Weekly Update
Earlier this week, the House of Commons marked the first anniversary of the horrific attacks on the 7th of October in Israel, and I take this opportunity to reiterate that the hostages must be released and reiterate our call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.
During Prime Minister’s Questions, the Prime Minister spoke about the investment that has been brought into our country under this Labour government. In recent months we have seen £8 billion committed by Amazon for jobs across the country, £10 billion from Blackstone for jobs across the north-east, £22 billion on carbon capture for jobs in the north-east and north-west, and £500 million for UK buses in Northern Ireland. This is Labour delivering for communities across the whole country.
Compare this to 14 years of Tory chaos. What did they leave? A £22 billion black hole in the economy.
We are powering ahead with clean British energy, changing the rules to build 1.5 million homes, and returning railways to public ownership; and the Conservatives have nothing to say about any of it.
Tomorrow will mark 100 days since we entered government. You can see some of our key achievements below.
Renters’ Rights Bill
On Wednesday, the Renters’ Rights Bill was in Parliament for its second reading. This Bill delivers the security and stability renters in Enfield North desperately need. It empowers people to stay in their homes longer and build strong roots in their communities.
It is the most significant package of reforms to the private rented sector in over 40 years and it will deliver on our manifesto commitment to provide greater security for more than 11 million private renters.
Millions of people in England live day in and day out with the knowledge that they and their families could be uprooted from their homes with little notice and minimal justification.
And while the majority of landlords provide a good service, the private rented sector currently offers the least affordable, poorest quality and most insecure housing of all tenures.
I repeatedly raised concerns about Section 21 evictions in Enfield and the state of the private rental sector with the previous Tory government, but they were unwilling to challenge the vested interests of their own backbenchers.
Therefore, after years of waiting, I’m pleased to say that rental reform is finally happening—and will be welcomed by many.
Employment Rights Bill and Labour’s Plan to Make Work Pay
On Thursday, the Labour government unveiled the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation. The Employment Rights Bill will update the UK’s outdated employment laws and turn the page on an economy blighted by insecurity, poor productivity and low pay.
This includes ending exploitative zero-hours contracts and fire and rehire practices, establishing day one rights for paternity, parental and bereavement leave for millions of workers, and strengthening statutory sick pay.
These measures will also be beneficial for employers, helping to keep people in work, reduce recruitment costs for employers by increasing staff retention and levelling the playing field on enforcement.
With this Bill, the Government is calling time on the Tories’ scorched earth approach to industrial relations that led to the worst strikes chaos in decades. We are raising the bar on workplace rights to deliver a stronger, fairer and brighter future for the world of work in the UK.
Banking hub update:
I had a really exciting meeting with LINK last week to see the potential site for the banking hub I won on behalf of residents last year.
We’re expecting the permanent bank to open on Hertford Road in the near future. I know this will be welcomed by residents and local businesses who have struggled to access cash since the closure of several high street banks.
In the meantime, we are working on a temporary hub. You can see more here: https://www.feryalclark.org.uk/banking-hub
Chesterfield School visit:
There were some fantastic questions from the children at Chesterfield Primary School last Friday morning. It’s always a pleasure to hear the views of our young people on the issues they care about most!
Thank you for the invitation and the warm welcome to your school. I look forward to working together!
Ponders End Coffee Morning:
Join me for a chat over tea or coffee at my Ponders End Coffee Morning event next Friday the 18th of October. I'll be happy to answer your questions on local issues. I can help with pension credit, personal casework, and much more.
Book here:
