Make Wood Green Station step free!
This week, I joined the campaign to support accessibility improvements at Wood Green Station.
Watch my video below.
Meeting with the British Alevi Federation
I had a productive meeting in Parliament yesterday with representatives from the Britanya Alevi Federasyonu and the Syrian Alawite Association in Britain.
It was harrowing to hear the extent of the crisis as attacks on minorities continue. The Government must put pressure on the Syrian administration to intervene.
UNICEF SoccerAid Reception
It was wonderful to attend Soccer Aid for UNICEF’s parliamentary reception this week ahead of the big day next month.
The reception is a testament to the generosity of the UK public and the power of UK aid in providing life-saving support to the world’s most disadvantaged children.
North Area Borough Commander’s Commendation Ceremony
On Monday 19th May, I attended the North Area Borough Commander’s Commendation Ceremony in Alexandra Palace.
It was wonderful to recognise the hard work and bravery shown by members of the police force in Enfield and Haringey when going above and beyond to keep residents safe.
Well done to everyone who received a commendation!
#AndYoungPeople
This week, I met with young people and the Teenage Cancer Trust to deliver their letter to the Department of Health and Social Care.
#AndYoungPeople is calling for children and young people to be included in the National Cancer Plan, ensuring their voices are listened to.
Future of Public Libraries Debate
This morning, I spoke up for public libraries in Southgate and Wood Green by celebrating the wonderful ‘Library Lates’ in Haringey.
These sessions encourage our diverse community to come together and utilise the public space that libraries offer. Listen here:
FCDO Questions
Today, I asked the Government what steps were being taken to prevent future attacks on Alawite, Druze, and Christian minority communities in Syria. Listen below:
Earlham Primary School Free Breakfast Club
I had the immense pleasure of visiting Earlham Primary School in Wood Green today to talk to parents and teachers and take a tour of their brand new breakfast club.
As more evidence of the Government’s Plan for Change, Earlham Primary has been chosen as one of the first to offer free, daily breakfast clubs as part of our landmark scheme that will ensure children are school-ready and parents are better off.
Labour’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which I voted for last month, legislated to create these clubs and put a cap on the number of branded uniform items schools can require. The Bill will save some families over £500 per child, per year.
That comes alongside the government’s childcare expansion, providing 30 free hours of early years education from September. The measures show Labour is focused on supporting working parents.
The breakfast club at Earlham Primary is a testament to the school and the Government’s dedication to improving children’s attendance, attainment, wellbeing, behaviour and readiness for school.
Evidence shows that breakfast clubs can boost children’s reading, writing, and maths attainment by an average of two months’ additional progress. At the same time, the club will save local families on the cost of sending children to school while providing valuable source of childcare for working parents at the beginning of the day.
Taken together, Labour’s breakfast clubs will boost parents’ work choices and children’s life chances.
That is why it is such a shame that under the Tories, these clubs were available in just one in ten primary schools. Labour intends to make them available for all our children.
There’s another important element to this policy: it will help Labour bear down on the levels of child poverty that were left far too high by the Conservatives.
I believe that children growing up in Southgate and Wood Green deserve the best start in life, nothing less. That is why I’m backing this measure.
Labour’s promise is to break down the barriers to opportunity for every child so where you’re from, doesn’t determine where you end up and that if you work hard, you can get on in life.
I know those are principles people in Southgate and Wood Green hold dearly and I know that is what these clubs will help make a reality.
The Government is wasting no time in rolling out free breakfast clubs in primary schools and I cannot wait to see more parents and children across our constituency benefit from our Plan for Change.
Haringey Civic Centre Groundbreaking Ceremony
Yesterday, I attended the groundbreaking ceremony of Haringey Civic Centre’s restoration.
Marking the redevelopment of the civic centre is an exciting step towards improving the sustainability of Haringey Council’s offices and access to residents and visitors to ready the building for the future. The redevelopment will ensure the Civic Centre reopens with a larger footprint to serve residents as a hub for Council services and offer public cultural spaces.
It is also wonderful to see how the Council have used the online consultation, Civic Voices, to engage with local residents and use their views to design this new and improved Civic Centre, while preserving history and celebrating important memories.
Visit to My Dental Care
It was great to visit My Dental Care in Bounds Green on Friday to meet dentist Mark Marcou to discuss issues accessing NHS dentistry in Southgate and Wood Green and challenges facing NHS practice owners.
I am pleased that the Government is committed to saving NHS dentistry and ensuring everyone who needs access, can get it.
