Constituency Report (October 2018)

What a fantastic Labour Party Conference! It was wonderful to see passionate Party members from up and down the country coming together to exchange ideas, participate in festivities and the biggest exercise in party democracy in Europe. In my speech to Conference I spoke about the challenges and threats we face at home and on the world stage, and how it is up to the Labour Party to lead the country and the world in a different direction. This year marks 130 years since The Internationale was written, and 80 years since it was sung by the International Brigades fighting the forces of tyranny in fascist Spain. Yet those dangerous forces are on the rise again, with Neo-Nazis marching on the streets from Charlottesville to Chemnitz, being supported by right-wing populist parties and politicians. The growth of such movements is alarming in itself, but such extremist rhetoric being employed by the leaders of the United States, Hungary, and Austria, as well as many primary opposition parties, shows that there is something fundamentally wrong with the global order. Now more than ever, we must lead by example, and show the international community that there is another way. With Nia Griffith as Defence Secretary we would support our forces and defend ourselves and our allies, yet never again support illegal wars of intervention. With Kate Osamor as International Development Secretary we would become once more the keepers of our brothers and sisters all around the world, a duty charged to our Party by Nelson Mandela. With ’s leadership we would pursue in earnest an end to conflict, a nuclear-free world, and

Conference Engagements

Saturday 22nd September Tuesday 25th September Spoke at Save Liverpool Women’s Hospital Spoke at International Breakfast Panel – 100 March Years of Women Getting the Vote National Women’s Conference Reception Bloomberg Brexit Lunch South East Regional Reception Interviewed by Matt Chorley at a Times Red Box event London Regional Reception Main Speech – “Security at Home and South West Regional Reception Abroad” Sunday 23rd September Regional Radio interviews Toured the Exhibition Stands Spoke at the Indian High Commission and Vigil for Peace in Yemen Labour Friends of India Reception Young Labour Rally Attended Reception & The Mirror Conference Party Thousand Club Welcome Reception Wednesday 26th September The World Transformed – International Section Spoke at Thousand Club Brunch Attended New Statesman Conference Heads of Mission Brunch Reception Monday 24th September Spoke at the International Policy Seminar Met Irish Ambassador Adrian O’Neill & MK Ayelet Nahmias-Verbin Spoke at Gibraltar Government Reception Irish Ambassador’s Conference Reception Bloomberg International and Business Reception East Midlands Reception Labour Friends of Palestine & Middle East Reception – Speaking Attended Sky Reception

BBC Question Time

On the 4th of October I appeared on BBC Question Time, where we debated the end of austerity, immigration and the rise of violent crime. I argued that Theresa May’s commitment to ending austerity does not reflect the reality of her government’s continued spending cuts which continue to devastate services in the country. This has had a direct effect on our ability to tackle violent crime. Cuts to police, schools and local authorities mean that people and services which would typically look out for and support vulnerable young people are increasingly disappearing. I am glad to hear the Tories begin to discuss knife crime as a public health issue, Speaking on Question Time, 4th Oct but the lack of investment in children’s mental health shows that they are not yet willing to act on their rhetoric.

In StandingConversation up for with my Youngconstituent Fabians Shao Law Jiang Network

On the 15th of October I participated in a Q&A event with the Young Fabians Law Network, which focused on the importance of international law for Labour Party foreign policy.

One of my primary challenges as Shadow Foreign Secretary is holding the government to account over its actions towards countries, particularly allies, who violate international law. I spoke about how important it is for us to work with the UN to support the international rules based order, especially as it is increasingly under attack by the resurgence of chemical weapons, illegal annexations, and war-driven famines. As a member of the Security Council we have a duty to lead by example, and a Labour Government would take a much Meeting with the Brain Tumour Charity at Party greater role in pursuing peace. Conference, 23rd Sep

Jamal Khashoggi

In response to the disappearance and suspected murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, I wrote an article in The Guardian calling on this Tory government to hold Saudi Arabia to account. The evidence increasingly points to agents of the Saudi regime kidnapping, murdering, and dismembering the dissident journalist, yet the Foreign Secretary waited a full week before issuing a muted response on Twitter. This is just the latest case of the British government ignoring the violent and repressive actions of the Saudi government, all in the hope that they will give Britain a good trade deal after Brexit. Many high profile business leaders Channel 4 Interview on Jamal Khashoggi, and have pulled out of a Saudi investment forum being held 17th Oct later this month, but Trade Secretary Liam Fox tellingly has not. Foreign affairs and work in parliament Media appearances have included... 20th Sep— Met Kuwaiti Ambassador, H.E. Khaled Al-Duwaisan 21st Sep—Any Questions? BBC Radio 4 27th Sep—Attended Chinese Ambassador’s 23rd Sep—BBC Radio 5Live with Pienaar National Day Reception 25th Sep—Times Red Box live podcast with Matt 5th October—Norwegian Refugee Council’s Chorley Country Director for Venezuela 25th Sep— Regional radio media (Liverpool) 8th Oct—Lunch with French Ambassador, Jean- Pierre Jouyet, with Khalid Mahmood MP 4th Oct—BBC Question Time in Canary Wharf 8th Oct—Attended South Korean Ambassador’s 14th Oct—Andrew Marr Show National Day Reception 16th Oct—Sky News 9th Oct—Attended McCain Institute for 16th Oct—BBC News International Leadership Dinner, with vice President Joe Biden 17th Oct—Channel 4 News 10th Oct—APPG Armed Forces Army Welcome In the constituency and out campaigning Home Parade 22nd Sep—Save Liverpool Women’s Hospital 10th Oct—Gave a tour to a group of soldiers March 10th Oct—Reception for the President of Gabon, 29th Sep—National Campaign Day in Coatbridge, Ali Bongo Ondimba Glasgow 11th Oct—Met Investigatory Powers Commissioner Lord Justice Sir Adrian Fulford, with Baroness Chakrabarti 13th Oct— Conversation: Women and Leadership with Lucy Hockings and Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark 15th Oct—Women of the Year Lunch and Awards 15th Oct—’In Conversation’ with Young Fabians Law Network 16th Oct— Mitzvah Day Parliamentary Drop In Showing a group of soldiers around Parliament, 10th Oct

Campaigning in Coatbridge with MSP and Hugh Gaffney MP, 29th Sep

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