April Monthly Update
It has been a busy month in Parliament.
The Government has been embroiled in more sleaze allegations, with Dominic Raab and the Chairman of the BBC resigning, both of which should have happened a long time ago.
Mortgage rates are rising, food prices are still sky-high and families are facing difficult decisions. Under the Tories, people are paying more and more, and getting less and less.
To make matters worse, we have a Prime Minister incapable of making decisions.
People have had enough - it is time for a Labour government to get this country back on track.
More locally, in Enfield North, we have seen some amazing community spirit, with the Enfield Business Awards and the donations to Enfield Carers Centre.
Furthermore, the NHS Parliamentary Awards nomination process closed on Tuesday. It was amazing to read so many inspirational stories from our local health and care providers on how they have gone above and beyond the call of duty. I will update everyone with news on this when I receive more.
I hope everyone has a brilliant bank holiday weekend.
Enfield North CLP Meeting
Thanks to all those that turned up to the Enfield North CLP meeting last week. There were some really important issues discussed regarding our area and community.
These are great opportunities for members to get together and discuss matters of mutual interest.
It was also great to celebrate and discuss the Bullsmoor by-election win, which led to the election of Destiny Karakus.
NHS Parliamentary Awards
In March, I put out a public call for nominations to the 2023 NHS Parliamentary Awards.
The awards recognise staff who have gone “above and beyond the call of duty” and they are even more special this year as they mark 75 years of the NHS.
Nominations closed on Tuesday 2nd of May, so please do not send me anymore - but I want to say thank you to all those who sent nominations to my office. It was truly inspirational to read all the amazing stories and accounts of NHS staff members.
Enfield Carers Centre
Enfield Carers Centre (ECC) is a local charity offering support and advice for all unpaid carers in Enfield. This year for Easter they did an Easter Egg Hunt for their amazing young carers.
I was happy to contribute 90 Eggs on top of Aldi UK’s very generous donation of 100 eggs. Enfield Carers Centre does some amazing work supporting 100s of young carers between ages five and eighteen in our community, therefore I was happy to help where I could.
Enfield Business Awards
Last month we had the Enfield Business Awards, brilliantly organised as ever by Loving Social Media / SEO.
It was great to see the amazing local businesses, charities and community leaders celebrate and receive awards for their contribution to Enfield.
The impact they have on our community is incredible. Well done to all the finalists and all those that won an award!
APPG Updates
Last week it was announced that I was re-elected as Vice Chair for the APPG for London. The APPG for London is a forum for MPs and Peers to work together on a cross-party basis to strengthen the capital's voice in Parliament. Being Vice Chair of this group is a huge privilege for me as it allows me to further promote the interests of Enfield and London in Parliament.
It was also great to see the Parliamentary event for the APPG for Cycling & Walking and the amazing support for making cycling, walking and wheeling safer. As vice chair of the APPG, I am immensely proud to keep pushing for safer and more sustainable travel options for everyone.
The Coronation
On Wednesday 3rd of May the House Rises for the King's Coronation. The Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort will take place at Westminster Abbey on Saturday 6th
May, 2023. The Service will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury. As previously announced, the Service will reflect the Monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry. I look forward to celebrating The Coronation in Enfield this weekend and hope everyone has a brilliant weekend celebrating around the country. If you would like more information on how Enfield is celebrating, please click here.
Health Week
In April we also had health week, in which we uncovered some harrowing data about the current state of our NHS. It was released that cancer patients are waiting up to two years for a diagnosis and over a year for the first treatment.
Further to this, five million people a month are waiting more than two weeks for a GP appointment. This is not good enough and it is clear patients are being let down by this Government.
They have run the NHS into the ground. Labour has set out our plan to cut NHS waiting lists. We would launch the biggest expansion of our NHS workforce in history, paid for by abolishing non-dom tax status.
Our ambitious workforce plan will train 7,500 more doctors and 10,000 more nurses annually - ensuring our healthcare system is fit for purpose.
Sewage Day Debate
Last week we had Labour’s Water Quality Bill, an effort to end the sewage scandal once and for all. In 2022 alone, water companies discharged sewage into waterways an average of 825 times a day, despite it being one of the driest years on record.
No-one in Enfield should have to worry about whether they are able to enjoy our areas of outstanding beauty or if they are encountering raw sewage by taking a dip in our waters. But in reality, in 2022 alone there were 975 recorded sewage spills into the River Lea before it reached Enfield North. That’s over 7700 hours of accumulated sewage being pumped into our river.
Labour would clean up our waters – and set legally binding targets to end 90% of sewage discharges by 2030.