2026

On 23 February 2026, the  Bill completed its Remaining Stages in the House of Commons. The removal of the two-child limit will increase the Universal Credit (UC) award of 560,000 families, who will gain on average £5,310 per year.  A number of amendments to the Universal Credit Bill were considered.   New Clause 3, which would have

During Topical Questions to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, I asked the following question: “Will the Minister meet me to discuss the decisions of Walsall council, including the closure of the Walsall Leather Museum against the wishes of local people?” The Minister for Local Government, Alison McGovern MP, responded that she will.

The 10th Westminster Book Awards were celebrated on 4 February 2026 in the Cholmondeley and Terrace Pavilion in Parliament. As Chair of the APPG on Publishing, I opened the event and you can read my full speech below. I introduced Dan Conway, CEO of the Publishers Association and we heard  from Fleur Sinclair, President of the

On Wednesday 11 February 2026, I was pleased to support the Local Government Finance Settlement.  Local government provides the services people rely on every day – from social care and housing to road maintenance and tackling homelessness. This settlement will give councils the security they need to rebuild local services and strengthen our communities for