Thank you to everyone from Erith and Thamesmead who contacted me about attending Age UK’s Summer Reception and the important issue of healthcare for older people.
I’m pleased to say that I attended their July event and spoke to many members of the Age UK team, their policy experts, and elderly people struggling with long waiting lists and a lack of support.
Thanks @AgeUK for hosting a reception in Parliament on Monday to raise awareness of the state of healthcare for older people.
I was pleased to see their stats for Erith and Thamesmead and I want to thank all my constituents who have contacted me about this important issue. pic.twitter.com/7W4buUW6cy
I know many families across Erith and Thamesmead will be worried this month after the rate of inflation continues to remain at a high 8.7%. We all know what high inflation means to our monthly bills and our everyday food shops – squeezing family finances and leaving more and more concerned about the future. Food inflation alone is costing the average family more than £1,000 on their shopping bill.
It so important that our Government takes this seriously and gets a grip on this problem to ease the burden on working people in our community. There needs to be a relentless focus on the cost of living and how we turn around our economy to create growth and hope for all across the country.
Following the new inflation data, on Thursday 22nd June, the Bank of England announced its decision to raise interest rates by 50 basis points.
With this rise, I know that many homeowners will have real concerns about the effect on their mortgage payments. I believe that it is so important the Government does not stand on the side lines as Britain faces a mortgage crisis.
On Wednesday 21st June, I did a media round in my role as Shadow Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury to set out the Opposition’s plans to ease this mortgage crisis. On Newsnight, I outlined some of the actions that the Government should take, including requiring borrowers to allow lenders to wait a minimum of six months before initiating repossessions and instructing the FCA to urgently issue consumer guidance that those requesting support should not see their credit score affected. These measures are part of a five-point plan that we hope the Government takes on board now. It is also vital that the Government supports savers and makes sure interest rate rises are being passed on by the banks to those saving. They should not stand by as millions face the consequence of inaction.
As a result of the continued pressure that so many face during this cost-of-living crisis I have created a Cost-of-Living booklet for our community in Erith and Thamesmead. My Cost-of-Living booklet provides information that helps constituents find out where to access support when needed. The link to the booklet is here: https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/cost-of-living/
Abena on Sky NewsAbena on Newsnight
The Privileges Committe and Boris Johnson
This month Members of Parliament had the opportunity to vote on the Commons privileges committee’s report into Boris Johnson and his statements to the house on Partygate.
Over the last few years, people across Erith and Thamesmead and the country followed the rules in order to stop the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. Many missed out on important moments together including birthdays, weddings, and tragically funerals. I too lost loved ones during the pandemic.
From speaking to many across our community, I know first-hand how angry people were after the details of these parties were revealed. I continue to be devasted when I hear about the personal sacrifices made by so many and I continue to be so upset about the reckless behaviour carried out by those at the top of our Government.
This cross-party report found that Johnson repeatedly misled Parliament about lockdown parties at Downing Street. As a result, I voted to approve the report.
My work in Parliament
This month in Parliament I have raised a number of issues I know are important to people in Erith and Thamesmead.
In my role as Shadow Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, I challenged the Chancellor at Treasury Questions on their broken promise to fundamentally reform business rates. There is so much that needs to be done to fix our economy and end the chaos, including by scrapping business rates and replacing them with a fairer system so that our amazing hospitality sector can thrive and grow faster.
On Wednesday 22nd June, I also spoke in Parliament on Animal Welfare and the need to protect animals from harm. We all know that Britain is a nation of Animal lovers, and we also know that there is so much more we need to do to provide a proper safety net for every animal.
I challenged the Government on their lack of leadership on this issue, which is of such importance to me and so many people in Erith and Thamesmead.
St Fidelis Primary School Visit to Parliament
Last week it was such a pleasure to meet all the pupils from Year 6 at St Fidelis Primary School, who were able to come to Parliament for a Tour and find out a bit more about how our democracy works.
I really enjoyed getting grilled by them with some tough questions on some of the important issues we face today. Thanks to St Fidelis School and all the pupils. Looking forward to seeing you all again.
Age UK Group Visit to Parliament
It was great to see the team from Age UK Bexley this month after they completed a Tour of Parliament. It was nice to see such a good turnout and to talk about their work and what the support they offer to older people in Erith and Thamesmead.
As always, please get in touch if you live in Erith & Thamesmead and would like me to arrange a tour. You can contact me via email on abena.oppongasare.mp@parliament.uk.
Bexley Volunteer Excellence Awards
It was also nice to meet the amazing community volunteers at the Bexley Volunteer Excellence Awards. It was a great evening to join everyone at the Exchange Erith and hear some great stories of volunteer work across Bexley.
I was also honoured to hand out the ‘Youth Volunteer Awards’ and to celebrate everyone’s great achievements in the last year. It was fitting way to end Volunteers Week 2023. Congratulations to all the winners.
Visit to Solus Repair Centre in Erith
I was very pleased to be able to visit Solus Repair Centre in Erith earlier this month.
I particularly enjoyed meeting young people from the apprenticeship programme and discovering all the opportunities available to develop technical skills and expertise in the sector.
My Visit to Nepal with WaterAid UK and the Coalition for Global Prosperity
At the end of May, I visited Nepal with WaterAid UK and the Coalition for Global Prosperity to see the impact of development projects supporting access to clean water.
It was wonderful to be able to visit the beautiful country of Nepal and meet so many people doing life-saving and transformational work.
Windrush Day 2023
This month we marked 75 years since the first of the Windrush Generation arrived in the UK.
As I said on the day and I have said many times in Parliament it continues to be so painful to hear the stories of this great generation, who contributed so much to Britain.
In June, I have been submitting Written Questions to the Government Minister to challenge them on their inaction and the consequences for the Windrush Generation. One of my questions revealed that there are over 6,000 claims to the government for compensation. It also revealed that sadly 41 people had passed away before their claim could be certified. You can read my questions here: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/.
“London Is The Place For Me” by Eliza Southwood
Grenfell Anniversary
On 14th June, we also marked six years since the Grenfell tower fire. A fire that took 72 lives. My thoughts continue to remain with the victims, their families and the survivors as we mark the anniversary of this tragic night.
I was pleased to join BBC Politics London this month to discuss the impact of Grenfell on Londoners and how we make sure this never happens again. We stand with the Grenfell community in their continued fight for justice.
Reminder to sign up to my 2023 Campaign Summer School
I am delighted to announce that applications for my Campaign Summer School for 2023 are now open!
At my jam-packed 3-day summer school, young people aged between 16 and 18 will have the opportunity to gain the skills needed to make a real difference in our community.
The school itself will be held in person in Erith and Thamesmead from Monday 24th July to Wednesday 26th July.
If you know anyone who might be interested, then please don’t hesitate to send them the application. To apply just fill in the sign-up form on my website.
My Update on Casework for June
Thank you to everyone who contacted me this month to raise the problems you are facing.
This month, 34% of all cases were related to housing and I continue to have serious concerns over the unprecedented housing crisis the Conservatives are overseeing. The building of new social homes is at record lows, and more and more people are stuck in the private rented sector when they should either own their own home or have a council house to rent.
The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee’s 2020 report, ‘Building more social housing’, called for around 90,000 additional social homes to be built a year. Last month, when I asked the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his department has a target for building new social homes, I was told that since 2010 they have delivered over 162,800 homes for social rent.
I am worried that if housing targets are not met in the near future, the housing crisis will continue to grow over the next few years.
I look forward to meeting more constituents in person to discuss the difficulties they are facing. If you would like to attend my next surgery, please contact my office to be added to the waiting list.
For all those who are struggling, I continue to share my Cost-of-Living booklet to help them know where to access support when needed. The link to the booklet is here: https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/cost-of-living/
Progress on the DLR to Thamesmead – This month I’m pleased to share that TFL have submitted their proposals for an extension of the DLR to Thamesmead. I have been campaigning for #NextStopThamemsead since I was elected and so I welcome these proposals and hope to see continued progress to finally provide a much needed station to the people of Thamesmead.
Sistah Space meeting on Valerie’s Law – It was great to catch up with the Sistah Space team as we discuss the important topic of Valerie’s Law and how we continue to make strides on the issue of domestic abuse.
Resuscitation Council UK Meeting – I’m sure everyone knows how vital it is to act fast and effectively whenever you are dealing with a cardiac arrest. This month I met with the Resuscitation Council UK and discussed how we improve CPR awareness and look into increasing the number of Defibrillators in our local communities. I’m also pleased to announce I have secured a debate in Parliament to discuss public access to Defibrillators. I will share the results of the debate on social media and in my next newsletter.
Armed Forces Day 2023 – I join everyone across Erith and Thamesmead in celebrating Armed Forces Day and I express how deeply proud we are of our personnel, veterans, and their families for the great contribution they make to our country.
Sign up to my Coffee Morning
If you are interested in coming along to a future Coffee Morning, I’ve just launched my webpage where you, your family and friends can sign up to register your interest in attending a meeting.
For regular updates on my activities, follow me on Twitter (@abenaopp), Facebook (Abena Oppong-Asare MP, Erith and Thamesmead), and Instagram (abena.oppongasare.mp).
At the end of May, I visited Nepal with WaterAid UK and the Coalition for Global Prosperity to see the impact of development projects supporting access to clean water.
It was wonderful to be able to visit the beautiful country of Nepal and meet so many people doing life-saving and transformational work. Visiting some of the programmes that WaterAid is undertaking illuminated the extent of the hardship and poverty that so many in Nepal are facing. It also showed the amazing progress that has been made.
Poor access to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) presents some serious challenges to vulnerable communities in Nepal. These include the proliferation of water-borne illness, poor sanitation, and restrictions on the opportunities afforded to citizens.
What I found particularly worrying was that these issues disproportionately affect women and young girls. A lack of sanitation has been related to a disproportionately smaller number of girls attending schools, particularly affecting those on their menstrual cycles.
For instance, only 39% of schools have separate, female-friendly toilets, meaning many young girls are left without a safe space to clean themselves and manage the difficulties associated with menstruation. This can discourage girls from attending school altogether, through fear of judgment, embarrassment and even harassment.
It is therefore great to see the outstanding progress that WaterAid have made with their WASH programmes. Citizens in these areas have experienced vastly improved quality of life, with improved access to safe water, better toilets, and improved hygiene.
Young girls have been offered safe spaces, which has succeeded in breaking down some of the barriers that might stop them from receiving an equal education to their male counterparts. It’s a really promising story that I am keen to see continue.
We all know having access to life-saving defibrillators saves lives. The issue is not their design but their location and public awareness about what they are and how to use them.
Having access to a life-saving defibrillator depends on where you live. Today, I called on the Government to address this cruel unfairness to save lives. That was my message in my Westminster Hall debate on public access to Defibrillators.
Research from the Resuscitation Council UK shows that access to defibrillators, or AEDs, is not fairly distributed across England. Each year, there are 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the UK, with less than one in ten surviving. Whilst immediate CPR and defibrillation can more than double the chances of survival, defibrillators are used in less than one in ten cases. If you have a cardiac arrest and have access to a defibrillator within a minute, have a 90% chance of survival.
According to the BMJ, access to a defibrillator varies widely by location:
140 per 100,000 people in Swansea
61 per 100,000 people in London
2 per 100,000 people in Birmingham
The issue was highlighted to me by the experience of my constituent, Bonnie McGhee, who works on the cardiology unit at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Bonnie sadly lost her father to cardiac arrest and has since successfully raised funds for a defibrillator in his memory.
Access to a defibrillator may have saved his life. Bonnie successfully fundraised for a defibrillator in memory of her father.
To save lives, defibrillators must be in a well-signposted location, unlocked and easy to find so that members of the community can access them immediately in an emergency. They must be maintained and ready for use. Information about defibrillator locations is hard to come by. People do not know where to find them and how to use them. The Circuit is a national database of defibrillators but it is incomplete, meaning that emergency services may not be able to direct someone to save a life.
In my debate today I said “Knowing where a defibrillator is and how to use one saves lives. Learning simple resuscitation skills can make all the difference in an emergency. Today, I’m calling on Ministers to listen and help save lives.”
You can read my full speech here and watch it here.
It was wonderful to meet the team from Age UK Bexley this month after their Parliament tour. It was encouraging to see such a great turnout and to discuss their work and the support they provide to older people in Erith and Thamesmead.
As always, please get in touch if you live in Erith & Thamesmead and would like me to arrange a tour. You can contact me via email on abena.oppongasare.mp@parliament.uk.
You can also see my social media post about this visit below or here.
On Wednesday 14th June, I had the pleasure of meeting Year 6 students from St. Fidelis Primary School. They visited the Houses of Parliament for a tour and to learn more about how our democracy functions.
I enjoyed being challenged by their tough questions on some of the important issues we face today. A special thanks also to the teachers at St. Fidelis for organising this visit.
You can see my social media post from the event below and here.
It was a pleasure to meet the outstanding community volunteers at the Bexley Volunteer Excellence Awards this month. It was a wonderful evening at the Exchange Erith, hearing inspiring stories of volunteer work across Bexley.
I was also honoured to hand out the ‘Youth Volunteer Awards’ and to celebrate everyone’s great achievements in the last year. It was a fitting way to end Volunteers Week 2023. Congratulations to all the winners.
You can see my social media post about the event below or here.
I was very pleased to be able to visit Solus Repair Centre in Erith earlier this month.
I particularly enjoyed meeting young people from the apprenticeship programme and discovering all the opportunities available to develop technical skills and expertise in the sector.
You can see my social media post about the visit below or here.
I am delighted to announce that applications for my Campaign Summer School for 2023 are now open!
At my jam-packed 3-day summer school, young people aged between 16 and 18 will have the opportunity to gain the skills needed to make a real difference in our community.
I know from my own experience that whether you’re dealing with environmental issues, crime, education and housing, effective campaigning is the key to influencing and challenging those in power. So, I am determined to do all I can to empower our young people to be the change they want to see in the world.
The school itself will be held in person in Erith and Thamesmead from Monday 24th July to Wednesday 26th July.
If you know anyone who might be interested, then please don’t hesitate to send them the application. To apply just fill in the sign-up form on my website. Applications are welcomed from anyone aged between 16 and 18, though priority will be given to those who live or go to school in the constituency of Erith and Thamesmead.
My work in Parliament
This month in Parliament I have raised a number of issues I know are important to people in Erith and Thamesmead.
In my role as Shadow Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, I spoke for Labour in the Finance Bill committee, where I raised Labour’s concerns with the new alcohol taxation scheme that is being introduced, and the importance of supporting our hospitality industry.
I also spoke about the role of further education (FE) colleges in training the workforce of the future and upskilling the existing workforce. FE colleges support our communities but are being let down by the Government.
I spoke in a Westminster Hall debate about regulation of the private rented sector, calling for a proper Ombudsman to deal with issues raised by tenants in the private rented sector. Lots of constituents have contacted me about soaring rents and poor-quality accommodation. I am very happy to support Labour’s pledge to introduce a Private Renters Charter to make renting fairer, more secure, and more affordable.
My Update on Casework for May
This month I have received hundreds of emails from constituents on a wide variety of issues.
At the moment, my office is receiving an extremely high number of enquiries on housing, and I am increasingly worried about the impact the housing crisis is having on residents in Erith and Thamesmead.
This month, I asked the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his department has a target for building new social housing and if he would make an estimate of the number of people who became homeless following a Section 21 notice.
Whilst I am pleased to see the Renter Reform Bill being introduced, I will continue to ask the government important questions on housing issues that are prominent in the constituency.
I will be holding another surgery soon and I look forward to meeting more constituents in person to discuss the difficulties they are facing. If you would like to be added to my surgery waiting list, please contact my office who will be able to assist.
For all those who are struggling, I continue to share my Cost-of-Living booklet to help them know where to access support when needed. The link to the booklet is here: https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/cost-of-living/
As the Member of Parliament for Erith and Thamesmead, I send my congratulations to King Charles III and Queen Camilla for their successful Coronation this month.
It was great to see so many people get involved from across the community, including with street parties and events to celebrate this historic occasion. I was grateful to join a reception for the King and Queen before their Coronation and meet with so many people doing important work across the United Kingdom.
I hope everyone in Erith and Thamesmead and across the country had a great Coronation weekend with family and friends.
Update on the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) Expansion
Thank you to all constituents who have taken the time to write to me about the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) London-wide expansion earlier this year.
I recently contacted the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to raise concerns about how the current proposals to extend the ULEZ will affect constituents of Erith and Thamesmead, many of whom do not have good links to public transport.
In particular, I raised concern that lower-income families and small businesses may not be able to upgrade to ULEZ-compliant vehicles. As you may know, Erith and Thamesmead has no underground station, no access to the DLR, no trams and no rapid bus services. Many of my constituents therefore have no option but to travel to work or essential appointments by car.
I welcomed the £110m for the new scrappage scheme to support Londoners on lower incomes, disabled Londoners, charities and micro-businesses as a welcome starting point. However, many of my constituents, including struggling families and businesses, are not covered by the scrappage scheme. I therefore strongly encouraged the Mayor to review the scrappage scheme to support small businesses and to undertake an assessment of what additional support can be provided to families.
I will continue to monitor the impact of ULEZ expansion in Erith and Thamesmead, and pass on my constituent’s views to the Mayor directly. Please find below my letter to the Mayor of London.
Powered By EmbedPress
Join my DLR to Thamesmead Campaign
This month, I want to promote my webpage for my Next Stop Thamesmead Campaign. For too long people in Thamesmead have suffered from poor transport links – making it harder to access jobs and opportunities across London.
This is why I started the #NextStopThamesmead Campaign. I believe the residents of Erith and Thamesmead deserve the benefits of transport connectivity that many others across London already enjoy. Extending the DLR to Thamesmead would unlock significant new housing on both sides of the river and would open up access to work and educational opportunities for our constituency.
Furthermore, this month I wrote to the Secretary of State for Transport to speed up plans to extend the DLR to Thamesmead. I told the Secretary of State of my campaign over recent years to make this happen and how I have only ever heard warm words from an ever-growing cast list of transport ministers. I made clear that while we are told the DLR is always on the way, it somehow never arrives.
We have ambitious plans to put Thamesmead on the transport map, which are supported by local authorities, Transport for London (TfL), local businesses and community organisations, and local people. The opportunities for local economic growth are plain to see and the chance to ‘level up’ this part of London is real.
I urged the Secretary of State to expedite the process to deliver the DLR to Thamesmead. We have waited long enough. Now is the time for action.
Alongside the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, I was also briefed by TfL on their progress for Housing and Transport developments in Thamesmead.
It was great to see the London Walkers Group this month after they completed a Tour of Parliament. It was nice to see such a good turnout and to talk about some important local issues.
As always, please get in touch if you live in Erith & Thamesmead and would like me to arrange a tour. You can contact me via email on abena.oppongasare.mp@parliament.uk.
Visit to Maximus Employability Centre
I was very pleased to be able to visit Maximus Employability Centre Advisor this month, who help constituents develop new skills, overcome barriers and find sustainable work. It was great to learn about the Restart scheme that provides people who have been out of work for 12 to 18 months with the tailored support they need to overcome their barriers and find work.
I had the opportunity to speak to some constituents who use the service about the barriers they are facing and was very interested to discover that there are particular challenges for single parents and those over 50 have in finding work.
Meeting with the Superintendent for Bexley
This month I was also able to have a meeting with the new Borough Superintendent for Bexley, Simon Corbin at Bexleyheath Police Station.
It was good to introductory meeting with him in his new role and to have the opportunity to raise the important concerns that many in our constituency have raised including knife crime, anti-social behaviour, fly-tipping and response times for crime reports. It was also interesting to have a tour of Bexleyheath Police Station and find out more about their police work in Bexley.
Having spoken to constituents, I understand the frustration that many feel about the policing in London. I’m looking forward to building on this visit to address many of the pressing issues and concerns of local residents.
Furthermore:
Neighbourhood Watch Parliamentary Event – It was very nice to meet the central Neighbourhood Watch team this month and to hear about the great work they’ve been doing including on their new Community Safety Charter. Delighted to hear Greenwich Council was the first to sign up to the charter.
Happy Easter – Very pleased to hear from those celebrating Easter in Erith and Thamesmead. I hope everyone had good festivities with family and friends.
Eid Mubarak – This month was Eid Mubarak and so I want to wish a happy Eid al-Fitr to all Muslims celebrating in Erith and Thamesmead. As we end the holy month of Ramadam, I hope those celebrating had an enjoyable and inspiring time with family and friends.
Happy Tamil and Bengali New Years – Wishing all those from the Tamil and Sinhala community and Bengali community in Erith and Thamesmead, the UK and around the world a very happy New year.
Happy Vaisakhi – This month, I’m pleased to wish Sikhs here and around the world a very happy Vaisakhi. Vaisakhi di lakh lakh vidai.
Happy Passover – Chag Samech to all those who were observing Passover this month. I hope you had a happy and healthy holiday.
St George’s Day – Last Sunday 23rd April was St George’s Day and I want to send a Happy St George’s Day message to everyone across Erith and Thamesmead and England.
Sign up to my Coffee Morning
If you are interested in coming along to a future Coffee Morning, I’ve just launched my webpage where you, your family and friends can sign up to register your interest in attending a meeting.
For regular updates on my activities, follow me on Twitter (@abenaopp), Facebook (Abena Oppong-Asare MP, Erith and Thamesmead), and Instagram (abena.oppongasare.mp).
Thank you to all constituents who have taken the time to write to me about the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) London-wide expansion.
I recently contacted the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to raise concerns about how the current proposals to extend the ULEZ will affect constituents of Erith and Thamesmead, many of whom do not have good links to public transport.
I welcomed the £110m for the new scrappage scheme to support Londoners on lower incomes, disabled Londoners, charities and micro-businesses as a welcome starting point. However, many of my constituents, including struggling families and businesses, are not covered by the scrappage scheme. I therefore strongly encouraged the Mayor to review of the scrappage scheme to support small businesses and to undertake an assessment of what additional support can be provided to families.
I will continue to monitor the impact of ULEZ expansion in Erith and Thamesmead, and pass on my constituent’s views to the Mayor directly.
Please find below my letter to the Mayor of London.
