Category: My work

  • Supertrawlers and Industrial Fishing

    I was pleased to have signed Greenpeace’s open letter to the Environment Secretary, supporting a ban on supertrawlers and other destructive fishing vessels from UK Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), as a first step towards wider protection. I commend the work of Greenpeace in raising this issue.

    The Fisheries Bill contains a lack of detail regarding supertrawlers and MPAs, and it also fails to mention how fishers will be assisted in cutting down on the use of harmful plastics or adopting the use of greener technologies, both at sea and during processing.

    There is also no statutory commitment for the sector to meet net-zero emissions and the bill fails to cover how the Government will stop foreign vessels from undercutting UK boats on safety or employment standards.

    I am very concerned that destructive industrial fishing is still taking place in protected waters.

    I was elected on a manifesto that committed to set maximum sustainable yields for all shared fish stocks, redistribute fish quotas along social and environmental criteria, and require the majority of fish caught under a UK quota to be landed in UK ports.

    I am alert to the consequences for us, and our planet, if we do not do all we can to mitigate the damage already inflicted.

    As such, I will continue to do all I can, in Parliament and beyond, to help protect our oceans, and the lives and communities that depend on safe, sustainable fishing practices.

  • Backing the Lords Amendments to the Agricultural Bill

    I wholeheartedly support the Lords amendments as above. I have campaigned for many years against cruelty of all kinds towards animals and have signed numerous Early Day Motions challenging and asking for reform of modern industrial agricultural practices.

    In 2019 I stood on a manifesto which pledged to create “post-Brexit farm subsidies to reward and encourage both high animal welfare standards and environmental practices” and committed to “keeping and strengthening the statutory codes of practice covering the treatment of farm animals”.

    I want to see legislation enshrine in law those protections that ensure that future trade deals do not weaken animal welfare standards or environmental protections.

    The Government’s Agricultural Policy does provide public money for public goods, such as enhancing the environment and investing in sustainable food production. I will support any amendments that ensure that UK food standards and animal welfare standards do not drop below current UK standards; indeed, I want to see them enhanced.

    I am committed to enhancing the environment and investing in sustainable and cruelty-free food production. I will continue to pressure the Government that the Agricultural Policy and Trade Bills meet or exceed the standards currently in place.

  • Animal Sentience Legislation

    I have been a long-time campaigner for animal rights and have long opposed the cruel treatment of animals.

    In 2017, the Government defeated a bill to recognise animal sentience – a bill that I voted for. Later, in 2018, I supported an amendment to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act which would have obligated Ministers to recognise animals as sentient beings, even after exiting from the EU. Sadly, this was again voted down by the Government.

    In 2019 I stood on a manifesto that commits to recognising animals as sentient.  You can find the Opposition animal welfare manifesto here: https://labour.org.uk/issues/animal-welfare-manifesto/.

    It remains vitally important that recognition of animal sentience is enshrined in UK law as it leaves the EU, to prevent practices that expose animals to cruel and degrading treatment.

    I will continue to challenge the Government to recognise animal sentience and I’m pleased to have heard from many constituents about this.

  • Report (Islington North) November 2020

    Jeremy Corbyn
    Jeremy Corbyn MP

    London is currently operating under the Government’s national pandemic restrictions that came into force on 5th November (as this report goes to print) and our streets are not at all reflective of this time in previous years.  The crisis in Covid-19 testing remains the single biggest indicator of the Government’s failure to provide us with policies that would see us through. 

    The latest revelation that (at the outset of the pandemic) the Government paid the colossal sum of £21m to a go-between when personal protective equipment (PPE) was being secured has left the public reeling.  It is a particularly shocking revelation when so many local businesses and individuals are being impacted upon negatively with this new lockdown, and our communities continue to reach out to those who need our help. 

    My job in parliament is to represent the needs of those who contact me, and as always, I welcome being kept well informed on peoples’ personal and professional needs, offering guidance and assistance in the most appropriate way.

    My parliamentary participation was briefly limited following the Equalities and Human Rights Commission Report’s publication and my Labour membership suspension, however I had secured a backbench debate to raise the very urgent and pressing issues that refugees and in particular the Rohingya are facing, which are of course being exacerbated by Covid-19.  This is an issue that we seldom hear about on the news despite it being among the largest and fastest movement of people in recent history. You can find my speech at: 
    https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2020-11-03/debates/3CE105AC-4E98-4519-9222-A622CC0BBC32/RohingyaHumanitarianCrisisCovid-19?highlight=rohingya#contribution-857A192A-F43F-4E9B-81A2-BC1D93FFCACC

    Al Jazeera interviewed me on the above subject (the Rohingya) and you can see the interview here:
    https://www.aljazeera.com/program/newsfeed/2020/11/9/jeremy-corbyn-rohingya-refugees-are-being-ignored-ajopinion/

    Contentious Bills that continue to make their way through parliament include: The Overseas Operations Bill, The Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Spycops) Bill, and the Agriculture Bill.

    The Overseas Operations Bill is currently in the Lords and was opposed by quite a few of us.   Among other things it will limit both the right of Service personnel to bring claims against the government, and those of prosecutors to investigate and prosecute war crimes.

    The Covert Human Intelligence Sources Bill had its third reading and has now moved onto the Lords but I supported a number of my colleagues in positioning myself against this dangerous bill.

    Understandably, I received a reasonable amount of communication from concerned constituents regarding The Agriculture Bill which does nothing to safeguard animal welfare, food standards and the environment, and I supported Lords amendments to address these shortcomings.  However, thanks to this Government’s position these amendments got nowhere. 

    Black History Month debate:  In parliament (20th October) and my speech is here:  https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2020-10-20/debates/5B0E393E-8778-4973-B318-C17797DFBB22/BlackHistoryMonth
    Subsequently, Dawn Butler MP honoured the CLP by addressing members for Black History Month (18th November) and I later spoke to members reiterating my firm belief that any form of racism divides people.  I focussed especially on the importance of education as the route to understanding the present, I hope we can seriously develop a black history narrative in all of our schools to ensure that everyone is much better informed on everything from the anti slavery movement to the current Black Lives Matter movement.

    The value of teaching colonialism and all its impact cannot be overstated and would enlighten so many in education on a myriad of issues that would bring about a sense of unity long outlasting annual Black History “Months”.  Advances in maths and science and other areas were not the monopoly of the West but took place long before European colonialists arrived, and we don’t do justice to this and so many other aspects of the routes of our diverse culture.

    Young people must learn about the brutality of the slave trade and the role of the slaves themselves;  those who took part in uprisings which destroyed the commerce of the sugar industry through to the Chartists who did so much via their demands, all but one of which were met in their lifetime.  

    Ultimately, if we understand the common heritage that we share we can then see that all racism comes from a misunderstanding of history and historical roles.  The Coronavirus continues to impact heavily on Bame (Black and Ethnic Minority) communities and the inequality it has highlighted must be a lesson to us all, with the poorest communities in the wealthiest countries suffering significantly.

    The Parliamentary Assembly of which I am a member have regular sessions and I am perfecting the management of their translation system which enables the very many different European members to be translated to simultaneously.  As a member of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons and we cover a lot of ground in our regular meetings.

    I participated in a very interesting Interparliamentary Union Nicaragua bilateral meeting with members of the Nicaraguan Assembly and the UK parliament (22nd October).

    I was delighted to join with a number of interesting speakers on the 12 November’s virtual public meeting about the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, organised by their UK Committee UK.   There was consensus on the need for the Government to offer a formal apology for this massacre as well as that this subject be included in our national curricula.

    Pablo Navarrete interviewed me (26th October) for Alborada – a Latin American media outlet – to comment on the victory of progressives in Chile and the referendum on having a new constitution.

    In ISLINGTON my team and I continue to participate in regular conference calls with various authorities and individuals though most frequently with Islington Council and the Whittington Hospital. 

    In a virtual meeting with Islington Council’s Housing Department (12th November) we discussed the Council’s allocation scheme of social housing.  I was very pleased to learn that a new team within Housing Options has been created to provide even more focused support to the most vulnerable members of our community and those in need of urgent rehousing. 

    Separately, I had a discussion (virtual) with Cllr Diarmaid Ward, Executive Member for Housing & Development regarding ongoing housing issues in the borough.  We both agreed that for the Holloway Prison development we must ensure final development plans include as much social and truly affordable housing as possible and that the planned women’s centre works to serve the community.  We also shared our ongoing concerns over cladding at both Tiltman Place and Queensland Road, as well as the Council’s plans to prevent rough sleeping during this second peak of Coronavirus.  On the latter, I am very pleased with the Council’s proactive efforts to ensure there is enough provision to house all those who, sadly,  are rough sleeping in our borough, and to ensure there are resources in place to help them move into secure housing.

    I had one of my regular calls with Islington Council’s Leader, Cllr Richard Watts and Dan Lawson, the Council’s COVID-19 Silver Commander (5th November) for an update on Islington’s ongoing pandemic situation. 

    I remain concerned that students who must continue their learning from home for a variety of reasons often do not have access to laptops. I commend the Council’s ongoing efforts to secure more equipment for students after the government announced an enormous reduction in the number of laptops they would allocate.

    Unfortunately more local residents are needing to access food banks than ever before, and the Council has reopened the We Are Islington helpline (020 7527 8222) to assist those who are being affected by this crisis.

    On 10th October Islington People’s Right’s (IPR) Annual General Meeting (AGM) marked their 50th anniversary and it was a pleasure to speak and celebrate their excellent provision of essential services to Islington residents.  This organisation provides ongoing welfare benefit and debt advice, supports disabled families, and delivers outreach sessions to the community.  I am very proud of the work done by IPR and especially the 12 trustees who keep the organisation going.  I must also thank the various organisations and trusts that work with IPR to fight poverty and inequality, including Islington Council.

    The Covid-19 crisis has put the spotlight on the inequality in our society.  Those who have especially suffered and are vulnerable include many who have been made redundant, and/or are not able to work due to the risk of Covid, or are struggling mentally.  We have to reflect on what we are learning during this pandemic.  In a post Covid world, we must ensure we provide resources to end rough sleeping, support the vulnerable, and invest in local businesses and society.  I am determined to be one of those voices demanding more from the government.

    The lesson we are learning here are that we are only as secure as the person next to us.  If people in our country are living in a dangerous way because of a lack of health care or financial security, we can all be affected by it. As a society we must invest in ourselves, our neighbours and our communities.  Thank you to IPR for always working with this in mind, and investing through their projects.

    On 13th November I met with Mohammed Kozbar, Chair of Finsbury Park Mosque to discuss a troubling increase of racism and islamophobia they have experienced in recent weeks.  We should never tolerate racism in any shape, and we are all proud of our diverse borough.  I commend the ongoing, tireless work of all faith groups in Islington North to support all those in need at this incredibly challenging time.

    At the start of November I met with Roy O’Shaughnessy, Chief Executive Officer at Capital City College Group, alongside Sean Vernell, University College Union (UCU)  Vice-Chair of Further Education Committee to discuss growing concerns around the safety of staff and students in schools and colleges during this second spike of Coronavirus.  I also spoke at the joint National Education Union (NEU)/UCU Islington meeting  on 11th November, and listened to the concerns of union members.  I appreciate that this is an incredibly difficult time for all, where the benefits of in-person teaching must be balanced with the risks of Coronavirus.  The safety of staff and students is paramount and must always be the first priority.

    I attended a modest vigil at Hillrise, Warltersville Rd(10th November) for a young boy – Ben who suffered with mental health issues and took his own life on the estate.  Ben’s passing should remind us of how vulnerable some people are, particularly at this isolating time.  Whilst there, Cllr David Poyser and I spoke with some of his lovely and supportive family, neighbours, and community members.  Despite this, a young person living on their own is bound to have a bigger struggle at this time, and support from neighbours and family is not a guaranteed route through.

    I am pleased to support Roger McKenzie in his bid for the position of General Secretary of Unison and spoke at a rally in his support (27th October).  In Islington many of us know Roger well from his time as an Islington Councillor.

    Jeremy Corbyn with statue of Mary Wollstonecraft

    I was pleased to visit Mary on the Green (Newington), sculpted by Maggi Hambling which has inspired a great deal of divided comment.  This statue was the result of an enthusiastic local fundraising team dedicated to ensuring that the memory of feminist writer and advocate, Mary Wollstonecraft was upheld and indeed celebrated in the place where she had such close links with, and where she opened a boarding school for girls.

    Reminder:  Socialist Campaign Group:  You can sign up for the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs newsletter at https://socialistcampaigngroup.com/  and also follow on Twitter at https://twitter.com/socialistcam

    CONTACTING JEREMY CORBYN MP
    My contact details remain unchanged and due to Covid-19 restrictions my Advice Sessions are being held over the telephone.
    e-mail: jeremy.corbyn.mp@parliament.uk
    Constituency Office Tel: 0207 561 7488 (Mon, Tues, Thurs 10am – 12pm)
    Write to: Rt Hon Jeremy Corbyn MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
    t @jeremycorbyn
    f JeremyCorbynMP

  • Human Rights – Tribune

    Jeremy Corbyn: ‘It’s Time to Stand Up for Human Rights and Oppose the Spy Cops Bill’

    The Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill (CHIS) – described by campaigners as the ‘spy cops’ bill – is currently being rushed through parliament and is due to be put to the vote on this (Thursday) evening.

    I voted against the bill on its last reading and will do so again unless it is substantially amended.

    Concerns regarding this bill have been discussed widely in recent days but it is worth restating some of the key reasons why there is such broad, growing and impressive opposition across civil society including from Liberty, Amnesty and other human rights organisations; trade unions; peace and climate justice campaigners; anti-racist groups plus many others who simply want the right to campaign on important causes without Police infiltration.

    These concerns include – but are not limited to – the CHIS allowing state agents to commit crimes to stay undercover; no limit being placed on the type of crimes they can commit, which could include murder, torture or sexual violence; allowing the committing of crimes to ‘prevent disorder’ or maintain ‘economic well-being;’ there being no provision for innocent victims to get compensation and a lack of prior judicial authorisation to commit a crime.

    In other words, this bill could put undercover police officers and security agents above the law, granting a range of state agencies the power to licence agents and officers to commit grave crimes.

    For this reason, former Labour Director of Public Prosecutions Lord Macdonald is among those to have asked why this bill does not follow the example of similar legislation in Canada in terms of excluding murder,* torture and sexual violence from being legalised.

    Amnesty meanwhile have gone as far as to say “there is a grave danger that this bill could end up providing informers and agents with a licence to kill.”

    I am also greatly concerned that as it stands this bill risks compromising and undermining legal proceedings through which victims of previous criminal conduct by undercover agents are seeking justice.

    Furthermore, the bill risks pre-empting the findings of the Mitting (formerly Pitchford) Inquiry into undercover policing, which was set up in 2015 to get to the truth about undercover policing across England and Wales since 1968, and to provide recommendations for the future. It came after a range of revelations and reports concerning how over forty years undercover police had infiltrated nearly 1,000 political groups. These groups included trade unions, environmental campaigns, animal rights organisations and family justice campaigns including the Stephen Lawrence campaign.

    The CHIS came to Parliament hot on the heels of discussion around the Overseas Operations Bill.

    The latter is also being rushed through Parliament, and it is an insult to Parliament that not more time has been given over to scrutinise, amend and discuss such important pieces of legislation.

    Myself and a number of Labour colleagues also voted against this bill, due to concerns that it both violates the rule of law and fails to protect the safety, wellbeing and rights of our military personnel.

    As Shami Chakrabarti has made clear, it will “immunise the Ministry of Defence from claims by the very veterans it has neglected and claims to want to protect.”

    Of particular concern is the fact that there would be a presumption against any criminal prosecutions of soldiers after five years from when an incident took place – including with regard to war crimes – even though these often take over five years to be revealed.

    The bill also denies public transparency and accountability for military interventions, which is a serious matter considering the UK’s record in this area over recent decades.

    Liberty have therefore argued that if the Overseas Operations bill becomes law it will result in the effective decriminalisation of torture and many other breaches of the Geneva Convention.

    These two bills come within a context of a potentially massive rolling back of our human rights under the Tories.

    In 2018, Tory MPs voted down including the European Charter of Fundamental Rights in UK law after Brexit.

    Then their 2019 manifesto argued for “updating” the Human Rights Act, which is cited in many judicial review cases brought by charities and NGOs against government policies, and also currently ensures that the European Convention on Human Rights is part of UK law.

    There has also been widespread reports this year of a growing mood within the Conservative Party to also pull us out of the European Court of Human Rights as a follow-up to Brexit, and it is well known that Dominic Cummings and other prominent Tories have previously called for a referendum on this issue.

    We also know from recent developments around Brexit that this Government is prepared to break international law if its fits with their political priorities.

    All of this will also damage our reputation on a global scale – including that our condemnation of human rights abuse elsewhere will inevitably stand for very little – lining us up with extreme right-wing administrations that show little regard for human rights such as those of Trump in the US, Modi in India and Bolsonaro in Brazil.

    It is a threat to us all when our rights are curtailed. Now is the time to stand up for our core Labour values of human rights and civil liberties and against this Government’s divisive, dangerous reactionary political agenda and attempts to follow Trump in to stoking up a ‘culture war.’ Published on October 15 2020 at https://tribunemag.co.uk/2020/10/jeremy-corbyn-its-time-to-stand-up-for-human-rights-and-oppose-the-spy-cops-bill

  • Report (Islington North) October 2020

    Jeremy Corbyn
    Jeremy Corbyn MP

    As the beautiful autumn leaves once again transform our environment into something very memorable, many of us remain subject to a variety of Covid-19 restrictions, depending of course upon where one lives. 

    Clearly, in the absence of a decent Track and Trace system, lockdowns have become the order of the day for Boris Johnson’s government.  And there is very limited agreement among the different authorities on how they are being implemented, who is directing them, and significantly, what help is to be offered to local businesses and people who will suffer indeterminably as a result of the harsher and long running lockdowns.

    At the same time, the government is busy pushing through legislation that many of us find abhorrent.  Two significant bills stand out this month:  The Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill and The Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill. 

    Yesterday (15 October) I spoke up in the debate against the Covert Human Intelligence Services (Criminal Conduct) Bill and you can see my contribution here:  https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=669067510709325. This bill represents an appalling threat to the human rights standards that we have in this country and quite simply, would enable covert operatives to commit criminal acts with impunity, including rape.

    Additionally, The Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill which I also oppose is part and parcel of the same thinking; creating immunity for those engaged in police or military operation, and fundamentally undermining the human rights laws in Britain, as well as our support for the International Criminal Court and the conventions on human rights.

    I think it was a great mistake for the party to abstain, and I made it clear to the Whips that their calls for us to do so, given how seriously flawed the two above are, is most unwise. Opposition to such measures is what is required and so along with several colleagues, when the time came, we voted in the No lobby.

    Significantly I feel strongly that the 10pm curfew makes no sense and that the huge fines up to £10,000 in some cases within the legislation are quite simply ridiculous.

    Outside of parliament the month has been very busy, and the online meetings have taken on a life of their own.

    On 12th September over 1700 people joined an International online Rally for Socialist Change hosted by Arise, in advance of the TUC and Labour online Conferences.  I was pleased to speak alongside Portuguese MEP Marisa Mathias and Gullaume Long, the former Foreign Minister of Ecuador, and a number of fellow Labour MPs.

    You can watch it online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DK6osz9lqs and sign the accompanying #PeoplesPlan at

    I was also delighted to take part in an in-depth interview with Laura McAlpine (Labour’s candidate in Harlow at the last General Election) for the new website ‘Labour Outlook (17 September). They have posted a number of preview clips of the interview on issues such as standing up for refugees and tackling media misrepresentation at www.facebook.com/LabourOutlook 

    Building solidarity with the people of Bolivia:  I have taken a keen interest in Bolivian affairs since I visited the country in the late 1960s and in particular the amazing social progress the country made under President Evo Morales until he was deposed in a military-led coup last year.

    As part of building solidarity with the people of Bolivia and their struggle for democracy this month I have taken part in:

    • A private briefing with the Friends of Bolivia group (see their solidarity statement at bit.ly/boliviarepression) and former Minister of Communications Amanda Davila on 25th  September.
    • A call hosted by the Progressive International featuring Evo Morales and others on the upcoming elections in Bolivia and the need for vigilance against right-wing, anti-democratic violence (also on 25th  September).
    • Bolivia, the left and international solidarity: In Conversation with Álvaro García Linera – this conversation took place (22nd September) as part of ‘The World Transformed’ and can be viewed here.

    Stop the War Online Labour Fringe Meeting on US-China Tensions & the Threat of War:  Over 600 people tuned in for this event on 19 September with other speakers including Diane Abbott MP entitled ‘A Dangerous World: The US, China & The Threat of War’.

    I looked at how we need to break from our so-called ‘special relationship’ with the Trump administration, including through stopping selling arms to Saudi Arabia that are used in the deadly and illegal war on Yemen.

    You can watch the video online at https://www.facebook.com/stopthewarcoalition/videos/658977888327988/

    Morning Star Fringe Media on Labour and the Media:  It was great to have hundreds of people tune in for this informative ‘Morning Star’ event (19th September) at which other speakers included Labour’s Leader in Scotland Richard Leonard MSP, looking in-depth at how we tackle media distortions and also build up our own labour movement and progressive media.

    I still write regularly for the ‘Morning Star,’ which is our daily dose of peace and socialism, and would encourage you to sign-up at www.morningstaronline.co.uk

    Campaign for Labour Party Democracy Fringe and Online Rally:  I was pleased to speak alongside a range of fellow MPs, NEC members and leading trade unionists and social justice campaigners at the annual CLPD rally on 19th September.

    I have supported CLPD since its foundation in the 1970s and its core aims of extending party democracy and promoting socialist policies.

    You can find out more information at www.clpd.org.uk

    Jeremy Corbyn and Mustafa Barghouti in conversation; this was a hugely successful webinar chaired by Diana Buttu in which Jeremy and Mustafa discussed the need for a progressive response from the global community in the face of the threats faced by Palestine.  1,600 people watched the event live and 10,000 have done so since:  https://www.facebook.com/labourandpalestine/

    Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs Online Rally:  
    Over 3000 people watched this year’s Socialist Campaign Group rally on 21st September, and thousands more have watched since online.  The time for socialist ideas and policies has come!

    You can sign up for the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPS newsletter at https://socialistcampaigngroup.com/  and also follow on Twitter at https://twitter.com/socialistcam

    You can watch the rally online here.

    On 10th October I had an online meeting with Mark Dearn from CORE Coalition.  The company is the UK’s long-standing civil society network on corporate accountability, with a wide range of members including Amnesty International UK, Unison, Oxfam, Friends of the Earth, War on Want and more.  We discussed Labour’s commitments to corporate accountability and what these mean for human rights and the environment and significantly, how I might make a positive contribution to their work.

    In the summer (July) I was interviewed in some depth, with the excellent ‘Tribune‘ magazine on the priorities facing socialists and Labour.

    You can now read that full interview at
    https://tribunemag.co.uk/2020/10/jeremy-corbyn-we-didnt-go-far-enough?fbclid=IwAR2g4zNKKbD77fPIbvr1svpzgOR9Ku1FEsV_Gw5BLlW-cwIhLsJKK1HJimQ

    LOCALLY:

    Blackstock Road continues to draw attention to itself and on 17th September I participated in the regular stakeholder engagement meeting to discuss the issues affecting this busy and popular road.  The issues are many and complex and a lot of work is needed to address the root causes. I was very pleased to see that partners are still working closely, and progress is being made on the plans discussed in July’s meeting.

    I had several meetings across the constituency on 18th September starting with the local Jobcentre Plus on Medina Road. I toured the ground floor of the building, which is open to the public, to see the new social distancing measures put in place to protect staff and those visiting the centre. The work of the jobcentre is a very challenging one especially while Universal Credit remains in place, which during the pandemic has shown once again that it is a wholly inadequate form of social security. Over the years I have observed the work done by the Jobcentre on Medina Road to reach out to the wider Islington community and I was very pleased to discuss the extension of their partnerships with local organisations. 

    I had a zoom meeting with Network Rail to discuss the vegetation management at Canonbury Station. We discussed the impact of the works on residents and the importance of maintaining the vegetation. Railway borders are important wildlife corridors and I expressed that I was keen for them to be maintained where possible.
    As readers will be aware, over the past few months I have had regular conference calls with various authorities though most frequently with Islington Council and the Whittington Hospital. 

    At the end of a busy Friday (18 September) I visited with Siobhan Harrington, Chief Executive of Whittington Health.  It was an important discussion ahead of the second wave of Coronavirus.  As you may have seen in the news, local health authorities across Camden, Haringey, Barnet, Islington, and Enfield have collaborated to move paediatric A&E services to the Whittington and Great Ormond Street for the winter.  This means paediatric A&E at the Royal Free will be closed at this time.  I appreciate this has been of concern to some residents, however, I have been assured the change is temporary and necessary to ensure the best care is provided to children and young people during the second wave of Coronavirus, which is coinciding with the traditionally busier winter months.

    I met with Islington Council’s Chief Executive, Linzi Roberts-Eagan and Council Leader, Richard Watts on 25th September who briefed me on the latest Coronavirus developments in the borough and the measures they are taking ahead of a second wave.

    Meeting with members of the UK Student Climate Network (UKSCN) on 5th October was a real pleasure.  UKSCN is a group of mostly under 18 year-old students campaigning for stronger action to tackle climate change.  They continue to work during lockdown to make the environment more important on the education curriculum.

    In my capacity as Patron of Friends of Finsbury Park I went on a walkabout there with Police representatives of Haringey, Islington and Hackney.  It was a rare chance for them all to meet together and we had a good discussion about security and the park which was followed by a constructive meeting with the Friends of Finsbury Park.  The discussion was productive and we were able to prioritise a number of concerns we had that need addressing including:  the unattractive nature of the Seven Sisters Road entrance and the levels of reported crime; evening security as the Haringey Police who cover the Park have to cover the whole of Harringay Ward and therefore have limited resources;  any future festivities being unlikely which may then lead to financial difficulties; we complimented the staff for keeping the park clean and welcoming, for all.  I have expressed strong opposition to moving the Seven Sisters Road boundary further into the Park to allow a new cycle route. Parks are, in my view, sacrosanct and not to be given up at all.

    I met online with senior members of the North London Waste Authority and Islington Council’s Director of Environment and Regeneration (16th October) to discuss the planned incinerator at Edmonton.  I have received emails from a few constituents and am aware of the environmental and air pollution concerns.

    ***

    SADLY: Sadly, Bisi and Ginette Williams lost their mother Mary Williams (January 1930 – October 2020) last week. 

    An energetic 90 year old, Mary never stopped living – she was planning her next long bus trip on the day she died.  Witty, sharp-tongued and a talented artist, she will be much missed.  Our sympathy to her family.

    CONTACTING JEREMY CORBYN MP
    My contact details remain unchanged and due to Covid-19 restrictions my Advice Sessions are being held over the telephone.
    e-mail: jeremy.corbyn.mp@parliament.uk
    Constituency Office Tel: 0207 561 7488 (Mon, Tues, Thurs 10am – 12pm)
    Write to: Rt Hon Jeremy Corbyn MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
    t @jeremycorbyn
    f JeremyCorbynMP