Alex Norris MP's Weekly Newsletter

Welcome to the latest issue of my weekly newsletter. 

Today marks the two year anniversary of the terrible fire at Grenfell Tower, and we remember all those who died during this tragedy, and are thinking of all those affected by it. 

Sadly over the last two years, the Government’s response to the fire has been too slow and too weak on every front, despite the Prime Minister’s promise after the fire that “my Government will do whatever it takes to help those affected, get justice and keep our people safe”. We continue fighting to ensure Grenfell residents have the help and new homes they need, those responsible are held fully to account, and all necessary steps are taken so that a disaster like this can never happen again. 

It has also been just over 2 years since I joined Parliament, and we have now reached the 100th issue of my newsletter, which I think calls for a summary of how I’ve spent this time working hard for our community. 

Read on to find out more...

As I’ve said before, I will strive to send you a newsletter like this each Friday to keep you updated on the work I’m doing in Parliament as well as in our community, and to inform you of any interesting events taking place in our area. To help me with the latter, if you are running or know of anything that you think may be of interest to others, feel free to drop me an email at alex.norris.mp@parliament.uk and I will include it in future issues. Please also forward it onto anyone you think may be interested.

MP by the Numbers

100 - Newsletters 
736 - Days as an MP 
1,453 - Pieces of Casework 
3,500 - Policy Responses 
170 - Appearances in the House of Commons 
5 - Questions to the Prime Minister 
1 - Appearances at the House of Commons Despatch Box 
6 - Westminster Hall Debates Led
230 - Written Questions Asked 
28 - Government Defeats 
1 – Bad Brexit Deals 
3 - Votes on that Bad Deal

TV Licenses

Back in 2000, when we had a Labour Government, the free TV license was introduced. It was recognised then that the licence fee could be a source of concern for many people over the age of 75, a group of people who suffer disproportionately from loneliness and social isolation. This hasn’t changed.

2 years ago, the Government was elected on a manifesto which promised to maintain this important benefit throughout this Parliament. 

But earlier this week, the BBC announced that this would stop from next year. Since then I’ve been contacted by many constituents who feel disappointed and betrayed.  

This decision by the BBC is a result of being given the burden of the cost of the licences, which the Government put upon them in 2015, without the funding to sustain it. This outsourcing of social policy was a grave error from the start. 

This is a betrayal of our older citizens, who deserve dignity in retirement and reward for their hard work. 

I will be campaigning to stop this from happening and for the Government to stand by the promise that it made to the electorate. 

If TV licences are means-tested, millions of older people, almost half of whom consider television their main source of company, will have to pay to keep the little company they do have. Many older people will be left feeling isolated and alone. Means-testing may sound fair but in reality, it means at least 650,000 of our poorest pensioners facing a big new annual bill they simply can’t afford. 

It was only last month that the House of Commons expressed – unopposed – its belief that the Government must stand by its pledge to maintain free TV licences, which I was pleased to support and stand by now. 

The Government must now listen to Parliament, listen to the people, and step in and fund TV licences for all over-75s, as they promised.

In Parliament

While the opening stage of the Tory leadership contest has had its dark shadow cast over Westminster all week, it didn't stop all the hard work going on in the background. Here’s what I got up to: 

• On Monday I joined the rest of the Commons Labour International Development team to meet with four inspirational representatives of the Syrian Women’s Political Movement, a group who have been gathering the views of Syrian women both inside and outside of Syria, in an attempt to add their regrettably missing voice to the ongoing quest for peace. To reach a decent political solution to the conflict there, women will need to be properly represented at the negotiating table. 
• On Tuesday, the Joint Committee for the Draft Domestic Abuse Bill met for the last time. I’m very excited for our report, which will be published soon, and will hopefully make a significant positive impact on the law that we end up with. 
• Tuesday afternoon was filled with an International Development debate on the Sustainable Development Goals. The Labour team I’m part of took the opportunity to ask the House how this government can be trusted to eradicate world poverty, when ministers are in complete denial about the scale of poverty here in the UK. 
• On Wednesday, as a Party Whip, I supported Labour attempts to prevent a new Tory Prime Minister from proroguing Parliament to force a catastrophic No Deal Brexit. Unfortunately, this was unsuccessful, but we will continue fighting hard to prevent this disastrous outcome. 
• Unfortunately, this meant I couldn’t attend an event I’d previously planned to, but I’m very proud of my ParliaMentees who had their graduation from the scheme, run by the Faith and Belief Forum, in Parliament on Wednesday. They will all surely go onto tremendous things.
• But I did get out in time to show my support to StopAIDS Youth event supporting the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria..

Looking Ahead to Next Week

The Tory leadership campaign will roll on, and as it does, I’ll be joining an Adjournment Debate on Local Housing Allowance in Nottingham, leading my own Westminster Hall Debate on East to West Midlands rail connectivity, and will hopefully get drawn for a question too. Back in Nottingham on Friday, I have a busy day planned, beginning by welcoming ThinkForward to my office.

What's On

I want these emails to be as interesting as possible. That means there’ll be some politics – it’s important that I am held accountable. But I also want to offer information about what’s on locally. So, if you have an event you’d like me to advertise, let me know.

If you would like your events advertised here, or further information on those advertised, please email me at alex.norris.mp@parliament.uk.

That’s all for now! Details of how to get in touch or to have a look at the things I’m doing are below…

All the best,

Alex