Letter to constituents on ‘Test and Trace’

Thank you for contacting me about the need for our ‘Test and Trace’ system to be run by local and regional public health teams. I sincerely apologise for the delay in responding to your email, but you can be assured that I wholeheartedly agree with your position. As my Labour…

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Letter to constituents on the global plastics crisis

Thank you for contacting me about the global plastics crisis. I recognise that our recycling system is overwhelmed by plastic waste and that waste from the UK is now overwhelming recycling systems in other countries, which is not acceptable. In the Labour Party, we recognise the scale of this problem.…

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Letter to constituents on Colombia

Thank you for contacting me about Early Day Motion 4 regarding Colombia’s peace process, and the recent protests and strikes that have taken place in the country against the inequitable tax proposals and brutal police tactics of the Duque government. As a member of the Shadow Cabinet, I do not…

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Letter to constituents on the rent, evictions and homelessness crisis

Thank you for contacting me about the UK’s rent, evictions and homelessness crisis. 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. First of all, I am sure we can…

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Letter to constituents on the acquisition of London GP practices by Operose and Centene

15 Apr 2021

Many thanks for your email on the acquisition of GP practices in London by Operose and their parent company, Centene. Firstly, I must be clear that frontbench politicians are unable to sign Early Day Motions. This means that in my role as Shadow International Trade Secretary, I am unable to put my…

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Letter to constituents on the Pig Husbandry (Farrowing) Bill

Thank you for your email about the Pig Husbandry (Farrowing) Bill and your support for ending the so-called ‘cage age’. In our 2019 Animal Welfare manifesto, the Labour Party committed to introducing a phased ban on sow farrowing crates and pledged to end the use of cages on British farms…

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Letter to constituents on conversion therapy

22 Mar 2021

Thank you for contacting me about your support for the campaign to ban conversion therapy. As you know, a Westminster Hall debate was held on LGBT Conversion Therapy on 8 March, to respond to an e-petition which attracted over 250,000 signatures. The petition called on the government to make conversion…

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Letter to constituents on the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill

18 Mar 2021

Thank you for contacting me about the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. Since this Bill was tabled last year, I have voted against it at every opportunity. And in my current capacity as Labour’s Shadow Attorney General, I will do everything in my power to ensure that this Bill…

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Letter to constituents on violence against women and girls

18 Mar 2021

[Content Note: This letter contains references to sexual violence against women and girls.] Thank you for writing to me regarding violence against women and girls. I have received a large number of emails in the past week in light of the murder of Sarah Everard, the wider issue of violence…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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