Weekly Update – Friday 30th October 2020

COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Edmonton so it’s more important than ever that we follow the guidelines to protect the NHS and save lives. Whilst I don’t agree with the Government’s current approach and I endorse a three-week circuit-breaker lockdown, it is still vital that we all follow the rules to reduce the spread of this virus. Cases are now rising faster in London than the North so it’s possible that we may enter into ‘Tier 3’ restrictions within a number of weeks but as it stands we are still in Tier 2 which means that households cannot meet indoors, while the rule of 6 continues to apply outside.

For more information about the current restrictions in London visit this website and for information about what support is available in Edmonton you may find Enfield Council’s website useful.

The Government must come clean funding of Nigerian SARS units

In early October I wrote to the Minister for Africa, James Duddridge MP, asking him to confirm whether or not any UK development funding had found it’s way into the pockets of SARS units in Africa. The End SARS protests against the brutal SARS security units in Nigeria which are guilty of torture, murder and corruption, have swept across the country. These protests have gained global support but they have received a muted response from the UK Government.

In a letter dated 19^th October, I was told by the Minister in no uncertain terms that no funding from Government backed Development projects had found its way to SARS units. However, in response to continued pressure on the issue, the Minister wrote to me yesterday and finally admitted that not only had the Government funded SARS units from 2016 to 2020, they had also supplied them with equipment.

Either the Government deliberately funnelled money to groups responsible for crimes against humanity or they had no idea it was happening. Either outcome is truly shocking and even though the funding stopped in March this year, it’s important that the Government now comes clean and explains why and how development spending found it’s way to SARS units. The protesters currently risking their lives by taking on the brutality of SARS are owed that much at least.

Housing as a public right

This week the Socialist Campaign Group released our response to the Coronavirus crisis outlining a clear path out of the pandemic which would put people first. As part of that response, I wrote about the measures we need to take to end the housing crisis and move towards housing as a public right, rather than a source of private profit.

The pandemic has acted as a catalyst, forcing the Government to reluctantly take some action to protect the homeless and private renters without providing actual long-term solutions to a housing crisis which has now lasted decades.

We need a whole knew approach to housing in which social housing is promoted as an alternative to home ownership, renters are given a new deal and homelessness is eradicated once and for all. Anything less will amount to tinkering around the edges of a crisis which cost 72 lives in the Grenfell tower fire and threatens to cost more unless action is take now.

The Government must listen to the Lawrence Review

This week Baroness Doreen Lawrence’s crucially important review into the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black, Asian and Minority ethnic communities was released. The report makes both immediate and long-term recommendations to protect those most at risk and tackle the structural inequalities in several key areas, including the machinery of Government, health, employment and the education system. Importantly, within the report, key recommendations are made such as the suspension of ‘no recourse to public funds’ during the pandemic and action to protect people at work.

It’s vital that the Government now listens to the recommendations and confirms whether it will implement them in full or not. It is simply not good enough for the Government to ignore Doreen Lawrence’s important findings whilst Black, Asian and Minority ethnic communities continue to suffer disproportionately as a result of COVID-19. This is an issue which is literally life and death for many communities. There can be no excuse for delay. The Government must act now.

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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