Weekly Round-Up
This week’s parliamentary and news agenda has been dominated by the Government’s Spring Budget. This was a chance for the government to unlock Britain’s promise and potential. But all this budget delivered was more uncertainty, especially for small businesses. Enfield North businesses desperately needed the chancellor to extend business energy support, but they have been abandoned by this useless Government. The budget prioritises big businesses over SMEs. For example, on business taxes, it spends £27bn extra on big businesses, arguing that small businesses are already catered for. But this is not what I am hearing from businesses in Enfield North, who are struggling with inflationary costs and energy bills. Small businesses play an integral role in any community – especially in Enfield North. There are 5.5 million of them in the UK and they employ over 16 million people, therefore this government’s decision to overlook them is baffling.
This budget is a reminder of what Tory Britain means for working people. After 13 years of this government, we have the lowest business investment in the G7, the biggest fall in living standards since records began, high prices, high taxes and low pay. We just can’t afford a Tory government for any longer.
In other parts of the budget, we had a childcare announcement that will not come into action until 2025. There was nothing on the NHS workforce crisis, despite having seven million people on the waiting list and 124,000 vacancies. Nothing to help tackle the NHS’ estates maintenance backlog; repairs are estimated to cost £10.6bn which if left unaddressed will undermine efforts to reduce waiting lists. There is still little clarity over social care funding, and while a small amount of funding for suicide prevention charities is welcome, there is little else for mental health services.
As always, we have more questions than answers with this government.
On a more positive note, last week I wrote to the Government on behalf of Fusion in Enfield regarding soaring energy costs for leisure centres with swimming pools. Local service providers are the heartbeat of every community and I will always stand up for my local businesses. Therefore, the announcement of an extra £63m for leisure centres with swimming pools to tackle spiralling costs is a step in the right direction. We now need to ensure this money goes to leisure centres in Enfield and ones that need it most. You can see my letter below.
International Women’s Day Reception
On Monday, to celebrate International Women’s Day, I was invited to speak at an event hosted by Keir Starmer. I brought three truly inspiring women along, Professor Geeta Nargund, Senior Consultant Gynaecologist and Lead Consultant for Reproductive Medicine, Dr Tamzin Cuming, Colorectal Surgeon, Chair of women in Surgery Forum and Professor Mala Rao, Professor of Public Heath, Imperial College.
Westminster Hall Debate – The Future of Cancer Care
On Tuesday, ahead of the Budget, I questioned the Government’s commitment to fixing the NHS workforce and backlog crisis.
Cancer waiting times are: “at their worst recorded level”.
In the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, which some of my constituents use, they found that only 39.1% of patients started treatment within 62 days of an urgent suspected cancer referral in January 2023, missing the NHS E target of 85%.
This is truly devastating for patients and families around the country.
Starting with the workforce, we need to get those waits down, get early diagnosis up and transform survival rates for cancer treatment.
I will continue to hold the government to account on this important issue.
Young Carers Action Day
It was a pleasure to visit Enfield Carers Centre for Young Carers Day on Wednesday for a craft afternoon.
It was brilliant to speak to the young carers and see first-hand the amazing work that takes place there.
It does not go unnoticed!
Turkey & Syria Earthquake visit with Alevi Community
On Friday, I visited the London Alevi Cultural Centre and Cemevi with the leader of the Labour Party Keir Starmer and Catherine West MP, as well as local representatives. We visited the memorial for the victims of the earthquake and paid our respect.
We then sat down with those who had families who had been tragically affected by the earthquake. It was great to see a moment of solidarity after such a terrible event.
