Monday

• After an incredibly long delay, on Monday the Conservatives Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill received its second reading in Parliament. The bill will outlaw the cruel practice of fattening and shipping livestock for slaughter from and through Great Britain. This ban has been a long time coming but there is more to do on Animal Welfare, including a ban on puppy farms and trophy hunting.

• On Monday it was a pleasure to meet students from Fleecefield Primary School as they toured Parliament. Students were given a guided tour and were able to walk through both the Commons and the Lords Chambers. It’s important to remember that Parliament is a public place, which welcomes visitors. School Tours can be booked online and are a great opportunity to get pupils engaged in the democratic process.

Tuesday

• After a constituent approached me with a severe case of mould in their housing association property, I was pleased that their landlord has finally decided to act and do more than simply paint over the problem. Severe mould kills and too many properties across the country are unsafe because of it. It’s an issue that must be taken seriously. It’s unacceptable that it often takes an intervention from Members of Parliament to ensure that landlords act properly to address issues like mould and disrepair.

• Several constituents this week contacted me about the issue of the ban on so called XL Bully dogs. This is a contentious issue that has once again been in the news after recent attacks. Passions are strong on both sides. I’ve received many emails opposing the ban but also some supporting it. I think it’s vital that we do what works. The Government has introduced a ban and if it works and prevents attacks then it must be supported. If however, it fails to reduce attacks as previous attempts at bread-specific legislation have, then we must look to take further action against the owners who breed dogs to be aggressive.

Wednesday

• This week Junior Doctors went on strike again and they have my full support. Staff across the NHS have endured 13 years of real-term cuts which have contributed to a staffing crisis. We cannot staff the NHS without paying staff properly and a healthy NHS is an essential part of making sure the UK bounces back after 13 years of Tory rule. A new pay deal for NHS workers is essential.

• The ongoing massacre of Palestinian civilians by the IDF in Gaza and the West Bank continued this week and many constituents across Edmonton continued to raise the issue with me. I voted for a ceasefire and that must be the absolute priority. But as the world witnesses the IDF carry out war crimes day after day we must also be resolute in calling for those responsible to be held accountable by the International Criminal Court. It’s also incredibly important that the world now pushes for the end of the occupation and a real two-state solution that allows Palestinians equal rights and freedoms alongside Israelis.

Thursday

• I’m deeply concerned by the significant rise I’ve seen in homelessness cases in Edmonton over the last few weeks. Many constituents are contacting me because they have been made homeless or face being made homeless shortly. The destruction of social housing over decades and cuts to Local Authority funding over the last 13 years means that vast parts of Southern England contain no affordable housing for ordinary people. In the long term that must change but in the immediate future, everything possible must be done to find emergency accommodation for those who need it. Everybody has a right to safe and affordable housing. This is a national crisis that the Government must stop ignoring.

• This week there was also much concern raised about the slow progress that Enfield Council has made evacuating Cheshire and Shropshire House. This was an issue I raised with the Council more than a year ago and it is disappointing that residents remain in blocks that are unfit for human habitation. I have asked that the Council compensate residents for the disruption caused, including by providing adequate compensation for energy costs that have doubled as a result of the gas being turned off and those are actions that I will continue to push for on behalf of my constituents.

Friday

• This year I received over 17,000 emails from constituents all over Edmonton. By far the single most common subject that I was contacted about was the crisis in Gaza. Thousands of people, from every part of the constituents, of all ages and backgrounds, wrote to me calling for an immediate ceasefire. But I was also contacted about many other issues, including many people who wrote to me for assistance with issues like housing disrepair, homelessness or VISA delays.

• The most common issue in Edmonton was housing. That was no surprise. The Housing Crisis in Edmonton is acute with private rents out of control and a severe lack of social housing. This has been a difficult year for many in Edmonton but in 2024 we will have the chance to get rid of the Tories after 13 years and begin the process of delivering real change for the many, not the few.

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Thank you for taking the time to read my latest update, if you have any issues that you would like to raise directly with me then please do email  edmontonconstituency@parliament.uk. I’m always happy to help whenever possible.

Kind regards,

Kate Osamor

Member of Parliament for Edmonton