Work as Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

After months of tense and difficult negotiations, at the end of last month the DUP announced that it would be returning to the Executive and the Assembly in Northern Ireland. This is really good news because the people of Northern Ireland have been without a government for far too long.

The task for the new power-sharing Executive is to put together a plan for government and to stabilise Northern Ireland’s finances, and this was what I discussed with the new First Minister and deputy First Minister on my recent visit to Stormont Castle. I wish the new Executive and Assembly every success in their responsibilities.

The Need to Stop the Fighting in Gaza Now

The crisis in Gaza continues to worsen. Along with a growing number of voices internationally, Labour is calling for the fighting to stop now; ie we back an immediate ceasefire to allow for the release of hostages and prisoners and enable more humanitarian supplies to reach the Palestinians trapped there, followed by a political process towards a two state solution. The most important point is that the fighting must cease.

The level of death and destruction we have seen over the past weeks has been intolerable as more and more Palestinians are pushed into a small corner of land at the bottom edge of Gaza, and the Israeli response has been disproportionate. Far too many innocent Palestinians, including women and children, have been killed in Israeli military operations and this must stop. Israel must not blockade Gaza. They need to comply with international law by protecting innocent lives and deal with the humanitarian crisis.

Green Prosperity Plan

There’s been a lot of coverage about Labour’s Green Prosperity Plan. The truth is that, in the two years or so since we first announced the Plan, the circumstances have changed. The aftershocks of the disastrous mini- budget are still being felt and that means we will not be able to announce additional investments under the Green Prosperity Plan. We will still be able to double the investment into warm homes, albeit at a slower pace than we had originally hoped, and we will not be able to reach the £28 billion a year during the next Parliament.

However, the Plan remains central to growing the economy and delivering clean power by 2030. Tens of billions of pounds of private sector investment in green hydrogen, carbon capture, clean steel, renewable-ready infrastructure and gigafactories, unlocked through a new National Wealth Fund, to create half a million good, well-paid jobs. By insulating five million homes, we’ll cut up to £500 from household energy bills. And we have confirmed the funding for Great British Energy, a new publicly owned champion for clean energy generation, that will deliver long-term, home grown energy security by investing in floating offshore wind, nuclear and tidal.

Anti-Semitism at Leeds University

There have been two distressing incidents at Leeds University, including the daubing of slogans on a house used by Jewish students and threats made to the Jewish Chaplain, who has returned to Leeds after being called up for reserve duty in Israel. There has also been a shocking video produced by a Green Party council candidate in Leeds directed against the Chaplain. We wait to see whether the Green Party will take any action against him. I have written to the University’s Vice-Chancellor to ask what steps were being taken to protect students in these circumstances.

Political and Parliamentary Activity

• Visit to Northern Ireland and Dublin to meet community groups, business organisations and political leaders including the Irish Deputy Prime Minister, the Leader of Sinn Fein and the new First Minister and deputy First Minister
• Visited Coleraine FC, Ballymena PSNI, Derry Chamber of Commerce, Wrightbus and Seagate
• Addressed the British-Irish Chambers of Commerce
• Meeting with the EU and Irish Ambassadors to the UK
• Met NI Human Rights Commission
• Zoom discussion with the Glencree Centre and former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern
• Met Food and Drink Federation
• Campaigning over two days in Wellingborough
• Interview with Ulster TV
• Attended Shadow Cabinet
  

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Local Activity

• Spoke at event promoting Leeds and Manchester at the House of Commons
• Addressed Leeds City College students
• Visited The Market Place in the city centre
• Campaigning in Middleton Park
• Opened new Vallely Tankers factory in Hunslet
• Spoke at York CLP fundraiser
• Briefing on transport developments in Leeds and West Yorkshire
• Regular column for South Leeds Life
• Advice Surgeries