Weekly Update
As many of you will know, this week in Parliament there was a debate and a vote on calling for an immediate ceasefire in Israel and Gaza. I signed Labour’s motion calling for an immediate ceasefire and a pathway to long-term peace in Gaza.
However, the scenes that followed that evening did not shine a good light on our Parliament. The Speaker of the House of Commons granted all three motions in the debate, allowing the House to vote on all three amendments, which angered the Conservatives and the Scottish National Party.
I believe the amendment tabled by the Opposition should have allowed Parliament to speak as one voice to support an immediate humanitarian ceasefire from both sides. I was therefore disappointed by the Government’s decision to not participate in the proceedings to the end.
In my view, the prospect of Israel launching a military offensive in Rafah must be a turning point in the conflict. Around 1.5 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering there with nowhere safe to go, having previously been told to flee there by the Israeli military. Any military offensive in Rafah risks catastrophic consequences for the civilian population and fatal disruption to the humanitarian operation. As Labour Leader Keir Starmer said on Sunday, the offensive in Rafah must not go ahead and the fighting must stop now.
That is why we are supporting the calls of our allies in Australia, Canada and New Zealand for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.
The Labour amendment, which I voted for, made clear that:
We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. The fighting must stop now. Our amendment calls on the UK Government to convene an urgent session of the UN Security Council to press this demand.
All sides must comply with a ceasefire. One sided demands that do not recognise the need to ensure that an attack like October 7th cannot happen again or do not condemn Hamas terrorism will not succeed.
The Rafah offensive must not take place and aid must reach those in need. An offensive in Rafah would have catastrophic humanitarian consequences for Palestinian civilians and must be averted. Civilians in Gaza need rapid and unimpeded humanitarian relief.
Hamas must release and return all hostages. The families of the remaining hostages are frozen in uncertainty and anguish and their continued detention is prolonging this war. They should be released and returned immediately.
Israel must comply with the ICJ ruling. As Labour has made clear, the binding provisional measures issued by the court must be implemented in full.
Settlement expansion and settler violence must end. Settlements are illegal under international law and a serious barrier to peace that threatens the viability of a two-state solution. Settler violence has reached dangerous new levels since October 7th.
We need a political process towards a two-state solution, with a safe and secure Israel alongside a sovereign and viable Palestinian state. This is the only path to a just and lasting peace. A ceasefire with no political horizon will not be sustainable.
We support the recognition of Palestine. A Labour government would work with international partners to recognise Palestine as a contribution to rather than the outcome of a two state solution. Statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people and not in the gift of any neighbour.
In the coming days and weeks, I will continue to use my voice to call, unequivocally, for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to end the bloodshed and suffering and to allow a sustained effort to salvage the hope of a two-state solution.
UK RECESSION
It was reported last week that the UK economy entered a recession at the end of last year as households and families cut back on spending due to the Tory-made cost-of-living crisis. I know from speaking to residents just how difficult life is at the moment, and that most have been feeling the squeeze on their finances long before the recession was announced.
Today, the typical family renewing their mortgage this year will find themselves paying an additional £240 a month, and over this year and last, the fixed-rate mortgages of more than three million people will come to an end. It has become clear that the Prime Minister has failed to turn the corner on 14 years of Tory economic failure and people in Enfield North and around the country are paying the price.
The sad thing is the mismanagement from the Tories does not just stop here. Our NHS has record waiting lists and backlogs, our school buildings are literally crumbling in, our rivers and waterways are flooded with sewage, while bills and profits for our energy companies have skyrocketed. We cannot go on like this. We need to change course in this country quickly, however, this type of change can only be delivered through a general election.
Rise in antisemitism in the UK
This week in Parliament, the Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire delivered a statement to MPs about the rise of antisemitism in our country, following data from the Community Security Trust that found a record number of instances of anti-Jewish hatred were recorded across the UK in 2023.
Figures also show a significant increase in Islamophobia. No one should ever feel unsafe in their home, community or wherever they are. Hate crime, threats or violence are a stain on any society and we cannot let them fester in our borough or our country.
Stronger action is needed. The counter-extremism strategy is now eight years out of date. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner and the Government’s own experts have warned that there is a gap in the law around hateful extremism that is allowing toxic antisemitic views and conspiracy theories to be spread and making it harder to police them. Furthermore, we need to engage with social media companies regarding their monitoring procedures and standards. Much more needs to be done to tackle hate crimes in our communities.
Cooperative Trust Meeting
I was delighted to meet the chair of ECT Janet Leach and Paul Quinn, CEO of West Lea School from the Enterprise Cooperative Trust today to discuss the amazing work they do for our young people in Enfield.
You can see what opportunities they provide for students and much more below https://enterprisecooperativetrust.org.uk
I look forward to working with them going forward!
