On 20th March I spoke in Labour’s emergency debate on the Government’s plans to extend Article 50. I argued that any delay to the date the UK leaves the EU should be used to be straight with the public about the choices and trade-offs Brexit inevitably brings. I also warned […]
National
Liz votes against Government’s Withdrawal Agreement and a “no deal” Brexit
On 12th March I voted against Theresa May’s Withdrawal Agreement. It isn’t what people were promised during the Referendum, it’s a worse deal than we have now, and it doesn’t answer any of the fundamental questions about our future relationship with the EU so the uncertainty facing our country will […]
Liz marks National Apprenticeship Week with award for brewery employee
This week is National Apprenticeship Week and yesterday I was really pleased to present my constituent Emily Doughty with an award in Parliament for progressing through her finance apprenticeship with Everards Brewery in Glenfield. Emily began her three-year Association of Accounting Technicians apprenticeship course in October 2017. When she completes the course, […]
Liz calls on Government to address serious problems with benefits assessments
The Government has announced that from this spring disabled pensioners will no longer have to have their Personal Independence Payments (PIP) awards repeatedly reviewed unless their circumstances change. The Work and Pensions Secretary also announced her plans to merge the work capability assessment process for PIP, Employment and Support Allowance […]
Government’s Stronger Towns Fund offers pathetic sum to the East Midlands
I was hugely disappointed by the Government’s £1.6 billion Stronger Towns Fund, which is designed to boost local economies that haven’t benefited from growth. The money on offer is pathetically inadequate in the face of years of Government funding cuts forced on the most deprived parts of our country. The […]
Liz questions Prime Minister on Brexit
The Prime Minister has finally announced that if MPs do not approve her Brexit Withdrawal Agreement by 12 March, Parliament will be given a vote on whether the UK leaves the EU without a deal and – if that is rejected – to request that Brexit day is delayed. This […]
Liz challenges Government over knife crime
Knife offences in Leicestershire have risen by 63% since 2010, yet we’ve been denied a share of £22 million funding from the Home Office’s Early Intervention Youth Fund to deliver crime prevention programmes with young people and tackle serious violence. In January I wrote to the Home Secretary to challenge […]
Liz questions Home Office Minister over Domestic Abuse Bill
The Government has finally published its draft Domestic Abuse Bill, two years after pledging to change the law. Whilst I welcome the steps the Bill will take to reform family courts and create a commissioner for tackling violence against women and girls, I have serious concerns about a number of […]
Liz votes to rule out no deal Brexit
I am very concerned about the risks of Britain leaving the EU without a deal because of the huge uncertainty this will cause. For example, food and drink manufacturing companies employ around 1,200 people here in Leicestershire, and the Food and Drink Federation has warned that a no deal Brexit could cause serious disruption […]
Liz’s speech in the debate on the EU Withdrawal Agreement
On 15th January I voted against Theresa May’s Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. The agreement isn’t what people were promised in the Referendum, it is a worse deal than we have now, and would mean the uncertainty we face about our future relationship with the EU will go on for years to come. […]
Liz questions Employment Minister on Universal Credit
On 8 January Labour secured an Urgent Question in Parliament following reports that the Government has delayed a vote on moving 3 million people currently claiming benefits including Housing Benefit, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance – known as ‘legacy’ benefits – onto Universal Credit, and has instead decided […]
Liz questions Health Secretary on NHS long term plan
NHS England published its long term plan on 7 January. I have long campaigned for many of its goals, including tackling health inequalities, shifting the focus of care towards prevention and early intervention, joining up NHS services with social care, making better use of technology, improving the involvement of patients, […]