Islington North Newsletter – January 2023

Happy New Year! I hope that you all had a chance to get some rest and recuperation over the Christmas period, after what for many will have been an incredibly busy and turbulent year.

The start of this year is likely to be a time of immense stress and hardship for many people. Our community will begin the year in the same way it ended the last: by looking after each other.

This collective solidarity will prove particularly crucial at a time when the government is accelerating its assault on workers’ rights. Seeking to enforce “minimum service levels” in key public sectors, the government is intent on overriding the democratic right to strike. I will continue to oppose this draconian legislation.

In Parliament and work with other MPs

In politics and parliament, I spent most of December and January pushing back against the government’s crackdown on striking workers.

In the Christmas Adjournment debate, I summarised 2022 as an extraordinary year of solidarity. Commending health workers, postal workers, rail workers, teachers and many others for the incredible dedication they display, and I reiterated my support for their demands for decent pay and working conditions. I concluded by expressing my gratitude to everybody in Islington North:

“We all represent constituencies, and I am very proud to represent mine. I thank all the public services in my constituency, and all the community centres, food banks and food co-ops, for all that they do. That wonderful sense of community that was there through Covid is there all the time, and the worst-off and hardest-up are supported and fed by the churches, synagogues, mosques and other places throughout this period.”

In a debate on the Future of Postal Services (10/01), I criticised the Liberal Democrats for the role they played in privatising Royal Mail, and concluded by saying:

“It is up to the Government to intervene now to protect the USO and take Royal Mail back into public ownership, which it should never have left.”

On the same day, in a debate on Industrial Action, I told Grant Schapps MP that he was unfairly scapegoating healthcare workers for a crisis they did not create. I said:

“Nobody is likely to vote to take strike action unless it is an act of desperation; they do it because they want to get decent pay for themselves, their loved ones and their families. Can he not for once face the issue of the poverty that people face, rather than trying to bring in draconian laws to prevent people from taking effective action to remedy the injustice that they are facing?”

This is a point I re-iterated whilst speaking against the Minimum Service Levels (16/01):

Instead of reaching for the statute book and trying to legally constrain trade unions from their legitimate action, why does the Secretary of State not address the fundamental causes: poverty pay, stress, bad conditions and inadequate service in all parts of the UK?”

You can read more about my opposition to the government’s anti-strike (the Minimum Service Levels) bill in an article I wrote for Tribune, here:

Jeremy Corbyn: ‘Strike Action Wins Victories For Us All’ (tribunemag.co.uk)

I have also continued to voice my opposition to the government’s appalling policy toward refugees (19/12). I told the home secretary that she was:

“Pursuing a vile policy, which is brutal towards the individuals concerned, and continually tells us that it is illegal to seek asylum. It is not; it is clearly there in all international conventions. Will she for once have a sense of humanity towards people who are desperate and victims of wars, environmental change and human rights abuse—and exploited to boot? Cannot she just hold out a hand of friendship and understanding towards these desperate people, rather than the brutal assertion that she is making?”

I attended a parliamentary State Visit of the President of the Republic of South Africa, Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, and his spouse, Dr Tshepo Motsepe (22/11).

I remain a member of several All Party Parliamentary Groups and Parliamentary Groups including the Parliamentary Socialist Campaign Group (SCG). The SCG meets regularly in parliament to discuss how best to promote a socialist agenda both within and without parliament.

My most recent outputs, be it a parliamentary intervention or speech, or a comment outside the confines of parliament are all accessible on my social media which can be easily located on my website: Jeremy Corbyn MP

Islington

Strike picket lines continue and I’ve attended where I can, alongside nurses, ambulance drivers, railway workers, charity workers and university staff.

Unison held an Open Day at LBI Town Hall (29/11) at which I spoke and enjoyed catching up with many old friends.

Sarah Doyle and activists put in a lot of work in ensuring a showing and Q&A of the Manifesto film (22/01) at the Rio cinema.

I spoke at a CND zoom conference on the New Cold War challenges (14/01) discussing peace, justice and nuclear weapons. A number of other significant speakers participated, including Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP from Streatham, and former Kensington MP Emma Dent Coad.

The Christmas break seems a long time ago now. It is always an interesting and varied period; I cycle about Islington, turning up where I can to various local events, including the switching on of lights (Navigator Square), carol singing, concerts, lunches and/or food banks including one organised by Jon Glackin’s Street Kitchen on Christmas Day at the Town Hall. I commend Jon for the excellent work he does.

Caxton House held their AGM (12/01) and I continue to support the excellent work done they do.

Islington’s Freedom from Torture held an online event on 13/12 and the subject under discussion was: refugee protection, channel crossings and what drives dangerous journeys.

My school visits continue on a regular basis. I had the pleasure of visiting St Aloysius (09/12) to meet with History and Politics students to discuss radical socialist politics. We had a thought-provoking discussion spanning theories on revolution, the media, and how to support others with mental health.

Earlier this month, one of my constituents was on trial in Lesvos, facing sham human trafficking charges, after rescuing refugees drowning at sea. I spoke in support of Sean, and all other humanitarian workers, outside the Greek Embassy (12/01). Most, but not all, of the charges against him have now been dropped.

HOUSING

I met with a group of leaseholders at Drayton Park (09/12) to discuss the issues many face while living in buildings with cladding materials. There is not enough clarity around the standard of remediation works, and many leaseholders who continue to receive overpriced insurance premiums are unable to sell or remortgage their homes. I am disappointed that some developers continue to try to evade their responsibilities. I raised these issues in a letter that I sent to Michael Gove MP, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

After receiving concerning images of floods of raw sewage from residents of Pitt House, in Loxford Gardens in Highbury, I met with those affected (01/12). I was shocked to see the extent of the issues with leaks, sewage and plumbing which have afflicted the building for over a year now. I raised these concerns with the regional director of Peabody, who was appearing at Islington Council’s Housing Scrutiny Committee that evening. We both agreed that Peabody had a duty of care towards these residents to ensure they are living in safe and adequate conditions. Since then, I have continued to have productive discussions with Peabody regarding this matter and others that remain outstanding. I will continue to represent the ongoing concerns of residents for as long as is necessary.

HEALTH

I met with Helen Brown, the new CEO of Whittington Health NHS Trust (16/01), along with Jonathan Gardner, Director of Strategy. They briefed me on the challenges that the Trust has been facing and what they are doing to manage them. We also discussed some of the Trust’s plans for the future, in particular redeveloping their maternity and neonatal departments to improve the environment for patients and families.

Nafsiyat Intercultural Therapy Centre (02/12) is an incredible organisation which provides therapy that is sensitive to the needs of diverse populations. It was a pleasure to visit the centre and discuss their work, and I am extremely proud and honoured to be a patron of such a vital centre of support for people.

I met with the Leader of the Council, Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz, Charisse Monero, Amy Jennings and Cllr Jason Jackson (01/12) to discuss the Young Black Men and Mental Health Programme. This is a crucial programme for our borough, addressing the inequality black men face when accessing mental health support. The programme encourages young people to open up and seeks to remove the mental health stigma. It is a joint venture between Schools, Mental Health Trust and the local community. For example, barbers and teachers are trained in order to create metaphorical lighthouses around the borough so that every aspect of the community has an ambassador for mental health. I hope the programme can continue to be funded so it can grow and provide support to other demographics who are also struggling with accessing mental health support.

Beyond Islington

This week (22-26/01/23) I’m attending the Parliamentary Assembly Council of Europe’s (PACE) first 2023 session in Strasbourg. This morning I spoke briefly on the effect of armed conflict on the environment – a subject largely overlooked. Whilst there, I have participated further in raising public awareness of the Julian Assange case, following on from my recent trip to the US Congress to attend Congressional meetings and public advocacy on press freedom.

I travelled to Paris to attend the PACE Migration Committee (07/12). It was a long day all in all but given our government’s hostile approach to migration, it’s imperative that we do everything we can to combat it.

In keeping with a longstanding commitment to Dalit Solidarity, I took time out of my parliamentary day to attend the Dalit Solidarity Network AGM (05/12) at Bedford House.

I travelled to Wales (03/12) to give the S O Davies Memorial Lecture in Merthyr Tydfil. Thanks to the diligent work of the organisers, Tom Roberts and Steve Jones of the local Trades Council, it went very well.

I was delighted to visit Dublin (25-6/11) to accept the Gold Medal of Honorary Patronage from Trinity College’s Philosophy Society for outstanding contributions to political discourse and public service. The list of previous recipients made me smile: Desmond Tutu, Joe Biden, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Julia Gillard, Martin Scorsese, Oscar Wilde, The Cranberries, Bram Stoker & Helen Mirren.

I attended the Interparliamentary Union (IPU) AGM (30/11) and remain an honorary president.

I attended a symbolic West Papua flag raising in Camden on West Papua’s National Independence Day (01/12) to reaffirm my ongoing commitment to the West Papua human rights situation.

In late November I attended several gatherings with some visiting Colombian parliamentarians, as organised by the BGIPU.

In mid-January, I visited Calais to learn more about the conditions in which people are forced to endure. I met with dedicated staff and volunteers who are fulfilling a duty of care to those our government has abandoned. My visit reinforced a belief I have been articulating for a long time: we have a responsibility to establish safe routes for desperate human beings trying to reach our shores. You can read more about my visit in a piece I wrote for the Guardian, here:

If you ever doubt the hateful effects of Tory migrant policy, go to Calais and see what I’ve seen | Jeremy Corbyn | The Guardian

Sadly

In Islington, Annabelle Sreberny died at the very end of December, and will be sorely missed. Despite being a busy and dedicated media professor, Annabelle managed to find time to devote to her membership of Islington North Labour Party, Jewish Voice for Labour, and notably, the Friends of Finsbury Park, and she did so for a considerable period.

I was very sad to hear about Alice Mahon, MP for Halifax (in that role from 1987 – 2005) who was a great comrade and passed away at the age of 85. I spoke about Alice for “The Last Word” radio program, pointing out our shared opposition to many things including the invasion of Iraq.

My 2023 Calendars with up-to-date information are freely available for anyone wishing to have one or more. Please telephone he local office if you’d like to receive some and this can be arranged. I’m keen for them to be widely distributed so that everyone knows how to contact me with ease.

You can see all my contributions in parliament as well as any public comment I issue on my social media:
Instagram (@jeremycorbyn)
Twitter (@jeremycorbyn)
Facebook (JeremyCorbynMP)

My regular constituency advice sessions have resumed and please do ring my office for an appointment, or for assistance:

Additional telephone appointments with me can also be arranged where that it is sensible.

Tel: 0207 561 7488 (Mon, Tues, Thurs 10am – 12pm)

Write to: Rt Hon Jeremy Corbyn MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

E-mailjeremy.corbyn.mp@parliament.uk