Kate Osamor MP
Animal Welfare Bill |
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On Monday the Government finally gave the Animal Welfare Bill its long overdue Third Reading. The Bill will bring in a ban on live exports for slaughter and fattening from or through Great Britain. Every year millions of farmed animas are at risk of facing long-distance journeys, causing unnecessary suffering to animals. These long journeys can cause animals to become mentally exhausted, physically injured, hungry, dehydrated and stressed.
For thirteen years the Tory party has failed to build on the progress the last Labour government made on animal welfare. Under Labour the testing of cosmetic products on animals was ended in 1998, fur farming was ended in 2000, fox hunting was banned in 2004 and the landmark Animal Welfare Act was introduced in 2006. Under the Tories all we have had is empty promises, with plans to end puppy farming and trophy hunting ditched.
After ridiculous delays it was therefore welcome to see the Animal Welfare Bill passed by Parliament yesterday. I also voted for an amendment that would have ensured that species could be added to the legislation at a later date. Unfortunately, the Government voted the amendment down. |
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Infected Blood Scandal |
| This week I signed a joint letter with over 100 other MPs calling on the Government to show the same urgency on infected blood compensation as they now have on the sub-postmasters scandal.
More than 30,000 people were affected by tainted medical treatment in the 1970s and 1980s, with more than 3,000 tragically losing their lives as a result. What followed was a long battle for justice with successive governments guilty of obfuscation, secrecy and concealment. In April last year a lengthy public enquiry recommended that the government compensate victims of the scandal as quickly as possible. Yet despite that, in December the Government opposed implementing the inquiries recommendations to establish an Independent Commission to oversee quick compensation payments. I voted for an amendment in Parliament, which passed, calling on the Government to do exactly that. That’s why I’ve signed the letter calling on the Government to reassess its lax attitude towards this terrible scandal and to once and for all secure justice for those who have been infected and affected by what may be the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS. |
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Rwanda Bill |
| On Tuesday and Wednesday this week I voted once again against the Government’s Rwanda Bill. The Rwanda Bill is a Tory gimmick. A waste of time which our Supreme Court has ruled unlawful.
This latest version of the Bill, which the Government finally pushed through Parliament on Wednesday evening, attempts to get around the Supreme Court ruling that Rwanda is not a safe country by passing a law stating the exact opposite. In doing so the Bill seriously risks breaking our international treaty obligations and breaching the human rights of any asylum seekers who might end up on a plane to Rwanda. Regardless of whether or not a single plane ever takes off for Rwanda, we must not lose sight of how shockingly immoral this plan is. Treating human beings like cattle by forcibly removing them to a country with a record of human rights abuses is a disgusting abdication of our duty to assist those who come to our country seeking safety. Instead of gimmicks like the Rwanda plan we need to open up safe and legal routes for asylum seekers, so that those at greatest risk do not have to risk their lives to claim asylum in our country. We must also undo the damaging cuts to the Home Office which have led to a backlog of almost 100,000 cases. Lastly, we need to end the hostile environment which pushes families into destitution and deprives people of their most basic rights. I’m proud to have voted against the Rwanda Bill this week and will continue to fight for an asylum system centred in justice and the duty we have to play our part in tackling the global refugee crisis.
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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 |