As I write this blog post, Rishi Sunak has been our Prime Minister for just under a week. I’m as fed up as anyone at seeing the never-ending Tory psychodrama play out in real time. We have just witnessed the shortest serving Prime Minister in British history win power, crash the economy, sack her Chancellor, and then be told enough is enough by her MPs. It is hard to believe that Sunak will find a way to unite his divided party.
The Conservative Party is more divided now than at any time in recent history. They are a party bankrupt of ideas, unity and leadership and the country is crying out for a Labour Government. Much of October has been spent scrutinising the chaos of Liz Truss’ ‘mini-budget’ and hearing from constituents about the real-life implications of this economic kamikaze mission. From people prevented from buying a home, to those with variable mortgages who fear increasing interest rates, and the families struggling to make ends meet with rising inflation, the economic chaos unleashed by the Tories has hurt so many across Huddersfield. The Government now seems poised to cut public services even more. We know with austerity it is never the rich who shoulder the burdens, it is always normal working people who suffer.
After 12 years of Tory failure, the British people deserve so much better than this revolving door of chaos. In the last few years, the Tories have set record-high taxation, trashed our institutions, and have created a cost-of-living crisis. Now, they have crashed the economy so badly that people are facing £500 a month extra on their mortgages. The damage they have done will take years to fix. This is the challenge that we need to confront with boldness as a party, with the ideas and energy needed to take our country forward. You can watch my question to the Chancellor here.
It was great to spend time this month meeting with local community groups about their response to the cost-of-living crisis. I have spoken with representatives from the Welcome Centre, Platform 1, Huddersfield Mission and HomeStart Kirklees about the steps they are taking to support people across our town and what further help they need.
This month our hearts go out to the family and friends of Khayri Mclean. This tragic killing shocked our entire community, and we are united in grief with his family. I continue to be in communication with North Huddersfield Trust School and West Yorkshire Police about the ongoing response.
I have written to the Home Secretary, asking that she considers what impact raising police numbers would have on the ability of local forces to tackle gang violence. Police numbers have been cut by 20,000 over the last 12 years with 6,000 less neighbourhood officers. I have also requested that she make tackling child criminal exploitation, county lines and knife crime an urgent priority. When criminals can successfully target and exploit children, it reinforces criminal behaviour for decades to come and destroys young lives.
In parallel with police funding should come an investment in statutory youth provision and support for local voluntary and community organisations who are doing their best to support our local communities but constantly struggle with limited, short-term pots of funding. They surely should be allowed to do their job without having to constantly worry about how they will keep activities sustained for the next few months, let alone years. Councils have also long struggled to secure practicable, sufficient provision of activities for young people, and this must be an urgent priority for the new Government.
In other news, I have also raised with the Government and BBC the horrific cases of stalking and harassment committed by Alex Belfield, a former BBC employee. One of my constituents, Liz Green, was among those stalked and received no substantial help or support from the BBC. I have written to the Secretary of State, raised it in the House and have tabled an Early Day Motion.
As always, please provide me with your thoughts, views and concerns. You can reach me at barry.sheerman.mp@parliament.uk.