Crumbling school buildings

Unlike the Government, Hornsey School for Girls have been working closely with the Council for some months since a survey in June reported the presence of RAAC in their science block and building works were scheduled over the summer holidays to minimise the impact on students.  I visited the school over the holidays to see how the works were going and chat to the Head about the support they’ve received.

The Government’s response has been woeful.  When news first broke I spoke to the Schools Minister Baroness Barran, who hadn’t even taken the time to read the survey report for Hornsey School for Girls.  I also pushed in Parliament for undertakings that schools wouldn’t be out of pocket, and that other local schools waiting for action on dangerous asbestos, crumbling school buildings and Dickensian sports facilities wouldn’t see their works pushed even further into the long grass.  Children can’t receive a first rate education in a second rate school and I will continue to push for essential investment in our school buildings. Here’s my latest column in the Ham & High on the issue.

Defending our high streets
In Parliament, I presented my petition opposing the closure of Halifax’s Muswell Hill branch and calling on the Government to do more to defend access to cash.  Watch here.  It’s only a matter of months since Halifax closed their Crouch End branch and it’s another blow for our high streets, and for customers, especially older and disabled people, and small businesses, who value face-to-face banking.

Last year I secured a Parliamentary debate to highlight the challenges our struggling high streets are facing. Sadly, shuttered up shops and closing down stores have become the norm after 13 years of Tory economic failure and over the summer we’ve seen the sad loss of Wilko, devastating for workers in their Wood Green branch and across the country.  I wrote to the Secretary of State asking what’s being done to protect as many jobs as possible and support Wilko staff into new employment. There are also serious questions to be asked about the substantial dividends and bonuses Wilko shareholders and executives were paying themselves just last year.

Labour’s New Deal for Workers
Angela Rayner powerfully set out Labour’s plans to build an economy that works for working people at the TUC conference, including a cast iron guarantee to bring forward New Deal legislation within 100 days of taking office.  That legislation, with an end to zero hours contracts, a real living wage, family friendly policies, rights from day one will transform lives.  I’m particularly pleased that we’ll be rolling out fair pay agreements, starting with social care, because these vital workers have been undervalued and underpaid for far too long.  I’ve been taking my social care survey to sheltered housing schemes and care homes across the constituency this summer, and once Parliament returns from conference recess will be seeking an adjournment debate to discuss my findings.

The Tory housing penalty
This month marks a year since Liz Truss’ disastrous mini-budget that caused a surge in borrowing costs and higher interest rates that thousands of people in Hornsey & Wood Green are still paying for every month on their mortgages and their rents.  Whilst Liz Truss is laughing about it on the lucrative after dinner circuit, my mailbox is full of emails from people falling behind on their bills or seeing their rent soar by hundreds of pounds a month.

The Government is doing nothing to help and, as rents skyrocket and Section 21 evictions soar, another month has gone by with no sign of the long promised Renters’ Reform Bill. Once again, while this Government dithers and delays, real lives are suffering. We must make rental reform a reality and I am continuing to call on the Government to bring forward this promised Bill.  I’ve entered the ballot for the next Levelling Up questions to push the Government on housing, in particular the urgent need for more social housing.

Save our Rivers
As our rivers and seas swim in sewage, I have continued to urge the Government to clean up their mess. Not only am I, and my Labour colleagues, calling for a centralised method to monitor, maintain and protect our waters, I believe Ministers should be holding water companies to account and force them to stop spilling raw sewage into our waters.  Neither does building the homes we need mean green lighting water pollution and trashing fragile natural ecosystems.  I am proud that my Labour colleagues in the House of Lords recently voted against a government amendment that would scrap crucial environmental protections.

My month in numbers
Over the summer, 931 people got in touch on policy issues.  Top of the pile was climate change with overwhelming support for Labour’s policies to provide climate leadership with a Green Prosperity Plan that cuts energy bills, creates good jobs, energy security and insulates millions of homes.  I am very pleased that Ed Miliband, who has been leading on this work, has stayed in his role following the reshuffle and that making Britain a green energy superpower is at the heart of our five missions for the next Labour Government.  Here’s my August column for the Ham & High on the uninterested PM and the Tory climate failure.

You can read my latest Parliamentary Questions on subjects from empty homes to soaring private rents, the women’s reproductive health survey to the role (and training) of physician associates.

• I co-hosted Hope for Haringey in Parliament, to celebrate their invaluable work with Haringey’s young people.
• I met with Reverend Francis and the wonderful volunteers from Middle Lane Methodist Church. They host the independent Hornsey food bank from their premises every week, and we spoke about the many challenges facing people across Hornsey and Wood Green and how important a closely linked community is.
• I attended a special showing in Parliament of The Wiener Holocaust Library‘s powerful new travelling exhibition “Fighting Antisemitism From Dreyfus to Today”.  You can view it online here.
• I cut the ribbon to officially mark the opening of the new site for the Muswell Hill GP Practice.  It’s a great building and I was pleased to see the hard work and dedication that has gone into providing these fantastic services for residents.
• I met Noel Park Primary kids on their visit to Parliament.
• I visited Greig City Academy to welcome students back for the start of the new academic year.
• I hosted an important zoom meeting with Haringey Tree Protectors, the Woodland Trust, and Haringey Councillors.  I will continue to call on the Government to provide detailed and robust guidance to councils and the insurance sector to ensure we can protect our urban trees.
• I met some of the young Siemens apprentices working on the new Piccadilly line trains from their depot in Goole in Yorkshire.  An example of how the Mayor of London’s TfL investment is creating skilled jobs around the country.
• I joined Muswell Hill’s NextMeal founder Martin in Burnley for a two day visit to learn more about the excellent collaboration that has been created between the community and local councillors, voluntary sector and business.   It’s a key seat in the next General Election and it was good to join local Labour activists on the doorstep too.
• I opened the brilliant Best of Muswell Hill Festival.

Shadow Foreign Affairs:Europe
Throughout the summer Keir Starmer and David Lammy, the shadow Foreign Secretary, have been laying out in further detail Labour’s commitment to fix the broken deal we have with Europe and deepen our ties with our partners – particularly in relation to security. 2025 sees the opportunity to negotiate the Withdrawal Deal and I am confident that we will secure a better deal for business, for trade, and for our overall security.Sri Lanka trade unions
With the help of colleagues in Unison I met with representatives of Sri Lankan trade unions here in Parliament. Solidarity and workers’ rights are at the cornerstone of Labour’s history, and I was pleased to reaffirm our commitment to supporting trade unions across the globe, and to celebrate the work of British trade unions and the ITUC in their international engagement.

Australia
It was a pleasure to attend the Australian Labor Party conference in Brisbane this summer, and to have a productive meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong. The Australian Labor Party is doing excellent work both domestically and internationally, and they are acting as a blueprint for us here in the UK. I know many of my colleagues are in close contact with our partners in Canberra and I will continue engaging closely with Penny and her team as we work together for a progressive foreign policy.

Timor Leste
Britain’s engagement with some of the smaller – but strategically significant – nations of the world has long been lacking. As part of Labour’s commitment to reconnect with the world, and our allies and partners, I met with the Ambassador of Timor Leste to reinforce our commitment to the region and our status as a Party which is open to international cooperation and economic development.

Last month my office responded to 1,354 casework emails and opened 195 new cases.  I’m seeing a growing number of people get in touch because their children are facing such lengthy, agonising delays accessing mental health services.  That’s an issue I have raised in Parliament and will continue to do so.  These unbearable delays are having a huge impact on people’s lives and seeing their mental health deteriorate.  Labour has a plan for mental health support in every school and an open access hub in every community.  The Government should back it.

Thank you to the local Safer Neighbourhood Team in Alexandra Park for coming along to my last advice surgery to update on their work to keep our community safe.  If I can be of any help, or if you’d like an appointment for one of my upcoming advice surgeries either by telephone or in-person, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Best wishes,

Catherine

Catherine West MP
Labour MP for Hornsey & Wood Green
Shadow Foreign Minister – Asia and the Pacific