June Newsletter
Hello and welcome to my June newsletter!
June has been an incredibly busy month in terms of local visits, casework enquiries and Parliamentary business. I would like to take this opportunity to update you on the work I have been doing, as well as on some exciting announcements from the Labour Government.
This month, the Government announced a wave of investment for Stockport that will revitalise Stepping Hill Hospital, bring Bee Network trams to our town centre, and see Brinnington become one of this Government’s new trailblazer neighbourhoods.
Stepping Hill Hospital is set to receive £2.6million to deliver vital maintenance and repairs, Brinnington will receive £20 million to lead the way in community-led regeneration and renewal and, alongside this, Greater Manchester will benefit from a £2.5 billion investment in local transport which will enable the extension of the Metrolink tram into Stockport town centre.
The Government also announced that Labour is extending free school meals to all children with a parent in receipt of universal credit. Every toddler in preschool, every child at school and every sixth former at college whose household is on universal credit, will get a free, nutritious lunch. That’s over half a million more free lunches across England, on top of the 3 million already provided every day which will bring the numbers up towards 6040 here in Stockport constituency.
I welcome the announcement that bosses at United Utilities have now been banned from awarding executive bonuses this year due to serious environmental failures. Our community deserves clean waterways and responsible water management - not sewage spills and big payouts for failure.
The Government has taken steps to ensure that all pensioners with an income under £35,000 will be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment this winter. This ensures vital support will reach all those who need it most, while also saving £450 million for our public services by ending payments to the wealthiest pensioners. I raised the importance of this extended support in the House of Commons: https://tinyurl.com/2xz3de3d
There will be no rail services through Stockport station between 2-22 August, as the Greek Street Bridge is replaced. During this time, much needed refurbishment works will also be taking place inside the station. I recently raised the issue of frequently faulty lifts at our station with Avanti so I am pleased that plans for improvement have been put in place.
The Stockport Beer Festival is always a highlight of the summer. As always, I had a wonderful time and there was a great atmosphere with lots of fantastic beer and cider from local and national producers. Thank you to Stockport CAMRA and all of the volunteers for hosting this event for the 37th time.
I had a fantastic time at Stockport’s Foodie Friday once again. It is always a pleasure to catch up with local traders and try the amazing food and drink they bring to our historic Old Town. The atmosphere is always buzzing, and it is brilliant to see independent businesses thriving.
It was also a pleasure to join the congregation at St John's in Heaton Mersey as they celebrated their 175th Anniversary. My special thanks to Archdeacon Karen Best for leading a wonderful Patronal service, and Reverend Liz Rowles.
I am a proud member of USDAW as I worked in the retail sector on the shop floor for several years. It was a privilege to be invited to speak at the Union‘s Federation School this month almost ten years after I was at a Federation School myself as a shop floor USDAW activist.
I was honoured to be invited to the official opening of the Battersbys Hat Works estate. I enjoyed a tour of the new homes within the factory building and it was amazing to see all of the history that has been retained throughout the building.
The crash of Air India Flight AI171 this month was a devastating tragedy, and my thoughts are with the families of those affected. In the House of Commons, I raised the urgent need for sustained support and resources for the families impacted and I welcome the Minister’s agreement on the importance of ensuring these families continue to receive the help they need. You can watch my contribution here: https://tinyurl.com/mrywkx5y
Many people took part in a vigil in Manchester in remembrance of the victims.
In Parliament, I also raised the urgent issue of starvation in Gaza. 93% of children in Gaza, around 930,000, are facing starvation and this is unacceptable. I asked the Minister what more the British Government could do to make sure that food and medicine reach all those that are in need. Watch my question and the Minister’s response here: https://tinyurl.com/mrywkx5y
During a debate on the phasing out of animal experiments in medical research, I raised the importance of establishing a clear timeline for the full phase-out of the use of animals in medical research. To hear more about Herbie’s Law, a proposed framework that would set a 2035 deadline for phasing out animal experiments in medical research, watch my contribution here: https://tinyurl.com/3tbv7wzt
I continue to be contacted by many Stockport residents who have been impacted by the misconduct of New Hope Care, a private care company operating in Stockport that has failed and exploited its staff- withholding payments for several months. I raised this case again in the House of Commons: https://tinyurl.com/42ahfk4k, and I am liaising with Greater Manchester Police and Government Ministers.
Earlier this month, the House of Commons concluded the Third Reading of the End of Life (Terminally Ill Adults Bill). I voted in favour of the Bill and I welcome its passage through this final stage in the Commons. Read my full statement on this matter on my website: https://tinyurl.com/52sapnp9
In Parliament, I met with firefighters from Greater Manchester who travelled to Westminster as part of the Fire Brigades Union's lobby. Firefighters face many challenges on the front lines and they keep us safe. I will continue to work in Parliament to support efforts that protect our fire and rescue services.
The National Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast at the historic Westminster Hall was made extra special this year, as my guest was Revd. Dr Raj Patta from the Stockport Methodist Church.
Unpaid carers in Stockport provide a vital role in supporting family members and friends, often without support for themselves. The value of care they provide amounts to a staggering £184 billion each year yet too many face inequalities because of their caring responsibilities. The beginning of June marked Carers week; I met with organisations in Westminster to discuss how I can continue to stand up for carers in parliament and ensure that unpaid carers in Stockport receive the support they need and recognition they deserve.
June was another busy month for my constituency office, during which my team and I provided support to residents from across Stockport. The graphic below shows an overview of the enquiries I addressed.
It was great to speak to so many residents at my drop-in session in Edgeley about a number of local and national issues. If you could not make this session, come along to my next drop-in in July in Heatons South. The exact time and location will be provided prior to the event, please contact my office on navendu.mishra.mp@parliament.uk or 0161 480 0833 if you wish to attend.
Thank you for reading my June newsletter. My constituency office is open to visitors from 10:00am to 3.30pm on weekdays (excluding public holidays). I hold regular constituency surgeries as well as coffee mornings across our constituency. Please get in touch with me if you wish to discuss any issues.
You can contact me with the details below:
Email - navendu.mishra.mp@parliament.uk
Telephone - 0161 480 0833
Website - www.navendumishra.co.uk
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/NavenduForStockport/
Kind regards,
Navendu Mishra MP