Welcome to my July newsletter!
Here are some highlights of how I’ve been representing Luton South over the past month.
Cost of Living Crisis
The cost of living crisis is severely impacting living standards in Luton and across the UK.
At a recent Citizens Advice Bureau parliamentary event, I learned that 50% of their debt clients in the East of England are in a negative budget, which means their essential spending is more than the income they have coming in. I asked the DWP Secretary of State whether she still thinks it’s a good idea to raise taxes on hard-working people when bills are rising rapidly. You can watch my question here. I will keep pressing the Government to introduce measures that help people through this very difficult period.
Protecting Student Choice – BTECs
As a proud Governor (and former student) of Luton Sixth Form College, I’m passionate about protecting students’ ability to study BTEC qualifications. Students should be able to shape their own learning, which means maintaining varied further education options.
BTECs encourage social mobility, whether that’s helping people into work, university or additional education. I spoke in the ‘Protect Student Choice’ petition debate in Parliament this week. Watch my video here.
National Manufacturing Day
It was National Manufacturing Day on 7 July. Luton has a proud manufacturing heritage that has created jobs, supported livelihoods and contributed to our local economy. To mark the day, I recently attended Make UK’s parliamentary event where I spoke to two excellent young women apprentices who work in STEM.
Penrose 10th Anniversary
I had a lovely time at Penrose’s 10th anniversary celebration with Sarah Owen MP in Luton North. Penrose does excellent work preventing social exclusion for people with complex needs and helping them get back onto the right path.
The event was held in their Roots to Recovery Garden (on New Bedford Road). The Garden gives people that Penrose work with the chance to be part of a community project or even just a space to sit and relax.
Visiting Putteridge High School
I enjoyed visiting Putteridge High School and meeting some of the excellent students and teachers there. The teachers empower the students to actively make changes to their school. I spoke to both the Safeguarding and Sustainability councils, and it was impressive to see how they planned to shape their school. I’m looking forward to visiting more schools across Luton South.
Luton’s First Pride
I had an excellent time at Luton’s first Pride! The sun was beaming, and I enjoyed the activities and performances. In my speech, I encouraged people to enjoy the inclusivity of the day. I am looking forward to next year’s event.
Celebrating Eid
I was pleased to join Sarah Owen MP at Inspire FM’s Eid Festival in Lewsey Park, with rides, speeches and delicious food. It’s always positive to see our Luton community come together to celebrate at special times. It was great to see everyone having a brilliant day.
