Yesterday I took part in the GMB Union’s virtual Rally4Carers. Carers are risking their lives on a daily basis. I was really pleased to be able to show our solidarity and discuss our key demands. You can watch my speech here, and you can watch the full rally here.
I was recently a guest on ITV’s Peston. On the show I talked about social care, coronavirus testing and how as we emerge from this crisis we must build a better, fairer country. You can watch a clip of me speaking about this last point here, and you can watch […]
The latest ONS figures show how badly coronavirus is affecting social care. Sending care workers miles away for testing, especially if they don’t have a car, simply doesn’t make sense. We need more local testing centres and mobile testing, alongside proper PPE for all frontline staff. You can watch me speaking […]
For millions of elderly and disabled people and their families, actions will speak louder than words. We need a clear and detailed plan about how – and by when – the Government is going to test more than 1.2 million frontline social care workers, up from only 505 who have […]
I have written to the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, urging him to publish daily figures of deaths outside of hospitals, including in care homes. These figures are currently being published in England on a weekly basis but this isn’t anywhere near quick enough or regular enough, especially as figures from […]
Last week I wrote to the Health Secretary Matt Hancock to raise my serious concerns about the lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and testing for staff in residential care homes. It is increasingly clear that the lack of PPE and testing is a widespread problem throughout the care sector, […]
In the last week I have been contacted by several people who are interested in volunteering to help support those in their local area. This is fantastic and shows the real community spirit we have in Leicester. Leicester City Council are working in partnership with Voluntary Action Leicestershire and food […]
In his first speech as UK prime minister last summer, Boris Johnson promised to fix the crisis in social care. Yet last week’s Budget gave more focus and funding to potholes than social care. This is a serious mistake, especially with the immediate and overriding challenge facing the government: […]
I was recently a guest on the BBC’s East Midlands Sunday Politics. On the show I talked about the coronavirus, and the impact that the spread of this disease could have on social care and food banks. We also discussed the Budget, and the importance of making sure that […]
I’m pleased that the Chancellor announced support for businesses affected by Coronavirus and that the NHS will get whatever extra resources it needs. But there was nothing in the budget for social care. This is a serious mistake because the NHS relies on social care to get older people […]
One of my constituents, Dave Towers, has had a horrible time trying to navigate the NHS system to find the correct care for his parents. His story is truly heart breaking and I am appalled at what they have all been through. It is completely unacceptable that in the […]
Last year, the Prime Minister stood on the steps of Downing Street and promised a plan to fix the crisis in social care. So far he has done nothing – and his plan for a new immigration system could make things much worse. According to a report by Skills for […]