This week the Government announced that it would build the UK’s first new coal mine in 30 decades. The coal mine will cost £165 million and produce 400,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year. This decision marks the death knell of any claims this Government has to climate leadership. Not only does it fail to offer secure, long-term jobs, but it also won’t benefit British steel producers and ignores the greater opportunities of the green economy.
Rishi Sunak is so weak that he’s led by a rump of his party that wants to keep us stuck in the past when Britain could be building for the future. Instead of taking this backward step, the Government should be creating thousands of sustainable jobs in Cumbria in clean steel, hydrogen, wind, home insulation and other zero-carbon technologies. That’s what a Labour Government would be doing – making Britain a clean energy superpower led by the publicly-owned GB Energy.
What’s clear is that this Government is unwilling or unable to acknowledge the climate catastrophe we face. If we don’t leave fossil fuels in the ground, the consequences for our planet, economy and civilisation will be existential. There is no answer to the climate crisis that involves opening new coal mines. By doing so the Government has lost any authority it might have had in international negotiations to stop other countries from doing the same. We are headed down a dark path for the future of our planet. We must change course before it is too late.
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In recent months an increasing number of constituents have contacted me facing problems with mould and damp or other forms of disrepair. Many are renting in the private sector, but others are Housing Association tenants – L&Q has been a particular problem this week. I’ve also had a large number of constituents from Walbrook House contact me with problems involving damp and mould. As the recent tragic case of young Awaab Ishak makes clear – mould and damp are serious problems which Landlords have a duty to resolve.
Too many Landlords, whether social or private, dismiss issues with mould, blaming tenants’ lifestyles. That’s unacceptable. For too long tenants have been without a voice. The destruction of social housing and deregulation of the private sector has tipped the balance of power so far in favour of Landlords that many Landlords now act as if they are untouchable and do not need to worry about tenants’ safety.
I want to help every one of my constituents who has these concerns as much as I can, as well as raise the overall systemic problems in parliament to push for change. So, if you’re renting in Edmonton and experiencing problems with mould, damp or other forms of disrepair please do contact me and let me know.
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This week, as a member of the Parliamentary Assembly in the Council of Europe, I attended the committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons for the protection of refugees’ and migrants’ human rights across Europe. Sadly, as the refugee crisis has continued across much of Europe, we have seen illegal and inhumane measures like pushbacks on land and sea which put the lives of refugees at risk and break the obligations that states have under the UN Refugee Charter.
In the UK, the current Home Secretary, and successive Home Secretaries before her have threatened to put the lives of refugees in danger rather than offering them safe routes to claim asylum, which they are entitled to do. Sadly, the UK isn’t alone in this grossly misguided approach, with many countries in Europe including Italy and Greece having also taken measures that have put the lives of refugees at stake.
Even though we have now left the EU, the UK must continue to work with Europe on issues as necessary as these, which is why I believe the work of the Parliamentary Assembly is so important. In a global world, the UK cannot solve problems alone. We must work together, across Europe and the world, to cooperate and tackle the many challenges we now face. Working together to help refugees, rather than persecute them, is an essential part of that mission.
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This week I voted four times on clauses to try and improve the Online Safety Bill.
The Online Safety Bill was designed to protect online users from harmful and illegal content while holding social media giants to account. It’s obvious that self-regulation, as ever, has failed. Companies like Facebook have repeatedly allowed their platforms to become tools of groups, states and individuals who wish to incite hatred. Ending the abuse of online platforms is important but unfortunately, chaos in the Tory party has led to this bill being delayed repeatedly.
Now the Government has delayed the Bill still further by sending it back to Committee. Even worse, by removing elements of the Bill that protect against ‘legal but harmful’ content, the Bill gives a free pass to abusers and takes the public for a ride. Unfortunately, the Government has given in to vested interests and chosen to seek favour with Social Media giants rather than keeping users and consumers safe.
The Bill is important, but unfortunately too weak to meet the challenges faced by modern-day technology. Ultimately it must pass, and Labour will try to work with the Government to see that it does, but it’s likely that it fails to hold social media giants to account.
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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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