Commons
Debate
23 February 2026
7 contributions
Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill
New clause 4, in my name and the names of many hon. Members, echoes new clauses 1 and 3. I take reference from points made by the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon); when we came together to discuss the two-child limit and this Bill, the House was filled largely with compassion, because we had…
That is why I urge Ministers to act swiftly in response to that review. I believe that all logic will drive these reviews to recommend the elimination of the overall cap, once and for all. I hope we will get something from the Minister tonight—some form of words that acknowledges the seriousness and…
+5 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
23 February 2026
3 contributions
Labour Together and APCO Worldwide: Cabinet Office Review
I am the secretary of the National Union of Journalists parliamentary group, and we play a specific role in trying to protect the ability of journalists to report honestly and fairly across the world. We believe that what we saw was an attempt to smear journalists to prevent them from reporting the …
It is a whitewash—it is another whitewash!
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
10 February 2026
Ministry of Defence: Palantir Contracts
I have been trying to follow the Secretary of State’s responses regarding relationships with political parties and others. There are issues with regard to some companies. For example, the Quadrature hedge fund has massive investments in Palantir and donates to political parties in this country, incl…
Commons
Proceedings
9 February 2026
Brain Tumour Survival Rates
I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Mitcham and Morden (Dame Siobhain McDonagh) yet again for leading these debates. Just so that people know, her sister was a friend of mine. She was a Labour party organiser who rose in the ranks and over the years supported me in my various general election camp…
Commons
Debate
5 February 2026
2 contributions
Occupied Palestinian Territories: Genocide Risk Assessment
The reason we are here is that there is a profound responsibility on us, as Members of Parliament in particular, to ensure that our Government act in accordance with international humanitarian law. There are two questions that we need to pose time and again. First, what evidence would it take to con…
No, I cannot accept any interventions.
There is also the number of journalists killed—more than 300—because part of this genocide is to prevent the reporting of the genocide. And, yes, there is the forced movement of people, with 9,000 prisoners in Israeli prisons, 100 of whom have died in the past…
Commons
Debate
4 February 2026
3 contributions
Lord Mandelson
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I am sorry to disturb the debate in this way. I have tried to follow it as much as possible while I have been in and out of the Chamber with other duties. A manuscript amendment has been agreed, with, I take it, cross-party agreement. People will be making …
If I could follow that, Madam Deputy Speaker—
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
4 February 2026
5 contributions
Civil Service Pension Scheme: Administration
I think that we are all going to be saying much the same thing. My hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool North and Fleetwood (Lorraine Beavers) set out a comprehensive understanding of the situation at the moment.
My latest contact has been from a Border Force guard who was planning his retirement b…
Will the hon. Member give way?
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
3 February 2026
Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill
I am pleased that I have sat through the whole debate today. The speeches I have heard from Members on the Government Benches have been incredibly eloquent and moving, and I am really pleased that we are where we are now in scrapping the two-child limit.
I have listened to the speeches by Oppositio…
Commons
Westminster Hall
2 February 2026
2 contributions
Indefinite Leave to Remain
Through you, Sir Edward, may I address the Minister? Just read the room. The only other times it has been as packed as this when I have been here in recent times have been for debates on the two-child limit and on welfare benefits. I do not want to see our Government make another embarrassing U-turn…
I would rather not, because other people need to come in.
Let me just make a point about parliamentary process. If this is to be done not through primary legislation that we can debate and amend, but via a statutory instrument, it needs to be done under the double affirmative process, so that we ca…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
29 January 2026
Women’s State Pension Age Communication: PHSO Report
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. This is an extremely significant matter to announce on a Thursday, when the House is usually light in attendance, with limited notice, and with a very detailed document having been lodged in the House of Commons Library. Through your offices, and through li…
Commons
Westminster Hall
21 January 2026
3 contributions
Waste Collection: Birmingham and the West Midlands
Labour Members fully agree with the Minister on that point, certainly. I refer to my registered interest as a member of Unite.
As time is limited, will the Minister address the key question that several Members have put to her? The Government have a specific, special role in this matter. It is not …
Will the Minister give way?
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
6 January 2026
2 contributions
BBC Charter Renewal
I will be brief. I want to address the main points made by the right hon. Member for Maldon (Sir John Whittingdale).
First, the issue of funding is critical, but it is not just about the decline in the number of licence fee payees; some of the damage has been inflicted by recent agreements around t…
My hon. Friend very eloquently makes the point for me. It is also about local radio, on which a lot of our constituents rely. They cannot rely on social media. If Members want to see the independence of social media, they should look at my Twitter account. The abuse levels are unbelievable—and that …
Commons
Debate
5 January 2026
Middle East and North Africa
I was one of those MPs who campaigned hard for the release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah, so it is important, when we consider the overall process, that there is an accurate narrative. The narrative is partly this: yes, there were vile social media interventions by this person, which we all condemn, but whi…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
5 January 2026
Venezuela
The Secretary of State has said that the role of the Government has been to uphold international law. Part of upholding international law is to call out crimes when they are witnessed. Article 2.4 of the United Nations charter is explicit about the illegality of entering into a foreign state with ar…
Commons
Westminster Hall
17 December 2025
4 contributions
Asylum Reforms: Protected Characteristics
I have no time limit, Dr Huq, but I have only a limited number of questions. This debate is sparsely attended, but I do not think the Minister should interpret that as a lack of interest in the issue. It might well be because of where we are at in the parliamentary cycle—it is the day before our bre…
The hon. Lady and I will have to disagree on that. In my experience, the decision for the male to come here is often made on the basis of the family itself asking, “Who can get here? Who can survive that journey? Who can get through?”. That provides some hope that the family can join them. There is …
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
15 December 2025
Jimmy Lai Conviction
I associate myself with the condolences to the Jewish community in Australia that were eloquently expressed by both the Foreign Secretary and the shadow Foreign Secretary.
In the representations on Jimmy Lai, can I ask again that the case of Lee Cheuk-yan be raised? Lee, who is a trade union collea…
Commons
Debate
10 December 2025
Cammell Laird Workers’ Imprisonment: Public Inquiry
One of the areas that is worth exploring is the Cabinet papers and the discussions that took place. These Cammell Laird workers are the innocent victims of a political strategy that was devised in Cabinet to suppress all opposition to the introduction of monetary policies—monetarism—under the Thatch…
Commons
Petition
10 December 2025
Bank Closure in Penzance
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I apologise for not having given notice of my point of order.
Earlier today, I raised a point of order with regard to correspondence that I had submitted to the Secretary of State for Justice. I said that I had written to the Secretary of State a week ago …
Commons
Proceedings
10 December 2025
Points of Order
On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I do not like doing this, but I have to. On behalf of several Members, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Justice last Wednesday in relation to the hunger strike taking place in our prisons by Palestine Action prisoners, some of whom have now been hospitalised. We…
Commons
Debate
9 December 2025
Railways Bill
I declare an interest as chair of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers parliamentary group. There is currently no reference at all in the Bill to staffing. Who will be the staff’s employer? What will happen with their pensions? Will TUPE apply on transfer? Will their existing b…
Commons
Debate
8 December 2025
Employment Rights Bill
We have worked on this legislation for more than 20 years. I just want to put it on the record for my constituents that I wish to abide by the manifesto commitment of day one rights, and I believe it is breaking a promise not to do so. However, other matters will be consulted on now. Some in the Hou…
Commons
Proceedings
4 December 2025
Business of the House
I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests as a member of Unite the union. The Leader of the House will be aware that the Birmingham bin dispute has gone on for many months. The city has declared a major incident and many of the workers are facing severe hardship. Wi…
Commons
Westminster Hall
4 December 2025
4 contributions
Seafarers’ Welfare
I genuinely congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Jen Craft) on securing the debate, which she introduced eloquently. I refer to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests: I am the convenor of the RMT parliamentary group.
I want to start by referring to the loss of lif…
I welcome the hon. Lady’s engagement on this matter and the list of issues. Those issues will be subject to consultation, which will be part of the negotiation. I want to reassure her that the RMT strategy is usually not just crossing its fingers.
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 December 2025
4 contributions
Local Media
I do not do that baloney about what a pleasure it is to serve under your chairmanship, but congratulations on your elevation to the chair, Dr Khan.
I will be brief. I declare an interest as the secretary of the National Union of Journalists parliamentary group and my hon. Friend the Member for Salford (Rebecca Long Bailey) is the chair. This will be like a Metropolitan police interview between us, and I am not sure which element I am doing.
Th…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Ministerial Statement
2 December 2025
Criminal Court Reform
May I welcome the additional money for the criminal legal aid advocates and for more pupillages? If we are to rely more on judges, often sitting alone, is there not a need for greater transparency with regard to the selection of those judges, even to the point of individual selection on individual c…