Small Business Saturday will take place this year on 3 December. This is an opportunity to give our support the many excellent small businesses that serve our community.
© Gary Manhine
I pressed the Prime Minister during Prime Minister’s Questions about the chaos in the Home Office (see here). In all my years as an MP, I’ve never seen worse treatment of people who are trying to get visas or other documents through the Home Office. The delays are unacceptable and having a real impact on people’s lives.
The Home Secretary leaked sensitive information and is overseeing inhumane conditions at the asylum processing centre in Kent. She needs to go.
Read my Monthly Report for October 2022 here.
The new Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, was chosen this week by just over 300 Conservative MPs - a diminishing electorate. He announced that his government will be based on honesty and integrity but then immediately re-appointed the same Home Secretary who was forced to resign last week for breaching security rules. This is unacceptable. We need a General Election now.
Prime Minister Liz Truss has resigned. At Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday I asked who has confidence in her (see here). By Thursday it became apparent that nobody did and she resigned. She’ll remain in office until the Conservative Party picks a replacement by the end of next week. This will be the third Prime Minister in a year and the second imposed on us by Conservative Party members. We need a General Election now.
The Prime Minister's policies have caused chaos in the markets and wrecked the economy. How can anyone in the country have confidence in the Prime Minister?
© Institute for Government
I spoke at a panel event at this year's Labour Party conference on how a future Labour Government would work with the civil service. I stressed that turnover is a huge problem. In the seven years that I have been Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, only one permanent secretary is still in post.
The Government’s been crashing the economy and causing havoc for all households. I pressed it to support families in receipt of benefits, many of whom are in work (see here). I also raised the case of small businesses, especially hospitality businesses, that are facing uncertainty with their energy bills after March (see here).
I am concerned by reports that the Government is considering uprating benefits in line with earnings rather than inflation. 28% of families in Hackney are on means-tested benefits and this change will mean a real-terms cut to their incomes. This comes at a time when bills are rising to eye-watering levels and many families in Hackney are struggling.
I pressed the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on this and urged him to increase benefits in line with inflation. I will continue to press for better support.