In my Leicester Mercury column this month, I talk about Leicester’s second lockdown and the support we need from the government to beat this virus. We still don’t know what criteria the government will use for its review of lockdown on July 18. This has created a sense of uncertainty […]
Nadhim Zahawi, Minister for Business and Industry, has confirmed to me that “there are no plans for changing the scope or extend any of the schemes currently available” for businesses and employees as a result of the Leicester local lockdown. This is totally unacceptable. We have no idea when we […]
Bringing infection rates down in Leicester and protecting public health must be our first priority. I support the lockdown, but I am concerned that the Government was too slow in giving the Council even the most basic postcode data, which is essential to tackling the problem. I hope the Government […]
Getting on top of the COVID-19 spike in Leicester and protecting public health must be our first priority. I am extremely concerned about children missing school, local businesses, and jobs, but if we don’t bring infection rates down it will be worse for us all in the long run. We […]
Earlier this week I took part in an event set up by Leicester City Council as a part of their anti-poverty strategy to discuss the impact of Covid-19 on those experiencing poverty in the city. Other attendees included members of Feeding Leicester, a group I chair. It was fascinating to […]
Last week I met with the Federation for Small Businesses (FSB) and several of their members to discuss the support they and the wider East Midlands economy need. It was fascinating to hear the first-hand accounts of how individual businesses have been affected by the crisis and what they feel […]
In my Leicester Mercury column this month, I talk about the unfolding tragedy in social care. The Office for National Statistics says that 5,890 people have so far died from Covid-19 in care homes, up until the week ending 24 April. That’s more than a third of all deaths from […]
I was honored to record a message for the 180 medical students at the University of Leicester who graduated today. I am very proud of the contribution they will make both in the years to come and at this very difficult time, and want to thank them from the bottom […]
I have recently been contacted by several local charities who have lost all or most of their income because of Coronavirus. Whilst it is good that a package of support for charities has been announced by the Government, some charities tell me it won’t be enough to help them survive. […]
After being contacted by several vulnerable people who have been struggling to get supermarket delivery slots. These people are having to make the decision between going without essential supplies and going to the shops and risk contracting Covid-19. I have therefore written to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food […]
Alongside the work I have been doing on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme as part of the Treasury Select Committee, I have written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, about the need to deal with problems faced by those who have recently started a new job. Under the […]
I was recently contacted by Educ8, an organisation which provides alternative education for secondary school pupils both nationally and in Leicester West. The organisation supports pupils who for a wide range of reasons thrive in a non-mainstream educational setting, or may have complex needs. While the Government has asked schools to […]