Barry Sheerman

Working for Huddersfield
Barry Sheerman
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    • A Day in Parliament

      Posted at 4:00 pm by thomascritchley, on Jan 27, 2020

      What do MPs do when they are in Westminster? As with many jobs, there is no ‘typical’ day, but in this post, I’ll give an idea of what my routine in Parliament looks like.

      First thing on a Monday morning, I meet with my office team to discuss the business for the week, progress on our projects, and to table oral and written questions. Parliamentary questions are a key way to hold the Government to account, scrutinising departments’ proposals and suggesting alterations that would make life better for my constituents. Each day, business in the chamber starts with those questions and I always like to be there; here is an example of a question I asked last week about support for MPs taking maternity leave.

      After questions, I sometimes have meetings with charities to find out about their work and how I can do more to champion it. Last week, I met with representatives of Macmillan, learning about the work they do to support the 7,500 people in Huddersfield living with, and the ramifications of, cancer. We discussed applying for Westminster Hall debates about cancer care, the possibility of holding a fundraising walk event in Greenhead park, and I tabled this question about the NHS People Plan, as Macmillan’s research shows that the nursing shortage is the biggest factor affecting cancer care.

      After that, it’s back to the chamber for debates and votes. Many of you have written to me with concerns that the Government is removing protections for unaccompanied child refugees from the Withdrawal Agreement Bill. I find this unacceptable, which is why I voted last Wednesday for Lord Dub’s amendment to retain the legal protection. Sadly, we lost the vote, but I am currently drafting  an Early Day Motion (which are rarely debated but serve to raise MPs’ support and awareness for an issue) calling for greater commitment to reuniting unaccompanied refugee children with their parents in this country.

      The afternoon often brings a meeting of an All-Party Parliamentary Group. These groups, formed around topics as diverse as air pollution, manufacturing and human trafficking, bring together parliamentarians from across parties to hear speakers, hold evidence sessions and write reports. The meeting of the Woods and Trees APPG last week drew attention to the Woodland Trust’s Emergency Tree Plan, highlighting the need to increase tree cover across the country from 13% to 19% by 2050. This would mean planting an area of trees equivalent in size to the Isle of Wight every year as part of our commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

      Later on, I often have meetings about my projects; my priorities at the moment are transforming Huddersfield into a sustainable town, writing a report about miscarriages of justice and restarting the Autism Commission. It is exciting to be able to draw on the knowledge and expertise of the incredible people who are involved with these initiatives. 

      I am very pleased to have been re-elected so I can continue working hard in Parliament to stand up for Huddersfield and bring change. I love to hear from my constituents, so if you have ideas about what I should be focusing on here in Westminster, do get in touch at barry.sheerman.mp@parliament.uk.

      Posted in Uncategorised | 0 Comments | Tagged appg, edms, parliament, sustainable towns, westminster, what do mps do?
    • Huddersfield Sustainable Towns

      Posted at 12:28 pm by thomascritchley, on Jan 13, 2020

      We are currently facing one of the biggest challenges of humanity: The climate crisis. It is upon us and, while government keeps delaying true and meaningful action, Local Authorities around the country have already started taking the necessary steps in the right direction. Last year, Kirklees joined more than 200 councils around the country in declaring a Climate Emergency and outlining plans for tackling some of the most pressing environmental issues at our time at the local level.

      Sustainability has been at the heart of my interests from the very beginning of my political career. It has always been my understanding that sustainability encompasses both the protection and improvement of the natural environment, with the aim to build healthy and thriving communities that make a place attractive for people to live, work and study in. It is with this conviction that I embarked on the project of turning Huddersfield into a truly Sustainable Town capable of setting an example for others in the country – and why not the world? – to follow. As your Member of Parliament I will do everything within my power to ensure our natural environment, as well as our streets, businesses and local identity will flourish into this new decade and beyond.

      There is no shortage of partners for this endeavour. Key figures from across the Council, the University, the local businesses and retail communities have manifested an interest in working together towards achieving the goal of turning Huddersfield into a sustainable town. Everybody with an interest in seeing this happen is welcome to join me on this adventure. How many trees can we plant? How can we best take care of the spectacular landscape that surrounds us? Where do we need to focus in order to improve our recycling rates, guarantee energy efficiency and improve our transport system? What will it take for our beautiful buildings to be in the best shape they could possibly be? What actions can we take to ensure our community is a strong, thriving and prosperous one?  If you have any suggestions, I want to hear from you! So please leave comments or get in touch with my office with your thoughts.

      There are no simple answers to these questions, and while the challenges ahead of us are big, so will be the rewards for our town. I am hugely grateful to have been re-elected as the Member of Parliament for Huddersfield; I will continue working on making Huddersfield a better place for all of those who live here, and I warmly invite you to join me in making Huddersfield a truly Sustainable Town.

      Posted in Uncategorised | 0 Comments | Tagged climate crisis, Huddersfield, kirklees council, sustainability, sustainable towns
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