Commons
Oral Questions
Justice
30 June 2026
Support for Victims of Abuse
I recently met a constituent whose child was subject to repeated sexual abuse. She found access to justice very difficult and is still awaiting trial, but now fears that the accuser will not be found fit for trial and will be subject to a trial on the facts. She is now fearful that if the accuser is…
Commons
Oral Questions
Home Department
8 June 2026
Extremism
I am sure the Minister will have seen footage of a recent attack on Helen Mirren, where she was described—excuse my language, Mr Speaker—as a “Zionist bitch”. This is just another example of deliberate extremist intimidation aimed at frightening off anyone in public life from supporting the existenc…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
2 June 2026
Milburn Review: Interim Report
Many young people take time to adapt to new jobs and simply have not proved themselves after six months, but with the coming into force of the Government’s Employment Rights Act 2025, the period for dismissal without fault will be reduced from two years to six months. Many employers have told me tha…
Commons
Oral Questions
Science, Innovation and Technology
20 May 2026
Artificial Intelligence
Given the recent rapid advances of frontier AI models in areas such as identifying software vulnerabilities, and in rapid testing for those vulnerabilities in a very sophisticated way, what engagement do the Government have with those frontier companies, and particularly Anthropic? Are the Governmen…
Commons
Debate
20 April 2026
Security Vetting
Further to the point made by my right hon. Friend the Member for New Forest East (Sir Julian Lewis), I think the Prime Minister owes it to the House to tell us what Sir Olly Robbins’s response to him was when he said he had overruled that advice. In my experience, senior officials are very keen to d…
Commons
Oral Questions
Education
20 April 2026
Educational Capacity
My constituency has a large and growing Jewish population, but because of Labour’s VAT hike, Immanuel college, a Jewish school in my constituency, announced last week that it was closing. At a time of rising antisemitism, and deep fear among the Jewish community, access to a Jewish education is more…
Commons
Debate
23 March 2026
Hatzola Ambulance Attack
Hatzola is an organisation that I know very well; it supports many of my constituents and is supported voluntarily by many of my constituents. It was attacked simply because of its connection to the Jewish community, which is why the community feels so deeply fearful right now. The Minister has righ…
Commons
Debate
17 March 2026
3 contributions
Ministerial Salaries (Amendment) Bill
I may be at risk of making myself fantastically unpopular, but I think I can do so having no prospect whatsoever of reaching ministerial office again. Although I am perfectly willing to admit that the previous Government did not do this, does the Paymaster General agree that a Government will at som…
And on the substance of my question?
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
16 March 2026
Strait of Hormuz
For centuries, the United Kingdom has been willing to commit its naval resources to defend free movement on the seas. Does the Minister agree that now is another such occasion when we should do so, and that if we fail to do so, we will pay the price here in higher oil prices and overseas in terms of…
Commons
Debate
10 March 2026
Courts and Tribunals Bill
My hon. Friend is making some very important points. There is a more fundamental point about public perception, which he may come on to in a moment. If we pass this legislation at a time when confidence in this place and in conventional politics is at an exceedingly low ebb, we will be sending a sig…
Commons
Debate
9 March 2026
Middle East: Economic Update
As the Chancellor has repeatedly said, at the root of the current economic crisis lies the closure of the strait of Hormuz. What conversations have the Government had with the Trump Administration, both about insurance and, more importantly, about deploying UK military assets to secure the reopening…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
2 March 2026
Middle East
Given that the Prime Minister has outlined that the Iranians attacked a United Kingdom sovereign base at Akrotiri, why does that not form the basis not just for hosting US forces on our bases, but for legal military action, taken directly at source against the Iranians for the launch of such missile…
Commons
Oral Questions
25 February 2026
Diego Garcia and British Indian Ocean Territory
I genuinely have respect for the Minister, as he knows, but I am very confused as to the Government’s position. He will know from his time in the Foreign Office that one of the principal issues to which he refers is the fact that the previous US Administration was not comfortable with the disputed s…
Commons
Debate
23 February 2026
Schools White Paper: Every Child Achieving and Thriving
For parents of children with special educational needs in Hertsmere and across the country, one of the greatest frustrations they feel is understanding what is going on in relation to their children. What reassurance can the Secretary of State give parents that councils will be required to keep them…
Commons
Debate
4 February 2026
4 contributions
Lord Mandelson
rose—
At the heart of what we are talking about is this. Do we accept the amendment from the Government about
“national security or international relations”?
My hon. Friend and I have both served in the Cabinet Office and I am sure that he shares my sympathy with the need to protect national security. H…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
3 February 2026
Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill
The right hon. Gentleman has provoked me into responding. I served in the previous Conservative Government, and I was involved in all those decisions. There was a clear principle behind them: will people take responsibility for their own actions? There are thousands—millions—of people who choose not…
Commons
Debate
3 February 2026
Iran
Within hours of the Hamas massacres, protesters and marchers were organising against Israel. Yet here we are, weeks later, when the Iranian regime is murdering and torturing its citizens by the tens of thousands—still no marches, still no protests. What does the Minister think that says about the pr…
Commons
Debate
20 January 2026
Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill
The Minister makes an important point. The key thing about the negotiations is that they were predicated on the United States’ concern about the continuing operation of the base in the context of concerns around international law. The position set out by the President of the United States last night…
Commons
Debate
14 January 2026
West Midlands Police
The Jewish community in this country, including many in my constituency, feel under siege right now. Sadly, this is not an isolated example; it is just another example of where elements of the British state appear to err on the side of the aggressor in the name of community cohesion. We have another…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
13 January 2026
Iran
We can all see the brutality of the Iranian regime, but does the Foreign Secretary agree that it is not just who we are against but who we are for? If we look at the signatories to the Abraham accords—Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in particular—we see that they point to an alternative…
Commons
Debate
6 January 2026
3 contributions
Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill
I welcome the Minister’s comments about the obligation on the public sector. However, I caution him that, in my experience, cyber-security is one of those things that Ministers talk about, but then other priorities overtake it. The advantage of legislative requirements is that they force Ministers t…
It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West (Dame Chi Onwurah), who has brought tremendous expertise to this debate. In my previous role overseeing national resilience and cross-Government co-ordination of national security threats, cyber-security was probably…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Debate
16 December 2025
2 contributions
Finance (No. 2) Bill
Will the Minister give way?
I thank my neighbour. The Minister did not answer this point made by the hon. Member for Angus and Perthshire Glens (Dave Doogan) about the effect of the jobs tax on unemployment. In my constituency, I have met countless businesses that have laid off staff, or have shifted staff to being self-employ…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
16 December 2025
Planning Reform
Within a mile of the well-connected stations of Radlett, Cuffley, Borehamwood, Potters Bar and Bushey there is pristine countryside that is treasured by local communities and prevents urban sprawl. The opening up of this green belt to a development free-for-all runs totally contrary to the promises …
Commons
Oral Questions
2 December 2025
Topical Questions
Today is UAE National Day, marking 54 years since its full independence. In that time, it has become one of our nation’s staunchest allies and a key investor, benefiting constituencies up and down the country. Will the Minister join me, as chairman of the all-party parliamentary group, in congratula…
Commons
Debate
26 November 2025
6 contributions
Budget Resolutions
I thank my right hon. Friend for giving way. As we are going down memory lane, I cannot resist reminding him that when we came to power in 2010, we had a youth unemployment crisis. Youth unemployment plunged when we were in office; now, with Labour back in office, the Government have imposed a natio…
I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, including my position as chair of the United Arab Emirates all-party parliamentary group.
It did not have to be this way. The roots of this Budget and its failure are in the last one. It began with the unnecessary delay an…
+4 more contributions in this session