Kate Osamor MP
This week, the results of a study by 38 Degrees revealed the true extent of the cost-of-living crisis in Edmonton. The survey found that a staggering 61% of people in Edmonton fear they won’t be able to afford their energy bills next year. Meanwhile, 38% fear they will be homeless within a year and 35% fear they’ll need to resort to food banks within a year. These numbers reflect the conversations I’m having with constituents every day. I’m hearing from parents who are falling behind on lunch payments for their kids, others who are choosing between eating and heating and still more who don’t know how they’ll pay the rent. This is a national crisis and it’s one that the Government are only making worse. Now I want to hear from as many of my constituents as possibleabout how the Tory cost-of-living crisis is affecting them. Any responses I get will help me to hold the Government to account and speak for the people of Edmonton in Parliament. I will share the results of the survey in next week’s update.
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Investment Zones: Local Residents must have a sayFor over a decade the Tories have stripped Local Government of funding and investment. It’s understandable therefore that councils will want to look at the few opportunities given by central government for investment in our communities. However, I have serious concerns about the negative impact that Investment Zones could have on our communities. The Tories introduced investment zones in 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017 and 2019. Every time they’ve been tried, they have simply displaced jobs and growth, not created them. By offering tax cuts to new businesses, investment zones disadvantage already-existing local businesses while local people fail to see the proceeds of any growth as the benefits accrue to the wealthy, with big businesses making extra profits and paying less tax. While the Government has asked local authorities to submit proposals for investment zones, they’ve not yet confirmed what planning regulations will be cut in these zones. Cuts could include limited new affordable housing and slashing environmental standards. I will never support an investment zone in Edmonton that cuts available affordable housing, trashes environmental protections and cuts local residents out of the decision-making process. This week I wrote to the Secretary of State for Levelling up, Simon Clarke MP, to set out my concerns and ask for more details urgently. What local communities need is investment in the many, not tax cuts for the few. |
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The Government must keep its promise to rentersThis week it seemed that the Tories might once again abandon their promise to end no-fault evictions. A lot of my constituents have been writing to me, very concerned about these rumours. It’s more than five years since the Government first promised to end no-fault evictions and it was only a few months ago that they promised to bring forward legislation in this Parliament to do exactly that. Now we have one of the most right-wing Prime Ministers in our history, it appears they might again be ready to abandon renters. It was therefore welcome to hear the Prime Minister in the Commons this week state that she would move forward with banning no-fault evictions. Doing so should be a priority for this Government. Rents in Edmonton are increasingly at record levels, while wages are falling. More and more of my constituents are renting in the private sector and it’s wrong that a landlord should have the right to evict tenants for absolutely no reason, even in the middle of their contract. We need a new deal for tenants and support to end the rent debt crisis which is leading to families being made homeless every day. The Government must not break its promise to act. |
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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 MP |