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Eight years ago today, I was selected as the Tooting Labour candidate for the by-election caused by Sadiq becoming a candidate for Mayor of London. It has been a huge honour and privilege to serve as the representative for the community in which I was born and raised. My heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who has supported me on this incredible journey. 
As part of my previous work as Shadow Minister for Mental Health and in my capacity as an A&E doctor at St George's, I know firsthand the toll that working on the NHS frontline can take.
Today, I asked the Government whether they will continue to fund mental health support services past the 12 months they've committed to. Shamefully, the Minister refused to commit to funding. This is just further proof that this Tory Government couldn't care less about our NHS heroes.
The Tories' Rwanda Bill is one of the most shameful pieces of legislation in recent memory on both moral and practical grounds, which is why I voted 20 times against the Bill last night.
It is shameful that the Prime Minister continues to allow the sale of British weapons and military equipment to Israel.in breach of the UK's international commitments. I have been calling for a suspension of sales immediately and my comments can be read in the Independent here. Last week, I also signed a joint letter to the Foreign and Business Secretaries alongside a cross-party group of over 130 MPs, calling for the halting of UK arms sales to Israel. The full text of this letter can be read below. After more than a year of waiting, the Government has finally responded to the Joint Committee report on the draft Mental Health Bill.
In that time, they kicked mental health into the long grass while patients continued to suffer. The Government response is poor - rejecting vital calls for a Mental Health Commissioner, refusing to ban discriminatory Community Treatment Orders and ignoring a right to culturally appropriate advocacy. Why make us wait so long and not provide any meaningful change? With waiting lists higher than ever, we need bold action on mental health. It is clear the Tories are simply not up to the job. A Labour Government must bring forward mental health reform with the recommendations of the committee at its core.
There was a huge turnout today for the Oxfam Lobby Day event calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. I was proud to join other MPs and charities calling for an unconditional, immediate ceasefire.
Thank you to the charities who helped support it and to all attendees, who brought a powerful energy to the room.
Tonight, I joined Robert Peston on ITV alongside Conservative MP, Paul Scully, Government Minister, Kevin Hollinrake and environmental campaigner, Fergal Sharkey to discuss the hot topics of the day. We chatted about the appalling comments made by a Tory donor about Diane Abbott and extremism in the UK.
Up to 86,000 people could die in Gaza in the next 6 months due to war, disease and starvation. There’s one latrine for every 500 people and only 4 trucks of aid per day.
At the International Development Select Committee, we heard evidence about the appalling humanitarian situation from experts working on the ground. The Committee published our report on the ongoing crisis. You can read more about it here
Today I met with the Prison Officers Assocation from Wandsworth Prison and Battersea and Wandsworth TUC to discuss the brutal conditions officers face. They told me about appalling conditions with three assaults on staff every day. This simply can’t go on - the Govt must get a grip on the crisis in our prisons.  |
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