Dear all,
This week saw the state opening of Parliament, and the delivery of the King’s Speech. This is where the government sets out its legislative agenda for the new Parliament, and where for the first time we get to see the gamut of Bills that the government wants to introduce to the statute book.
As usual, I was in Parliament to witness proceedings, and what a difference this was to the thin gruel of the last Kings Speech I witnessed in November. This was a packed programme for government, including over 40 Bills, ranging from a Bill to set up Great British Energy, to a Bill to put sewage-dumping water companies in special measures, to a Bill to abolish hereditary peers. There’s lots in there, and it will certainly be keeping me busy over the next few years as your MP!
There were a couple of Bills that I was especially pleased to see announced. One was the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which is something I worked on through the last Parliament as shadow public health minister until all progress was lost when the election was called in May. This will include measures to phase out smoking from our society over time, and provide the Government new powers to crack down on youth vaping. The government has also committed to implement policies I worked on, such as a ban on the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s.
Another was the Renter’s Rights Bill. Successive Conservative governments have been promising reform for renter’s rights, including a ban on no-fault evictions, for the best part of 10 years. Finally now, we will have a government that will put those changes into law. It’s also great news for some of my constituents that leasehold reform is back on the table, which over recent years has been exposed as the feudal system it is, especially in the wake of the cladding scandal and the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
Lastly, I am delighted to see a real commitment from the new Government to a new wave of devolution, transferring power from Westminster to the West Midlands. The Railways Bill and Better Buses Bill will pave the way to bring our public transport back into public ownership, and I hope spell an era of more flexible, affordable and accountable services, under local communities’ control.
This is an exciting new era, where after years of chaos we can finally begin to renew and rebuild our country. If you’d like to find out more about what was in the King’s Speech, you can find more information here and here.
The most representative Parliament ever
This week it was lovely to catch up with Labour women colleagues, new and old. The new Parliament is the most representative of the country ever, with 263 (40%) female MPs out of 650 (190 of them from Labour alone!).
More than 13% of MPs now come from an ethnic minority background, including ten new Sikh MPs. I was delighted to be the first ever Sikh woman elected to Parliament in 2017, and it is such a pleasure to see a new generation joining me now.
Whatever your background, it is important that Parliament is slowly coming to look more like the people it serves.
My new job
I am delighted to announce that this week I have been appointed as the PPS to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds.
I will be joining a brilliant team of Ministers with a key role in delivering the Labour government’s number one mission to unlock investment and grow our economy, after 14 years of stagnation.
From Labour’s agenda to make work pay, to decarbonise our economy, to bring the voice of small business into the heart of government, and to bring economic growth to every part of the country, it’s a wide-ranging and important portfolio and one I’m looking forward to playing my part.
Me on Politics Live
On Tuesday, I appeared on the BBC’s daytime politics show, Politics Live. On a panel of two Conservatives and one Green MP, I was quizzed about Labour’s new strategic defence review to what the new government will do to tackle child poverty.
In particular, we talked about Labour's plans to set up Great British Energy, a new public owned renewable energy generation company to motor our drive for clean power by 2030. It emerged this week the Green Party's co-leader has objected to infrastructure to carry clean energy from offshore wind through his constituency. I was surprised to hear the Green Party leader defend a decision to slow down our progress to hit our 2030 goals. Labour will back the builders not the blockers for energy security, cheaper bills and good jobs.
You can find a clip of my appearance below, and the full show on iPlayer.
UNRWA
I am delighted and relieved that after six months, the new Government has finally lifted the suspension on support to the Palestinian relief and works agency UNRWA.
UNRWA plays a vital role providing food aid, shelter & medical care to the almost 2 million internally displaced Palestinians in Gaza, and I have long been a supporter of its work.
Following allegations that some of its staff had been involved in the appalling 7 October massacre, the previous government suspended funding to the UN agency while an investigation took place. That investigation concluded months ago, yet the UK remained one of only a few countries left to withhold its support. I had been pressing the government to get on with reinstating support for months.
UNRWA is the only aid agency with the on the ground capacity to deliver the humanitarian support so desperately needed in Gaza. This decision will undoubtedly save lives.
Speeding
As I said in my update last week, dangerous driving in our area has become a huge safety concern. I’ve been campaigning on this for years, and I have now called for an urgent multi-agency meeting with PCC Simon Foster and Transport Cabinet Member Cllr Majid Mahmood.
Do read my letter below.
Contacting my office
Now that I am back with my feet under my desk in Parliament, I want to remind people that if you need any help you can get back in touch using my parliamentary email or through this website. I am no longer using my campaign gmail account now I have been re-elected as your MP.
Have a lovely weekend.
Best wishes,
Preet Kaur Gill MP
Birmingham Edgbaston, covering Bartley Green, Edgbaston, Harborne, North Edgbaston and Quinton
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