to carry out such a process that has led to this situation.
You can read the letter in full here: An update on Whitewebbs — Feryal Clark
Recruiting More Doctors Debate
This week I responded to an important debate on the merits of recruiting more doctors.
If the Government won’t listen to anyone else on this issue, then maybe they will heed the words of their own Chancellor.
Watch my speech.