A new survey has revealed that 69% of people believe social care should be a top priority. This pandemic has laid bare the challenges our social care system has faced over the last decade. The Conservative Party weakened its foundations by cutting local authority social care budgets by £8 billion, […]
National
Liz joins Rights for Residents campaigners
Yesterday I joined Rights for Residents at their virtual petition hand-in on Parliament Square. I spoke to campaigners about their experiences of being unable to visit their loved ones in care homes, and how it has impacted on their lives. Rights for Residents have been campaigning tirelessly for the rights of […]
Liz sets out Labour’s priorities for social care reform
As part of my speech at the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services Spring Conference, I am today calling for social care to be treated as part of Britain’s infrastructure, treating it the same way we would the roads and railways. If you neglect your country’s physical infrastructure, you […]
Liz speaks in Westminster Hall debate on social care and Covid-19
Yesterday I spoke in the Westminster Hall debate on ‘social care and the Covid-19 outbreak’. For all of us, the tragedy in social care during this pandemic will stay with us for the rest of our lives. Over 41,000 care home residents have died from coronavirus, and a third of […]
Liz responds to announcement on the formation of a European ‘Super League’
Leicester’s story of winning the premier league, against all the odds, showed everything that football is supposed to be about. The proposed European Super League is the complete opposite of this. It was cooked up without any involvement of supporters, yet football is nothing without its fans. I know the […]
Lack of social care strategy left system weakened when Covid struck
The latest report from the National Audit Office shows how the Government’s years of failure to get a grip on the social care crisis has left thousands without the help they need. This highlights what we have known for a long while – that long-term reform for social care is needed […]
Liz reflects on a year of the pandemic
I appeared on Sky News yesterday to reflect on one year since the first national lockdown was called. As we emerge from this pandemic, we need to look at how we can build a stronger and fairer economy. This means tackling important issues like poverty, inequality, and poor housing – […]
Liz calls for social care reform on BBC Radio 4 Today
I spoke to BBC Radio 4 Today about the urgent need for social care reform a year on from the start of the first lockdown. More than 31,000 care home residents have died from Covid-19 so far. This is a much higher proportion than in many other countries. As we […]
Carers who sleep overnight at work in case they are needed not entitled to minimum wage for whole shift – Supreme Court rules
It’s extremely disappointing that the Supreme Court came to this decision. Care workers do a highly skilled and difficult role and they should be paid fairly for every hour of the work they do. Crucially, no care workers should see their pay fall as a result of this ruling and […]
Liz calls for greater support for social workers
I recently spoke in a Westminster Hall Debate to mark ‘World Social Work Day 2021’. I thanked the 100,000 social workers in the UK, including the 320 in Leicester, for their hard work, passion and commitment to supporting people in our communities. Social workers have faced huge additional pressures […]
Liz calls for social care reform to help our economic recovery from the pandemic
Yesterday I spoke in a Westminster Hall Debate on Social Care and the Social Care Workforce. I argued that reforming social care is one the biggest challenges facing our generation. The pandemic has brutally exposed the flaws in our social care system which is undervalued and underfunded. Reform is […]
Liz supports Young Carers Action Day 2021
Today is Young Carers Action Day, an annual campaign, ran by Carers Trust to raise awareness about the UK’s 800,000+ young carers. This year’s focus is on the amazing skills young carers gain through caring – like resilience, time management and empathy – which are so valuable in higher education […]