Jeremy Corbyn MP
www.jeremycorbyn.org.uk
I extend my ongoing thanks to everyone for the fantastic work that is being done in our community so far this year, and most likely by the significant contribution from anyone reading this update.
I have continued to represent you in Parliament as your MP, speaking out on many issues including the privatisation of our NHS, falling school rolls and the importance of green spaces. I have also been determined to ensure Gaza stays at the forefront of our politicians’ minds. We all continue to watch in horror as the war claims more and more innocent lives. As I have been doing from the outset, I will keep raising my voice and calling for: an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and a path to a just and lasting peace.
Over the past few months (which included a parliamentary recess), I have had the opportunity to spend additional time in our wonderful constituency.
Chatting with and listening to your concerns continues to be hugely beneficial for me in representing your needs in parliament.
This report covers what I consider to be the most significant issues of late.
In Parliament and work with other MPs
This report covers what I consider to be the most significant issues of late.
Refugees
I voted against the Rwanda Bill (22/04), a disgusting piece of legislation designed to demonise the world’s most vulnerable people. I have always spoken up for refugees, and against the government’s Rwanda Plan, and notably over the past few months on:
• Asylum and Migration (14/03) – I argued that asylum seekers should be given the right to work.
• Safety of Rwanda (15/04) – I reminded the government that refugees are people trying to survive in a very difficult world.
• Immigration Update (01/05) – I called for the government to treat refugees as human beings!
• Situation in Sudan (22/04) – I asked the government what it is doing to address the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, which has caused 8.2 million people to leave their homes.
• The dire situation in the DRC, and notably, sexual violence as a weapon of war.
I have written two articles on the need for a humane asylum system. You can read my articles here: Jeremy Corbyn – We must stand up for the rights of refugees (labouroutlook.org) and here: Jeremy Corbyn: Our Political Class Are Emboldening the Far Right (tribunemag.co.uk)
Housing
I have urged the Minister for Building Safety to publish the audits conducted by his department on fire risk reports submitted by Galliard Homes for Drayton Park Apartments in my constituency (27/03).
Housing was one of the issues I raised in response to the Chancellor’s Spring Statement (06/03). As I told the House, we have 15,000 households on the waiting list for social housing in our borough. The only way forward to deal with the housing crisis is not to pledge to build millions of homes, as the Government are doing, but to pledge to build council housing at secure and affordable rents to guarantee decent-quality housing for people.
You can read an article I wrote for Labour Outlook about the budget here: “Austerity is a political choice, not an economic necessity” – Jeremy Corbyn exclusive on #Budget24 (labouroutlook.org)
International / Gaza
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) published their ruling on South Africa’s case against Israel under the Genocide Convention (27/01), finding a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza. The verdict was a vital step toward justice for the Palestinian people – and it should be implemented in full. We must not stop calling for a ceasefire to save human lives.
Following the ruling, I asked a government minister (29/01) if all British military aid to Israel had been suspended. He refused to answer. We must end all arms sales to Israel, now. I also expressed my disgust at the government’s decision to suspend funding to UNRWA. Along with so many others I was horrified by these decisions; of the sheer moral depravity toward Palestinians starving to death.
This was one of many occasions that I have spoken out against the war in Gaza in Parliament over the past few months. Just a few others listed here include:
• A Westminster Hall Adjournment Debate on Humanitarian Aid and Children in Gaza (08/02). I told of my visit to a school at Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza. The children were excited, artistic and full of hope. That school has now been completely destroyed. How many more children must die before our government calls for a ceasefire?
• A debate on a Ceasefire in Gaza (21/02). I repeated my call for an immediate ceasefire.
• A debate on Israel and Gaza (27/2). I called for the suspension of arms to Israel.
• An Iran-Israel update (15/4). I told the Prime Minister that there was only one route out of this perpetual cycle of violence: ending the occupation of Palestine.
• An Urgent Question on UK Armed Forces in Middle East (29/4). I asked the Minister to ensure us that we will not be deploying British troops anywhere on the on the ground in Gaza.
It was a pleasure to welcome a group of Palestinian students to Parliament. Young Palestinians deserve a future of freedom and hope — you will always have my full support and solidarity.
I also commend the students who are protesting on campuses toward the need for a ceasefire and I’ve visited some of them to declare my support and solidarity.
More locally, I spoke briefly against the war on Gaza for the North London Palestine Assembly on Gaza at the Methodist Church (31/01).
Joint Enterprise Not Guilty by Association (JENGbA)
After attending a demonstration at the statue of Mandela in Parliament Square (02/02), I supported Kim Johnson’s Private Members Bill on Jengba which sadly, and as is the case for so many Private Members Bills, met its end. It did however raise support for those who fall victim to the outdated and unfair practice of guilty-by-association.
Environment
I attended a Westminster Hall debate to support the ratification of the Global Ocean Treaty (25/04). I stressed the importance of marine protection zones and warned against the environmental impact of deep-sea mining companies and deep-bed trawling, and called for greater regulation of our oceans, particularly around waste and pollution from ships.
Northern Ireland
I spoke in Parliament after the Minister for Northern Ireland made a statement in response to the power-sharing agreement in Northern Ireland. I welcomed the decision and insisted that it is for the people of the island of Ireland to decide their future, and no one else. You can read my article on this subject here: Peace is hard, but peace is possible | The Irish Post
Other international issues
I visited the Mexican embassy (31/01) – Dan Carden MP was sworn in the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Mexico.
I remain a member of several All Party Parliamentary Groups and Parliamentary Groups including the Parliamentary Socialist Campaign Group (SCG).
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
Thank you to Islington Council for a moving and inclusive Holocaust Memorial event (26/01), to remember the 6 million Jews and other persecuted groups murdered by the Nazis. We are united against antisemitism, opposed to all forms of hatred & defiant in our pledge to say: never again.
Education
We’ve all by now heard the sad news that Islington Council has proposed the closure of Montem Primary School and amalgamating it into Duncombe Primary School. Both are fantastic schools doing brilliant work educating our children and supporting some of our most vulnerable families. I am very sad about this and have met with parents from Montem, as well as with Islington Council to express my views against the proposal.
Falling rolls across the country and thirteen years of government cuts to education budgets have left schools in a dire state. Islington Council, like all boroughs, is faced with an enormously difficult situation to handle, and I do believe they are trying their best to protect our education settings. This situation calls for a new strategic approach that is borough-wide and will be focused on maintaining our existing schools. I will continue making my views known, and I encourage you all to submit your views when the formal consultation process begins.
I continue to visit schools in the constituency and welcome groups of students in parliament. I had the pleasure of attending the Year 6 assembly at Grafton Primary School (12/03), and walk around Hargrave Park School (03/05). A very warm welcome to St John’s Upper Holloway School on their parliamentary visit (29/02).
Community groups
It was a great pleasure to visit Mildmay Community Centre (9/02). What a fabulous place this is; filled with kind and dedicated people looking out for one another. Like all community centres, Mildmay is a space where you can get a warm meal, speak with your neighbours, and get support from caring individuals. In the words of its fantastic Manager, Teena Phillips, community centres are a home away from home. I visited again in early March, where I joined the arts and crafts club! You can support them here: mildmay-community-partnership.square.site
We had a wonderful day at Sunnyside Community Gardens (08/04). Thank you to Alan for putting on a delicious lunch for us all. We must defend our green spaces! If you can, please support Sunnyside here: https://sunnysidecommunitygardens.org/new-building/
Find out where your local community centre is and how you can support them through the council website: https://www.islington.gov.uk/advice/voluntary-and-community-sector/community-centres-in-islington
I kept up my usual regular visits to local community organisations which this month, included:
Hanley Crouch Trustees (25/01)
Stacey St Homeless hostel, Brickworks (29/01)
Caxton House (08/02) – I spoke to the wonderful Sue Collins about the hub and the challenges they are currently facing. Unfortunately, Caxton House is one of 5 hubs that had their funding cut by Islington Council. I was sad to hear that Caxton House will need to cut out events for the community, and potentially be closed for 1 day a week in order to remain afloat. I appreciate the financial pressures the council is facing, however, I am deeply concerned about the impact of these cuts on the ability of these hubs to serve the community they were intended to support.
Elizabeth House (12/04) goes from strength to strength and I was very pleased to hear that they are will be offering more services and support to people across the local community than ever before.
The Islington Chinese Association’s New Year celebration (17/02) invited me to their “Soaring Dragon” Lunar New Year Celebrations which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Happy two year birthday to Streets Kitchen Solidarity Hub! I was very pleased to share celebratory cake with the lovely people who are making such a different to all. Keep up the excellent work (16/02).
If you’re in Finsbury Park, make sure to visit 113-115 Fonthill Road to check out the brilliant t-shirt designs of five talented young people. The t-shirts are the outcome of a six month project by Islington Council which mentored and trained these talented youngsters through a project called Hope-FX. Celebrate their creativity with a t-shirt!
Thank you to Finsbury Park Mosque, who hosted the 2nd annual community Iftar with Arsenal Football Club. We were joined by brilliant faith & community leaders, local councillors, and young people servants showcasing the best of our local community.
I spoke at an Islington Local Environment meeting organised by Martin Franklin (08/02). The event was entitled “Unions for a just transition”. We had a wonderful discussion about the need for a union-led movement that creates millions of green jobs, and which places the burden of cost on the wealthiest in our society. There is no climate justice without social justice!
I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to speak at the Minority Matters Eid Celebration Party. It was wonderful to see children from across our community in a space where they feel supported to be the best version of themselves.
I attended a meeting with Islington Police (28/03) to discuss escalating tensions between members of the Eritrean community and the underlying causes. While acknowledging the fundamental right to protest and freedom of expression, we agreed that violent protests have no place in our borough. We also agreed to work alongside the local authority to foster open conversations with the Eritrean community in an effort to diffuse these tensions and ensure the safety and well-being of all members of our community.
Islington Council hosted a spectacular Nowruz Event Celebration (12/04). We were treated to beautiful traditional music and dancing, as well as delicious food. And it was a pleasure to meet many of the people who make up the large Kurdish Community of Islington.
Islington celebrated as a “Borough of Sanctuary” (05/02); the NRPF, Refugee and Migrant Service. I attended a great celebration (Sanctuary for Refugees, Migrants and Asylum Seekers). It was wonderful celebrating amazing contributions of refugees in Islington. We heard a wonderful poem ‘Sanctuary’, written with the voices of the women from All Change, an acoustic performance by our very own Councillor Roulin Khondoker, and empowering renditions of songs from Ukrainian refugee Tetiana. Islington has a rich history of welcoming those in need, and I am proud to be part of this community.
Healthcare: Along with many others I attended a Save the Whittington (10/02) event at Lauderdale House, in defence of its fantastic maternity services. I will continue to defend the Whittington’s maternity services, just as we did back in 2010!
Street Stalls
We had two more fantastic street stalls this month. One on Nags head (27/02, photo above) and another on Holloway Road (10/02). Thanks to everyone who stopped by to chat about the issues affecting our community. In Islington North, we believe a better world is possible — and we are not going anywhere. Stay updated about my work and campaigns here: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/corbyn
Beyond Islington
I attended the Parliamentary Assembly Council of Europe’s (PACE) for two sessions this year.
During the first session, I made the case for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza. Since then, I attended two national Gaza marches in central London, and a demonstration in Westminster. We continue to march because people continue to die.
During the second session, I spoke out against the privatisation of water. We need to stop bailing out our greedy private companies and bring our water into public ownership instead! I also spoke out against the imprisonment of anti-war campaigners around the world, namely Boris Kagarlitsky and Julian Assange. We have to stand up equally for human rights, everywhere. Finally, I stood up for the rights of LGBT+ people, who are still having to fight for the freedom to be themselves.
Those guilty of war crimes evade accountability. Yet those who expose war crimes are punished. Julian Assange’s final UK hearing took place on the 20th and 21st February. We assembled outside the Royal Courts of Justice to oppose his extradition to the US. If extradited, Julian faces life in prison. And for what? For exposing the truth. Journalism is not a crime. Free Julian Assange.
Royal Courts of Justice
I met with a Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) contact who further enlightened me regarding the desperate situation in the DRC and notably, the actions of the M23.
Just like the people of Palestine, West Papua, Yemen, Sudan and beyond, the people of the DRC deserve to live in peace and freedom. You can read my article here: The UK cannot ignore the crisis in DRC | Opinions | Al Jazeera
This is something I raised at the annual Morning Star conference (10/02), where I also spoke about the ever-pressing need for climate sustainability, an end to arms sales to nations that breach human rights, and urgent action to reduce grotesque levels of global inequality.
Before that I spoke at Anti War meeting on Gaza/Yemen (28/01) in East London alongside a number of other well known anti war activists. Since then, I have attended numerous National Demonstrations to demand a ceasefire and an end to arms sales to Israel (08/03, 13/4, 28/4).
Hyde Park
You can read an article I wrote for the Guardian on the need for peace here: Our leaders seem determined to give war a chance. Their thirst for conflict endangers us all | Jeremy Corbyn | The Guardian
My 2024 Calendars with up-to-date information are freely available for anyone wishing to have one or more. Please telephone the 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 continue and please ring to request an appointment, or assistance: Additional telephone appointments with me can also be arranged as appropriate.
Tel: 0207 561 7488 (Mon, Tues, Thurs 10am – 12pm)
Write to: Rt Hon Jeremy Corbyn MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
Email: jeremy.corbyn.mp@parliament.uk
