Weekly Round-Up
This week saw the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Angela Rayner MP, take on the new Deputy Prime Minister at his first PMQ’s.
But a new Deputy PM does not make a new Conservative Government. This week it was highlighted again how they fail to keep their promises.
The Prime Minister pledged that by March, NHS waiting lists would fall. The fact is, NHS waiting lists are longer than when the Prime Minister made his pledge five months ago.
And patients continue to suffer and wait.
After thirteen years of Tory rule they are still lurching from crisis to crisis - and wallowing in their own mess. They can’t solve the crisis - because they are the crisis.
We remain focused on fixing the real problems facing the British people.
Dementia Action week
The Alzheimer’s Society were in Parliament this week as part of Dementia Action Week.
Diagnosis is key to unlock the care and support a person needs, to get the treatment they need, and to plan for the future.
But statistics on diagnoses are not available in our area. And this data is crucial to understand the rates of diagnosis in our area, and to plan for providing support to those living with dementia. I will be asking the local NHS leaders if they gather this information and when they will be publishing it.
I am grateful to the Alzheimer’s Society for bring this to my attention.
Meeting with Royal College of General Practitioners
The Royal College of General Practitioners held an online forum as part of their Fit for the Future campaign. Health leaders and politicians came together to focus on what needs to be done to support and improve general practice in the area around London.
Concerns of Enfield North residents were put to them, as my inbox is full of residents who say they cannot get an appointment, or are sitting on their phone in a queue.
This is a workforce crisis, and the Tories have been asleep at the wheel. GPs are under huge stress, with many leaving the profession.
If it needed highlighting, in answer to my written question this week, there has been a startling reduction of GPs in Enfield North from 54 in September 2015, to 28 in September 2022.
We will train the next generation of doctors, nurses, and midwives to treat patients on time again.
TfL meeting
A fruitful meeting was had with Will Norman, the Walking and Cycling Commissioner, as I continued my campaign for a 20mph limit on a series of roads in Southbury ward.
Following concerns raised by residents of speeding and rat running, I have been working with residents and 20’s Plenty to reduce speeds and diver aggression on a known traffic hotspot.
I will continue to campaign to ensure our streets are safe for pedestrians to walk, especially children, and that speeding is tackled to reduce road traffic accidents. 20mph speed limits are a proven way to do this.
Elections in Turkey
Results from the elections that took place in Turkey last Sunday led to the incumbent, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, leading ahead of opposition candidate, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, but not enough for an outright win.
Voters will go to the polls a second time for the runoff between the two final candidates in two weeks’ time.
I raised concerns about the conduct of the ballot, asking the Government to monitor the situation and ensure a fair and free ballot takes place. Yet, the political environment in which the election took place was not free and fair.
I will monitor the situation, and continue to ask the government to press their counterparts in ensuring a free and fair ballot is had.