by Hélène Mulholland on 06 August 2010

The parliamentary standards watchdog has been asked to investigate allegations that Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, misled MPs over the reasons for cancelling an £80m government loan to Sheffield Forgemasters and then tried to cover it up.

by Anushka Asthana and Ruth Sunderland on 25 July 2010

A £500m deal for BAE Systems to supply Hawk jets is expected to be one of a string of high-profile contracts signed during the prime minister's trip to India this week. There is also likely to be a major cultural agreement involving museums.

BBC Newa - 21 July 2010

Children with special educational needs could lose out under government plans to allow all schools to become academies, Labour has claimed. Shadow schools minister Vernon Coaker said provision could be damaged if special schools were also allowed to opt out of local authority control.

by Jack Royston on 19 July 2010 - The Harrow Times

BRENT pupils, politicians and teachers are protesting against the decision to axe plans to rebuild four schools.

Chants of “London schools are falling down” rang out as crowds gathered in front of Methodist Central Hall in Westminster ahead of a meeting of teaching unions inside the building this lunch time.

The Liberal and Tory coalition government has withdrawn the £80 million grant secured by the last Labour Government to rebuild Copland Community School and Alperton Community School.

The borough of Brent has a rising school population and a shortage of school places at both primary and secondary stages.

Funding was to cover the expansion of Copland Community School and Alperton Community School in Brent North and of Cardinal Hinsley Catholic College and Queen’s Park Community School in Brent Central.

Students and families know that Alperton and Copland community schools are in a dire state. Their learning, catering and sporting facilities are not fit for purpose and require urgent replacement.

I worked with the last Labour Government and eventually secured an £ 80 million grant to rebuild the secondary schools in Brent North. Now the government has decided to reverse this decision and to cut this grant altogether.

The applications had been prepared and submitted by the then Liberal Tory administration on Brent council and supported by local Liberal MP Sarah Teather who is now the Minister of State in the Education Department. She is responsible for these cuts.

I will continue to fight this decision in Parliament and in Brent. Please add your voice to mine so that we can force the government to restore this vital investment in our children’s future.

Together we can save our schools.

On Tuesday 18th May, I attended the Mullivaikal remembrance day and joined more than ten thousand Tamils to commemerate the deaths of the war crime victims in Sri Lanka. The event, held in Parliament square, involved prayers, laying flowers on the mock tomb, candle light vigil and speeches.

On 30th June, I was invited to the opening of the Sanatan Mandir in Wembley. It is absolutely stunning and everyone who goes in there cannot fail to really be mindful of the unity. With 14 years of contruction the £16 million Hindu Mandir consists of 41 marble deites all made in India and I was grateful to witness the holy ceremony.

On Tuesday 8th June, World Oceans Day, I chaired the Global Marine Recovery Strategy. 40 senior Members of Parliament from 15 key fishing nations and regions, including Japan, US, Europe, Canada, Indonesia, Mexico and Brazil agreed a Global Marine Recovery Strategy on world fisheries intended to reverse the decline of global fisheries.