Levelling Up Fund in Chaos
Despite the government’s promises to support communities in need, Edmonton has been left without any ‘levelling up’ funding, while well-off constituencies like the Prime Minister’s have been given millions. I’ve written to the Minister for Levelling Up to raise by objections and ask for an explanation.
The Levelling Up Fund is in chaos, beset by delays and allegations of favouritism. Communities across the country are still paying a Tory premium for the last 13 years. After months of Tory leadership chaos, this round of funding is behind schedule and fifteen months after the first round of allocations, just 5% of that money has actually been spent.
Many communities in great need have lost out in the recent round of funding. The way this funding is distributed is like the Hunger Games – communities are pitted against one another, forced to compete in a contest where Whitehall ministers pick winners and losers. It takes an extraordinary arrogance from the Tories to expect communities to be grateful for a partial refund on the money they have systematically stripped out of our communities which has decimated vital local services like childcare, buses, and social care.
Local Authority funding has been cut from £41 billion in 2010 to £26 billion now, and Enfield Council has lost £700 million of funding since 2010. Levelling Up funding cannot fill that shortfall. What we need is a Labour Government ready to reinvest in our public services and give communities the power to decide what is best for them.
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I voted to stop Tory power grab
On Wednesday I voted against the Retained EU Law Bill.
The Conservative’s reckless approach has crashed our economy and now they want to apply that same recklessness to our laws. Parliament must have oversight of our laws, not Government ministers who have already decimated our national credibility.
The Retained EU Law Bill places our rights at work, our environment, and our hard-won equal rights on a cliff-edge, left to the mercy of Conservative Ministers. The Conservatives have shown they can’t be trusted on the economy, it’s clear we cannot trust them with Brexit either.
I voted for Amendment 36, which stipulates that all legislation covered by the sunset must be published in a list called the ‘Revocation List’ and laid before Parliament to allow for oversight and amendment by either House. It is unacceptable that we have no idea of the full list of pieces of law to which a sunset clause for the end of this year is being applied.
I also voted for Amendment 18, which moves the sunset from 2023 to 2026. This will end the atrocious cliff edge that will cause huge uncertainty for businesses and workers.
I will continue to oppose all attempts to water down workers rights and the right of Parliament to scrutinise this corrupt Conservative Government.
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Online Safety Bill
On Tuesday there were also important votes on the Online Safety Bill. I have long campaigned for stronger protections for children and the public online. There’s a broad consensus that social media companies have failed to regulate themselves. The need for regulation is now urgent, as there has been a wild west online for too long.
Unfortunately, the Government has made a mess of the Online Safety Bill. Rishi Sunak is out of touch and has completely misread the room. There’s a parliamentary majority to strengthen the Bill and ensure company directors are liable for their failures to protect children and families, yet instead, the government is watering it down. The Prime Minister is too weak to stand up to big tech vested interests. I am on the side of the public and will argue for keeping children safe online and protecting our democracy.
The Online Safety Bill stems from widespread recognition that platforms and the algorithms they use are capable of pushing people towards content which, although on its own may not be illegal, cumulatively causes significant harm, either to individuals, democracy, society or public health. Without further measures, things like viral misogyny, far-right and foreign-state disinformation, self-harm promotion, racist abuse against footballers, incel gangs, encouragement of eating disorders and more will continue to proliferate online.
This legislation has been subject to too many delays for too long which I why I supported the Bill at third reading while voting for amendments to make it fit for purpose.
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Tory attack on workers
On Monday I voted against the Tory anti-strike Bill.
The Government’s approach to this bill has been nothing short of a failure. Their constant attempts to collapse talks and throwing in last-minute spanners has led to the worst strikes in decades. Now, with this new ‘sacking nurses’ bill, they’ve gone from clapping nurses to sacking them.
This bill is unworkable and impractical. The Transport Secretary himself admits that it won’t work, the Education Secretary doesn’t want it, and it will put intolerable burdens on employers. This bill is not about public safety, as it doesn’t even mention safety once.
We all want minimum standards of service and staffing in the NHS and on our railways, but Ministers are failing to provide it at all. This bill is simply a distraction from the Conservative’s economic mess and NHS staffing shortages. You can’t legislate your way out of 13 years of failure.
I strongly oppose this fundamental attack on working people’s freedoms on principle, and if Labour form the next government, it will be repealed. The Tories may have a majority in Parliament, but they are outnumbered by the ordinary workers who will take the streets to oppose this attack on democracy. This unworkable and immoral Bill may have passed its 2nd Reading in the commons, but it will do nothing to stop workers exercising their fundamental right to withdraw their Labour.
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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
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