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Which? the well known consumer rights champion held an event in Parliament on Wednesday 20 October 2021 to explain the upcoming Online Safety Bill. Which? welcomed the draft to the Bill but outlined several concerns and recommendations to ensure the Government tackles scams and fraudulent activity online. 

As a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Music, I attended a meeting on Tuesday 19 October organised by UK Music to launch their latest report.  The meeting was addressed by UK Music’s Chief Executive Jamie Njoku-Goodwin.

Jamie for the presented the finding’s of UK Music’s report which looks at the devastating impact that the pandemic has had on musicians and music industry. The report found that in 2020, the music industry contributed £3.1 billion to the UK economy which showed that there was a 46% decrease from £5.8 billion in 2019. 

I showed my support on Tuesday  19 October 2021 for the Long Live the Local Campaign.  Launched in 2018, the campaign  raised awareness on July 6th 2021 to celebrate the important social, cultural and economic role pubs and breweries play in Britain, and to remind people that they cannot take them for granted. Britain’s pubs and breweries contribute £26.2bn GVA and supports 936,000 jobs. The Campaign among other issues calls on the Government to invest in pubs and breweries through the reform of the unfair tax burden – specifically lower VAT & Business Rates for pubs and lower Beer Duty.

On Tuesday 19 October I asked the Minister for Health and Social Care to meet with me to discuss the downgrading of Walsall Manor Hospital. The Minister agreed to meet with me to further explore the downgrading of existing hospitals.

The nation was shocked to hear of the murder of my colleague Sir David Amess MP stabbed at his surgery on Friday 15 October 2021.  Sir David was one of the kindest MPs and always stopped to ask how I was. In my role as Shadow Leader of the House I responded to the pre-recess adjournment debate where he used to raise constituents issues in Southend West. On one occasion, the Christmas Pre recess debate he named his constituents wished them a Happy Christmas and I joked that Sir David did not need to send Christmas cards that year. He continued to mention city status for Southend at every opportunity and it was only after his death that  Southend was given City status. 

David was a devout Christian and Roman Catholic and he leaves behind his wife Julia and children Katie, David, Sarah, Alexandra and Florence.   He will be missed in the House as a fantastic Parliamentarian but most of all by his family. Let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.