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Pathway to Success 2022 at the House of Commons
It was lovely to meet participants of the Pathway To Success Leadership Programme at the House of Commons earlier this month.
The Pathway to Success Leadership Programme is a 5-day residential programme at the University of Oxford organised by Operation Black Vote (OBV) in partnership with the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government and Magdalen College, and the House of Commons to nurture the country’s future Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic leaders.
I really enjoyed hearing about the stories and aspirations of the participants and how they are involved in civic society and business. Visit OBV’s website for more details of their work.
Visit to St Augustine’s new library in Belvedere
I was delighted to be invited to officially open a new library at St Augustine of Canterbury Primary School in Belvedere.
A library is an instrumental place for students of all ages to read, learn and reflect on all that they are interested in. Through reading about different lives and characters, children learn to connect and better understand the people around them. Libraries played such an important role in my life, and I am heartened to know that the children at St Augustine will have this opportunity too.
The outdoor adventure theme of the library was decided by the School Parliament. The theme was executed by Acorn Book Club and included a mountain camp hideaway, reading tent and cosy campfire!
I was particularly impressed by the enthusiasm and dedication of all the staff at St Augustine of Canterbury Primary School and Acorn Book Club to this project and the students. It was lovely to discover that employees from the Belvedere and Northumberland Heath branches raised over £1000 in support of the library.
Abena closes the Financial Services and Markets Bill Debate
On 7th September, as Shadow Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, I spoke in the House of Commons on the Financial Services and Markets Bill, making the closing arguments for the Opposition.
I broadly welcome this legislation. I am committed to helping the UK’s financial sector maintain its position as a competitive global financial centre. At the same time, this should not mean any compromise on financial stability or consumer protection post Brexit.
Speaking in the House, I argued that that everyone should have access to the financial services they need, whether that is saving schemes or insurance, and regardless of their income or circumstances. I made the point that all too often, the most vulnerable in our society are unable to afford or are denied access to financial products and services that meet their needs.
I made clear to the Government that if they are serious about building a strong future for our financial services outside the EU, they should recognise that the Bill is an opportunity to rethink how financial resilience, inclusion and wellbeing issues are tackled in the UK.
More widely, I am disappointed that the Bill does not do enough on financial exclusion. I believe we need to protect access to face-to-face banking services and address the extra costs that poorer people pay for essential services such as insurance or loans or credit cards.
As the Bill proceeds through Parliament, I will support efforts to push for bolder, more radical action in a number of areas including green finance, financial inclusion and economic crime. It is important that this legislation delivers not just for our financial services industry but for the wider economy as well.
Justice for Jagtar Singh Johal
Like many of my constituents, I am deeply concerned to hear about Jagtar Singh Johal’s detention and torture.
I attended an urgent question in Parliament to ask the Government to make a statement on its actions in the case of Jagtar Singh Johal. I was disappointed that the Minister stated he was unable to comment due to legal proceedings. I believe it was in the Government’s gift to fully explain to the House what measures were in place to remedy this appalling situation.
You can watch my questions asked by following link here, and you can read my speech here.
Media Interview with Hend Kheiralla
I sat down with Hend Kheiralla, host of the Ladies of the Lakes radio show, to discuss my journey into politics, getting started as a new MP after my election in 2019, my experience representing Erith and Thamesmead so far, and advice for those interested in politics. I also spoke about the importance of allyship, networks and mentorship.
Abena said:
I think female representation is important in Parliament as well as diversity… because I think it is important to have people from all walks of life.
Ladies of the Lakes is a series of interviews exploring stories of women who grew up and lived in Thamesmead.
You can listen to the full interview here.
Campaigning Summer School 2022
At this jam-packed 3-day summer school, young people aged between 16 and 18 had the opportunity to gain the skills needed to make a real difference in our community.
This was a hands-on, first-hand insight into the exciting world of political and social campaigning. The school brought together a wide variety of speakers from businesses like Graylings UK, showing the students tools they can use to influence the Government and make change, and from Meta, to discuss how important Facebook and social media is to campaigning in the 21st Century.
We were also joined by important influencers who have been at the frontline of campaigns that have caught the public’s attention. We heard from Laura Coryton, who started the very successful #EndTamponTax petition, and from former Love Island contestant Shaughna Phillips, who is now advocating for a better public discussion on body image and mental health.
I know from my own experience that whether you’re dealing with environmental issues, crime, or education, 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.
Over the course of 3 days, attendees designed their very own local campaigns on important issues such as women’s rights and increasing accessibility access in our community. What’s more, I am personally helping action the best ideas into real campaigns to benefit our residents.
For the students, this was a unique opportunity to see their ideas turned into action and to learn how they can make their voice heard in our democracy.
Abena’s ‘Meet your MP’ Coffee Morning in Thamesmead
This month I organised my first ‘Meet your MP’ Coffee Morning at the Moorings Sociable Club in Thamesmead.
I’m always looking for new ways to engage with constituents and so I’ve decided to start a series of these coffee mornings events to meet and talk about all the issues that impact our community.
From issues such as local transport links and housing, to wider issues like the cost-of-living crisis, the war in Ukraine and recovering from the pandemic, I want to hear more about how together we can improve our local area.
It was great to spend the time to engage further about the many pressing matters and also the great opportunities available in Erith and Thamesmead.
I was very impressed with how passionate everyone was, and I hope all constituents can feel like they can reach out to me as I hold further events in the future.
If you are interested in coming along to a future meeting, I’ve just launched my webpage where you, your family and friends can sign up to register your interest in attending a meeting.
Here is the link: https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/upcoming-events/coffeemorning/
