Kate Osamor MP
Thank you for taking the time to read my weekly update. Today marks exactly 13 years since the Tories came to power. 5 Prime Ministers later we are all worse off. Wages are lower, the economy is stagnant and poverty has shot through the roof. Buying a house is out of reach for most, social housing stock has been decimated and renting in the private sector is an expensive nightmare. The freedom of movement across Europe we once enjoyed has been taken away and our right to protest is under threat. Crime is up and prosecutions are down. The NHS is at breaking point. Our standing on the world stage has been damaged by aid cuts and the Government’s willingness to break international law. Food banks are in more frequent use than ever and the Energy Sector is so broken the Government had to subsidise our energy bills to keep the likes of British Gas afloat. Endless outsourcing and privatisation have left us all paying more for less. It’s difficult to underestimate the damage the Tories have done over the past 13 years. We must now put all our energy into ensuring that their disastrous time in Government ends as soon as possible. |
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Arrest of peaceful protesters Last weekend the Metropolitan Police shamefully used new powers given to them by the Government to unlawfully arrest peaceful protesters and leave them locked up for up to 16 hours in some cases. This is likely to have a chilling effect on our right to protest, but that is exactly what the Public Order Bill was designed to achieve. But we must not allow those in power to silence us and prevent us from holding them accountable. Just weeks ago the Casey report found the Metropolitan police to be institutionally corrupt, racist, misogynistic, and homophobic, yet they have been granted additional powers, including the right to stop and search anybody for no reason at all. The Home Office should have given the Met Commissioner the power to dismiss bad officers, rather than granting them more authority to infringe on our rights. The Republic campaigners’ detention exemplifies how this new legislation can be used to quell disagreement. It is unacceptable that individuals were arrested on suspicion of possessing items that turned out to be luggage straps. This is not the behaviour of a free and equitable society. We must advocate for our right to peaceful protest and hold the government and police accountable for their actions. We cannot allow this to become the new normal. The next Labour government must make repealing this bill a top priority. |
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Older people in Poverty The fact that 25% of over-50s in London are living in poverty, compared to 18% in the rest of England, is unacceptable. This is despite the fact that London has the highest rate of over 65s in work in the country. It’s clear that the root of this problem lies in the 13 years of Tory government that has relentlessly slashed local government funding and cut all public services to the bone, grinding our economy to a halt, and systemically destroying those protections that had been put in place by the last government to lift older people out of poverty. This is evident in the low uptake of pension credit, with an estimated £246.5million going unclaimed in London each year. This means that thousands of eligible households are missing out on up to £3,300 each, which could make a significant difference to their quality of life. The Government regularly spends millions more targeting ‘benefit fraud’ than it does helping people claim the benefit they are entitled to. This is despite the fact that far more money remains unclaimed than is fraudulently claimed. The Tories have done their best to create a hostile environment for anybody claiming benefits, including pensioners. Moving forward must do far more to lift older people out of poverty, including personalised careers advice and specific support for over-50s seeking employment. We also need to work to raise awareness of pension credit and ensure that all those who are eligible for it are receiving it. A Labour government must reform the welfare benefit system so that it is there to help, not persecute people and we need a social care service to run alongside the NHS. It is time for us to stand up for our elderly citizens and fight against the poverty that they are facing in London. |
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Anti-Refugee Bill This week, the House of Lords was able to debate the shameful Illegal Migration Bill for the first time. I have been a staunch opponent of this immoral, unlawful, and unworkable piece of legislation from the beginning. I have voted against it at every opportunity in Parliament, and I will continue to do everything in my power to oppose it when it returns to the Commons. The world is currently facing a refugee crisis, with millions of people around the globe displaced and seeking safety in new countries. The Illegal Migration Bill does nothing to address this humanitarian crisis. Instead, it seeks to close our borders and ignore our international obligations to help those in need. This approach not only goes against the founding principle of the UN Refugee Convention, but also persecutes and criminalises refugees who have already sought safety in our country. The government’s perpetuation of the falsehood that we are being “swamped” with refugees is both untrue and damaging. The UK currently takes in a relatively low number of refugees compared to many other European countries. We must do more to help those who are seeking safety, and we must reaffirm our commitment to international law by opening safe routes, end the hostile environment, give refugees the right to work, and end the No-Recourse to Public Funds regime. I will do everything I can to speak out against this awful bill as we move forward. |
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Snells Park Drop-In Next Friday I will be hosting a drop-in for residents of the Snells Park Estate from 10am until 12pm at Boundary Hall (N18 2TD). Please feel free to drop in at any time between 10 am and 12 pm to speak with myself or the local Safer Neighbourhoods Team who will be attending. I’m happy to listen to any concerns you might have, and tea and coffee will be provided. If you think you might want to attend, please do RSVP below, there is no need to book an appointment. |
Coffee Morning with Kate Osamor MP – For residents of Snells Park Estate
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Thank you again 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 |