Whilst the Tory candidates vying to be the next PM compete to show how “hard” they can be on Brexit, Labour is doing everything we can to prevent a catastrophic “no deal” that would devastate our economy.  On Wednesday, we used our opposition day debate to try and pass a motion that would have allowed us to take control of Parliamentary business for a day to introduce legislation to stop the UK crashing out without a deal.  I’m extremely disappointed our efforts were defeated, but it won’t be the end.  When the Brexit Bill comes back to Parliament I’ll be working to revoke Article 50 to prevent “no deal”.  I’ve launched a survey to get the views of Hornsey & Wood Green constituents on this Brexit mess and what you’d like to see happen next, please do fill it in and share widely as it will help to inform my work in Parliament. 

I was drawn in the ballot to quiz Theresa May at one of her last Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.  I used it to highlight the shameful rise in rough sleeping that has occurred since the Tories came to power and has seen two homeless people die on the steps of Parliament since February 2018.  I asked her if she will use her final few weeks in office to tackle the terrible destitution her Government’s policies has played such a role in creating.  Watch my intervention here.

This week I also challenged the Home Secretary on what he is actually doing to lift the cruel, economically illiterate ban on asylum seekers working.  When I asked him about it last year, he said it would be reviewed.  Almost six months on, we’re still waiting whilst people seeking refugee status are struggling to survive for months and often years on £5.39 a day.  I want him to announce his decision and lift the ban http://lifttheban.co.uk/ before more lives are ruined.

I was pleased to have my urgent question granted by the speaker on the situation in Hong Kong, where thousands of people were held after protests against the controversial Hong Kong Extradition Bill which would allow suspected criminals to be sent to mainland China for trial.  I asked the Minister about the impact of this Bill on the Sino-British Joint Declaration.  Watch my intervention here https://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2019/june/urgent-question-asked-on-the-impact-of-the-hong-kong-extradition-bill/

In my role on the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, I spent Thursday in Belfast speaking to residents, businesses and charities about the impact of Brexit and what role the UK should play on the world stage.  There is huge concern about the impact of Brexit on the Good Friday Agreement and in particular community feedback from the roundtable in the border region of Armagh where anxiety levels are high in relation to a no deal Brexit. 

I was back in Wood Green for a busy advice surgery on Friday morning followed by a chat with staff at the New River Nursery about funding pressures caused by the Tory Government’s massive underfunding of early years places.