Stephen urges the Government to end fire and rehire

Stephen has co-signed a letter to the Prime Minister, urging him to immediately end the fire and rehire practice, in support of Unite the Union’s campaign to strengthen UK employment law.

In the letter, Labour MPs and trade unions outline the impact of fire and rehire on UK workers. This – currently legal – practice allows employers to threaten unemployment should their workers not agree to accept pay cuts. Since the first lockdown in March 2020, an estimated one in ten workers have been told to reapply for their jobs on worse terms.

In January, the Prime Minister said the use of fire and rehire tactics are “unacceptable” and announced that the Government was working with the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) on this issue. The Government is yet to respond to the findings, despite 70% of the public backing a change in the law. As the letter states, “UK workers should have the same protections as workers in other countries. Fire and rehire is outlawed in parts of Europe and it should be no different here.”

Speaking about the letter, Stephen said “threatening workers with job loss to reduce pay and diminish terms and conditions undermines good employers, harms working people and damages our economy. Worryingly, this practice seems to have become more common during the pandemic, at a time where many workers have been facing severe financial pressures and personal difficulties.

The Government’s lack of action has allowed this practice to become widespread. It must now introduce urgent measures to outlaw fire and rehire.”

You can read a full copy of the letter here.

Stephen condemns evicitions in East Jerusalem

Stephen has urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to speak out on behalf of Palestinian families who are being forcibly evicted from their homes in East Jerusalem to make way for Jewish only settlements.

In total, 58 people, including 17 children, are imminently due to be forcibly displaced to make way for Jewish only settlements. Over the last week we have seen violent settler groups, backed by the Israeli state, intimidating, assaulting Palestinian residents and setting light to Palestinian fields.

The evictions of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah are part of an ongoing process of the Nakba that started in 1948 where over 750,000 Palestinians were forced out their homes and made refugees. 2020 saw the highest rate of settlement expansion in East Jerusalem on record and over 1500 Palestinians are under threat of their homes being demolished and forcibly displaced.

Speaking on Monday, Stephen said: “I am deeply troubled about the eviction of families by Israeli Government authorities in the West Bank. The evictions contravene international humanitarian law, jeopardise the possibility a genuinely two-state solution and undermine social stability and security.

“These proposed evictions demand action from the UK Government and the international community. With our permanent seat on the UN Security Council and our historical role in Israeli-Palestinian affairs, I believe the UK has a moral duty to be proactive on this important issue.”

Stephen’s letter suggested that the Prime Minister should look at imposing sanctions on Israel for illegally annexing Palestinian land, something which he has previously refused to do.

Stephen urges government to draft ambitious HIV action plan

Stephen has written to the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, urging him to “bold and ambitious” when writing the government’s HIV Action Plan.

The government has committed to end new cases of HIV by 2030. Campaigners, however, are concerned that nearly 6,000 people living with HIV do not know their status because HIV testing remains a postcode lottery across the country.

In his letter to the Health Secretary, Stephen set out a number of proposals suggested to him by some of his constituents. These included the provision of free at-home testing kits being made available all year round and the funding of a new anti-HIV stigma campaign in schools.

Having sent the letter, Stephen said “I support the government’s target to end new HIV cases by 2030 and am pleased the government is looking at re-writing its action plan.

“I am very grateful to residents of East Ham for their suggestions as to what should be included. They are bold and ambitious, which is required to meet the government’s target.”

Stephen launches the East Ham Cladding Working Group

Stephen has formed the East Ham Cladding Working Group, which will meet fortnightly to discuss the latest developments around the cladding crisis in Newham and Westminster.

Following the Grenfell tragedy in 2017, the Building Safety Programme was established to ensure tenants and leaseholders are protected from unsafe cladding. However, nearly four years later, around 700,000 people are still living in high-rise blocks with flammable cladding. Several buildings in East Ham are affected, including within the Waterside Park and Upton Gardens developments, where dangerous cladding and insulation has been found on the high-rise buildings.

At the inaugural meeting of the group, Stephen explained how he is pressuring developers of affected buildings in East Ham to shoulder some responsibility for the removal of dangerous cladding, and address the costs of interim fire safety measures – such as waking watch. Stephen also gave an update on the situation in Westminster and the progress of the Fire Safety Bill, which returns to the Commons this week. MPs will have the chance to debate and vote on amendments to give leaseholders a guarantee that building owners cannot pass on the costs of any remedial work.

In addition, Stephen invited residents on the call to share their experiences and concerns on this issue. Many expressed their anxieties around living in unsafe housing, as well as the unforeseen costs associated with temporary safety measures. One leaseholder described feeling “powerless” and a “hostage” in their own home, as they have been unable to re-mortgage their flat with its current EWS1 rating.

Speaking at the meeting, Stephen said “I appreciate and sympathise with the cost and anxiety many leaseholders have endured due to issues for which they bear no fault.

I look forward to meeting fortnightly with local leaseholders in East Ham to give residents the chance to tell me what issues I should be raising with landlords and managing agents. There may also be opportunities to invite external speakers to address the group.

In the meantime, I will continue to call for reforms to the leasehold system and will push the Government to go further with the provisions laid out in the Fire Safety Bill. No one should have to endure the enormous anxiety this cladding is causing and the Government must act with urgency on this.”

If you are interested in joining the East Ham Cladding Working Group, please follow this link and complete the form. A member of Stephen’s office will be in touch with the joining details for the first meeting.

Stephen calls for pay rise for NHS workers

 Stephen has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, encouraging him to give a pay rise to NHS workers.

The government has supported the NHS Pay Review Body, which recommended that NHS workers should received 1% pay increase. With inflation set to rise to this year, it represents a real-terms pay cut for many NHS workers, including nurses, consultants, health visitors and wider clinical staff.

A number of constituents have contacted Stephen in recent weeks outlining their concerns at the “insulting” 1% pay rise. They have told him “…our health workers “need a morale boost now more than ever due to their tireless work throughout the pandemic”.

According to data from NHS England, the Barts Health NHS Trust saw 87,011 people in February still on a waiting list for treatment. Of these, 10,803 have been waiting longer than a year. As such, NHS doctors and nurses must continue with the challenge of this increasing backlog and provide care for those who have had their treatments delayed.  

Speaking about the letter, Stephen said “The battle against COVID-19 has been a long and difficult struggle. NHS staff have been at the heart of the fight against coronavirus, working day and night to protect our NHS and save lives. I am calling on the Chancellor to provide them a much-needed pay rise to support them in this crucial recovery period.”  

Stephen addresses youth employment prospects post-pandemic

Stephen has spoken at an event run by the Learning and Work Institute entitled “Facing the Future: employment prospects for young people after coronavirus”.

Organised in collaboration with The Prince’s Trust and HSBC, the event was an opportunity to explore the impacts of Covid-19 on young people in the world of work. Young people are more likely to have been furloughed, 16–24-year-olds account for three in five of all jobs lost since the start of the pandemic, and youth unemployment is three times the overall unemployment rate.

Drawing on his work as the Chair of the Select Committee for Work and Pensions, Stephen highlighted the possibility of the pandemic entrenching existing inequalities in the labour market, particularly disadvantaging black young people and those with disabilities. He also warned of the ‘scarring’ effect of the pandemic, with the time out of employment or education impacting this generation in the longer-term.

Stephen welcomed the Government’s Kickstart Scheme, launched to support young people into work. However, he argued that it did not go far enough. It should be open to for 16-24 year olds who are not in receipt of Universal Credit, and it should run for longer than planned. He also called for the government to seriously consider a ‘job guarantee’ scheme of some sort, which proved very effective in the Future Jobs Fund launched in 2009 after the last financial crash.

Speaking at the event, Stephen said: “To tackle the long-term impact of this pandemic on our young people, we will need to see a concerted national effort – from government, to employers, to the charitable sector. That is why I am delighted that the Learning and Work institute have hosted this important event alongside HSBC, The Prince’s Trust, and those of us in the House of Commons.”

Stephen joins calls to ban asbestos in Ukraine

Stephen has joined his Labour colleagues, Ian Lavery MP, Mick Antoniw, Member of the Welsh Parliament and Anas Sarwar, Leader of the Scottish Labour Party in writing to the Head of Ukrainian Parliament, Dmytro Razumkov. The letter asks that Ukraine take action to ban the use of asbestos.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring, fibrous material which is mined. Several forms are recognised but all are dangerous to health following inhalation of fibres. It is well known that there is a long latent period between exposure and development of disease. Use of asbestos has been widespread in the industrialised world since the mid-nineteenth century, particularly in the shipbuilding and construction industries.

The banning asbestos in Ukraine has been caught up in a geopolitical conflict over the country’s quest to join the European Union and the determination of Russia to prevent it from doing so.

The letter states “…[we] whole-heartedly endorse Ukraine’s determination to protect its citizens by ending asbestos use…[and] look forward to engaging in future discussions with you.”

You can read the letter here.

Stephen calls on government to protect migrant women in Domestic Abuse Bill

Stephen spoke in the second reading of the Domestic Abuse Bill in the House of Commons on Thursday 15 April, pressing the government on the need to protect and extend the rights of migrant women who are survivors of domestic abuse.

The landmark Domestic Abuse Bill came back to the Commons this week after several amendments were tabled in the Lords. Stephen spoke in support of amendments 41 and 40 which would, respectively, seek to enshrine and extend protections for migrant survivors of domestic abuse in law and prevent public authorities from sharing survivors’ data for the purpose of immigration enforcement.

Currently, migrant survivors of domestic abuse face many challenges in accessing support. Most migrant women are subject to ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ (NRPF) which means they cannot access housing benefit, often used to support refuge spaces. In Women’s Aid’s 2019 report ‘No Woman Turned Away’, NRPF was named as one of the five most common challenges for women seeking a refuge space.  

Unlike the millions of people who have made a Universal Credit claim over the pandemic, migrant survivors with NRPF do not have this option, leaving many trapped with abusers. Survivors can apply for the destitute domestic violence concession (DDVC) allowing temporary leave and public funds access, but this is limited in scope. Only those on spousal visas or some family visas can apply, and temporary leave and public funds are only granted for three months.

Stephen said: “I hope the Government will urgently address the needs of migrant survivors of domestic abuse.  At the moment, their access to support is being blocked.  This needs to change.”

East Ham Cladding Working Group

Stephen plans to form the East Ham Cladding Working Group. The group will meet fortnightly to discuss the latest developments in Newham and Westminster.

The meetings will be constructive and give residents the chance to tell him what issues he should be raising with landlords and managing agents who are the source of so much grief for local residents.

The inaugural meeting is at 8 p.m. on Monday 26 April, via Zoom. Should you wish to join the group, then please complete the form below.

Stephen congratulates local kebab shops

Credit: Francisco De Legarreta C, Unsplash

Stephen has congratulated three businesses in East Ham on being long-listed for a prestigious British Kebab Award.

The Ottoman Doner in Manor Park, Best Turkish Kebab in East Ham and Anatolian Foods in Beckton have been long-listed for the British Kebab Award for Best Newcomer in London, Best Takeaway in London, and Supplier of the Year respectively. They were announced as the semi-finalist and the winners will be announced at a ceremony in London later this year. Awards will be presented for a total of 17 categories at the ninth annual British Kebab Awards, following a competitive nomination process.

A panel of judges including MPs Nadhim Zahawi, Carolyn Harris, David Warburton, Angus Mcneil as well as James O’Brien of LBC will help to decide the winners of each category – although anyone could vote for their favourite kebab outlet from a shortlist for each category. The Awards have become a fixture in the annual food awards calendar, and celebrate the growing contribution of the kebab industry to the UK.

The British kebab industry contributes over £2.8 billion annually to the British economy, supporting around 200,000 jobs across takeaways, restaurants, suppliers and the food industry in the UK. There are also around 200 doner kebab manufacturers in the UK, with a turnover in excess of £750m.

Stephen said: “I am delighted that these three businesses have been long-listed for the prestigious British Kebab Awards, which highlights their contribution to the kebab industry in the UK. I wish them many congratulations for their success so far and wish them good luck in the semi-finals!”

Stephen supports call for more learning disability nurses

 Stephen attended a Show Your Support for Learning Disability Nurses Event on Friday 26th March, engaging with self-advocates and carers about the national shortage of learning disability nurses.

Stephen discussed with carers and self-advocates with lived experience of a learning disability the issue of the national shortage of learning disability nurses and their experiences of accessing treatment from the NHS.

The Learning Disability Nurses Not Hearses Campaign, which recently won the parliament awards digital campaign of the year is run by Harrow Mencap and supported by the Royal Mencap Society and supported by the ALL Party Parliamentary Group on Disability, calls for every NHS trust in the UK to have at least two learning disability nurses.

Stephen said: “I was moved to hear the testimonies of self-advocates and carers. They do an incredible job but it is clear the national shortage of learning disability nurses needs to be addressed. Those with learning disabilities must not be side-lined.”

Stephen writes to Foreign Secretary urging action on Yemen

Stephen has written to the Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, asking that the UK suspend its arms deals with Saudi Arabia. He also urged Ministers to continue the provision of financial aid to the Yemeni civilians. 

The conflict in Yemen has been ongoing since the failure, in 2011, of a Saudi-backed transition from long-time President Saleh to his deputy Abd Rabbuh Mansour al-Hadi. The rebel Houthi movement took control of much of the country. In 2015 a coalition, led by Saudi Arabia, was established to prop up the al-Hadi Government. Since then, the conflict has produced the world’s worst humanitarian disaster, with millions of people at risk from starvation and disease. Attempts to broker a peace deal, ended in failure last year.

Stephen addressed the concerns his constituents in his letter to the Foreign Secretary. He requested a ban on selling  arms to Saudi Arabia, and urged Ministers to look again at its plans to reduce the amount of aid to Yemen.

Speaking about the letter, Stephen said: “I have long supported the Government to ban the selling of weapons to Saudi Arabia. It seems clear to me that the UK cannot carry out its proper role in reinvigorating the peace process if we are arming one side of the conflict.

“The Government must lead initiatives to impose a ceasefire, open humanitarian corridors and restore peace talks. It is vital that we help sustain the momentum required to end this brutal conflict, bring all parties back to the negotiating table, and stop the suffering of the Yemeni people.”

Stephen urges action on Mynamar

Earlier today, Stephen wrote a letter to the Foreign Secretary asking him to take urgent action about the situation in Myanmar.

In February, elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and members of her national league for democracy were detained during protests. The Myanmar military have since ceased control and declared a year long state of emergency. The coup followed a general election in which the national league for democracy won by a landslide. The armed forces which backed the opposition as demanding a rerun of the vote, claiming widespread fraud.

In his letter to the Foreign Secretary, Stephen suggested a number of actions that the UK government could take. These included a global arms embargo and joining the genocide case at the International Court of Justice.

Having sent the letter, Stephen said “I condemn moves by the Myanmar military in taking control of the country by force. It is important the democratic rights of the people of Myanmar must be upheld.

“I would urge the UK government to support the International Court of Justice genocide case against Myanmar and provide greater support for Rohingya Muslims.”

Stephen writes to Foreign Secretary about Israel's human rights record

Stephen has written to the Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, asking that he raise the issue of Israel’s human rights record at the UN Human Rights Council.

The current session of the Human Rights Council is currently taking place in Geneva. In advance of the meeting Stephen was contacted by a number of constituents who were troubled by the UK’s record of abstaining in previous votes that were critical of Israel’s human rights policy.

In his letter Stephen urged the Foreign Secretary to find a “sustainable solution” to the question of Palestine based on principles of international law. He noted that his constituents believed Israel should be obligated to follow international law, something which they have failed to do in the past.

Speaking about the letter Stephen said, “A number of my constituents have been in touch with me about this in recent weeks, so I felt it was important to relay their concerns to the Foreign Secretary.

“Without the insistence on basic protections for the rights of Palestinians, we will never make the progress we all want to see towards a long term, sustainable peace in the Middle East. I will continue to press the Government on the actions it is taking on these issues and follow any developments closely.”

Stephen presses government to act on household overcrowding

On Wednesday 10 March, Stephen led a Westminster Hall debate in Parliament on household overcrowding and the coronavirus pandemic.

East Ham has the highest percentage of overcrowding of any constituency in the country, with 27% of residents reporting living in overcrowded conditions in the 2011 census.

In the debate, Stephen set out the impact of overcrowding on mental and physical wellbeing. Individuals living in overcrowded conditions are more likely to experience mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, and Covid 19 pandemic has only highlighted and exacerbated these problems.

Stephen also highlighted the disproportionate impact and challenges which faced ethnic minority communities in housing. For instance, 34% of all Bangladeshi households are overcrowded. The figure for Pakistani households is 18% and Black African 16%, compared with 2% for White British households. Stephen urged the Government to ‘tackle overcrowding to address the racial inequalities in public health’. 

Stephen highlighted that the long term failure to build sufficient homes to keep up with rising demand is the main catalyst for the housing crisis. He questioned Housing Minister Eddie Hughes whether there is a ‘prospect of new investment in social housing on the scale that we need ’. 

The full transcript from the debate can be read here.

Stephen hosts event for East Ham students on exams fiasco

Earlier this week, Stephen hosted a Q&A session for students in East Ham. He was joined by Wes Streeting, Shadow Minister for Schools, Mandeep Gill, Principal of NewVIc, and Mouhssin Ismail, Principal of The NCS. The panel took questions from A Level and GCSE students whose education had been impacted by the Government’s slow response to the pandemic.

Last summer, A Level and GCSE exams were cancelled and centre assessed grades were run through an algorithm before they were issued. Grades were much lower than expected causing the Government to U turn last minute and ask teachers to issue grades based on their own judgement. The Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, recently announced that A Level and GCSE exams will not go ahead this summer and students will instead be awarded their grades based on teacher assessment.

At the Q&A, students raised concerns over the lack of guidance offered during this time, the possibility of grade inflation and the impact this will have on next year’s exams, as well as the impact this will have on university places and employment.

Speaking at the event, Stephen said “Whilst it is good schools and students now know what to prepare for this summer, there are still many questions about how issuing grades will look as we continue through the pandemic. The Government must ensure we will not see a repeat of last year’s exam fiasco this summer.”

Stephen criticises proposed cut to T-Grant

Stephen has written to the Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, criticising plans to axe the London weighting for universities in the capital. 

Earlier this year the Department for Education wrote to the Office for Students about the teaching grant (T-Grant) for 2021 - 2022. It revealed the grant would be cut and pledged to "…remove weightings for London providers from across the T-grant including students attending courses in London and weightings within student premium". The Universities and Colleges Union have warned the decision to cut funding will result in around £64 million being taken from London universities.   

As well as writing to the Education Secretary, Stephen has added his name to Early Day Motion 1546. It notes that the removal of the London weighting will disproportionately impact many students from different backgrounds. It also urges the government to take into account the cost to students of studying in London.

Stephen said "The government must explain why it has decided to cut support for London's world class institutions this is money that London universities desperately need. I urge the Education Secretary to think again"

Maya Taylor-Cook, a second year student at the University of East London, said “If there is a rollback in the weighting London universities receive, I fear vital service, such as mental health support may be cut, This will cause students to suffer.”

Stephen urges Ministers to ban "reckless" evictions over rent arrears

Stephen has co-signed a cross-party letter to the Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick. The letter urges him to ban "reckless" evictions of people with long term rent arrears as a result of the pandemic.

The MPs called for "urgent" action to prevent a new surge in homelessness in the coming weeks. They estimate that thousands of renters with six months of debts risk ending up on the streets.

Half a million private tenants in the UK are behind with their rent, according to research by Citizens Advice. The average amount owed is more than £700, the charity says, and one-in-four private renters in arrears have been threatened with eviction or cancellation of contract by their landlord.

The group points out that the Housing Secretary watered down protections by no longer excluding debts accrued since the coronavirus crisis began, when he extended the current eviction ban in February.

Speaking about the letter Stephen said “I am pleased that a number of MPs from across the House of Commons have recognised these concerns. We are calling on the government to amend the Housing Act to ensure the protection of renters who have lost income during the pandemic.

“The pandemic has had a devastating impact on renters across the country, many who face an immediate and direct risk of homelessness. The government need to take urgent action to protect tenants so that they can feel safe in their homes.”

You can read the group’s letter here.

Stephen accuses Government on breaking promises over fire safety

Credit: Hansard

Stephen has accused the government of breaking its promise to protect leaseholders in East Ham after MPs considered amendments made by the House of Lords to the Fire Safety Bill.

Stephen supported a Lords amendment to place robust requirements on building owners or managers and implement the Phase 1 recommendations of the Grenfell Inquiry. He also supported amendments to prevent freeholders from passing on fire safety remediation costs to leaseholders.  These amendments would have sped up the legislative process, which has already cost leaseholders millions of pounds, by protecting leaseholders from the day the Bill comes into force.

Stephen made a brief speech during the debate, and made specific mention of two local developments at Waterside Park and Upton Gardens. You can watch the speech here.

Speaking afterwards, Stephen said: “I cannot understand why Conservative MPs are consistently voting against vital fire safety measures called for by the Grenfell Inquiry.”

“This Bill was an opportunity for the Government to finally put the public’s safety first and to deliver on the promises it has made to leaseholders.  However, the Government rejected the amendments that I supported, and they were removed from the Bill.”

Home Secretary on TOEIC students: not just clarification, but justice needed

Under questioning from Tim Loughton at the Home Affairs Select Committee on Wednesday 24 February, Home Secretary Priti Patel set out the need to bring justice for international students unfairly caught up in the 'TOEIC' scandal.

A significant number of international students in 2014 lost their right to live and study in the UK after being falsely accused of cheating in the 'TOEIC' English language test. These students have now been in limbo in the years ever since, not allowed to study or work, many unable to afford to clear their names in the courts.

The Home Secretary recognised: "We still have a number of people - too many people, I don’t have the figures at hand– who were caught up in this and we need to find a resolution, and actually to bring not just clarification but also some justice around what has happened."

After the 'TOEIC' court cases due at the Tribunal next week, the Home Secretary agreed to come back to the Committee with what action her department will take.

Stephen said: “Ministers now need to create a mechanism – which can be done within existing Home Office systems – to end the misery for the hundreds, if not thousands, of student victims of Toeic stuck in limbo.”