policy - Emily Thornberry

Letter to constituents on neonicotinoids

Thank you for contacting me about the government’s decision to allow English sugar beet farmers to use the neonicotinoid, thiamethoxam, which is harmful to bees and other wild pollinators. In the UK, 35 species of bee are under threat of extinction. The population of pollinating insects in our country has…

Letter to constituents on the Environment Bill

Thank you for contacting me about the Report Stage of the Environment Bill. I apologise for the delay in responding to your email. As you can imagine, I have received a huge increase in casework as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. In June, Boris Johnson said that his government…

Letter to constituents on work permits for people in the creative industries after Brexit

Thank you for your email about work permits for people in the creative industries following the end of Britain’s transition period with the EU on 31st December. I apologise for the delay in responding to your email. As you can imagine, the Coronavirus pandemic has led to a large increase…

Letter to constituents on emergency support for disabled people

Thank you for contacting me about the emergency support disabled people need as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. We all know that disabled people have been hit hard by the pandemic, and disproportionately so. Between January and November 2020, disabled men were up to 3 times more likely to…

Letter to constituents on a pay rise for nurses

I’d like to thank you firstly for the invaluable role you and your colleagues have played in the UK’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and for contacting me about the pressing issue of a pay rise for nursing staff. I’d also like to apologise for the delay in responding. As…

Letter to constituents on asylum seekers housed in Napier and Penally barracks

Thank you contacting me about your concerns regarding the conditions facing asylum seekers who have been placed in barracks by the Home Office. I understand that Napier barracks in Kent and Penally barracks in Pembrokeshire have been used to house around 650 asylum seekers in recent months. In the Napier…

Letter to constituents on the Thunderclap for Carers

Thank you for your email about the Thunderclap for Carers. Like you and so many other people in our constituency, I think it is important that we show our appreciation for the frontline workers who have been fighting hard against COVID-19 throughout the pandemic. Our carers, NHS staff and other…

Letter to constituents on Britain’s exit from the European Union

Thank you for contacting me concerning the latest developments in Britain’s exit from the European Union, and let me firstly apologise for the delay in replying. I wanted to wait until our recent debates on this issue in the House of Commons had concluded before writing to you. First, let…

Letter to constituents on students during the Coronavirus pandemic

Thank you for contacting me about the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on students. Over the past couple of weeks, I have received many emails from university and drama school students in my constituency who are angry and in distress because you feel as though the Department for Education has…

Letter to constituents on the Coronavirus vaccine

Thank you for contacting me about the Coronavirus vaccine. The news that both the Pfizer/BioNTech and the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines have been approved for use in the UK gives us all hope that life may soon return to normal. Many constituents have been in touch with me about the vaccine and…

Letter to constituents on the Westminster Hall hospitality industry debate

Thank you for contacting me about the hospitality industry and the support needed to get through the Coronavirus pandemic. Since the start of the pandemic, many constituents have been in touch with me about the challenges the hospitality industry faces. Whether they work in hospitality or they just believe that…

Letter to constituents on school closures during lockdown

Thank you for your email about closing schools to stop the spread of COVID-19. Across the country, Coronavirus cases are higher than ever. In London, a new, more contagious strain of Coronavirus was identified at the end of last year which led to the capital being placed under Tier 4…

Letter to constituents on UK international aid

Thank you for contacting me about the government’s decision to break its public commitment, enshrined in law since 2015, to spend 0.7% of UK GNI on international aid. UK aid has made a difference to the lives of millions of people across the world. One of the proudest achievements of…

Letter to constituents on gyms and leisure facilities during Coronavirus

Thank you for your email about the importance of keeping gyms and leisure facilities open during the Coronavirus pandemic. I understand that there was a Westminster Hall debate on this issue on 23 November. When the Prime Minister announced that there was going to be a second national lockdown at…

Letter to constituents on the tiered system of Coronavirus restrictions

Thank you for contacting me about the government’s tiered system of Coronavirus restrictions. When Labour supported the second national lockdown in November, we did so because we believed that four weeks would be enough time for the government to get a grip on the virus. We urged the government to…

Letter to constituents on Britain’s exit from the European Union

Thank you for contacting me concerning the latest developments in Britain’s exit from the European Union, and let me firstly apologise for the delay in replying. I wanted to wait until the government’s negotiations of a deal with the EU were beginning to approach their conclusion before I set out…

Letter to constituents on food and farming standards

Thank you for getting in touch me regarding the UK’s food standards and animal welfare rules, and the risk that these could be undermined by a trade deal with the United States. Let me apologise for the delay in replying, but I wanted to wait until the dust had settled…

Letter to constituents on communal worship during lockdown

Thank you for your email about the ban on communal worship during the national lockdown in England. Since the Prime Minister’s announcement on 31 October, I have received many emails from concerned constituents who have shared with me with their fears about what another national lockdown will mean for them…

Letter to constituents on the second national lockdown

Thank you for your email about the national lockdown in England. Since the Prime Minister’s announcement on 31 October, I have received many emails from concerned constituents who have shared with me with their fears about what another national lockdown will mean for them and their loved ones. I understand…

Letter to constituents on the hospitality industry

Thank you for contacting me about your concerns for the hospitality industry. Since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, I have been contacted by many constituents who either work in hospitality or care deeply about the future of the industry. Prior to new national lockdown that was imposed in England…

Letter to constituents on exercise during lockdown

Thank you for your email about the importance of sport and exercise ahead of the national lockdown in England. Since the Prime Minister’s announcement on 31 October, I have received many emails from concerned constituents who have shared with me with their fears about what another national lockdown will mean…