Campaign Responses - Barry Gardiner MP

Political Situation in Cyprus

The National Federation of Cypriots in the UK notes that “peace has been reached in Northern Ireland, apartheid in South Africa has ended. However, Cyprus is still under occupation.” Cyprus has been divided since 1974 and many settlement negotiations since then have been unsuccessful. The Federation is seeking MP support…

Barry on Knife Crime

We are seeing troubling levels of violent crime across our country. One hundred lives have already been lost to knife attacks in the UK so far this year with thirty of the victims from the capital. Whilst knife injuries for those under 25 in London were down 15% in 2019…

Tax on Beer and Pubs

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) notes that “pubs are at the cornerstone of our communities, offering a safe and social space for people to meet, providing 900,000 jobs across the UK and contributing £23 billion to the economy.” However, it states that “despite their great value, 18 pubs a…

My latest letter to constituents on Brexit

This is the third letter that was sent out to all constituents that have previously contacted me on the subject of Brexit. This letter was written on 07 May 2019, with the previous letters being written on 05 December 2018 & 31 January 2019. Dear Constituent, For many of you…

Free TV licences for over-75s

My Nan loved getting something for free! Her bus pass was a total joy and her free TV licence was too. She was proud that she’d worked all her life and paid her taxes. She felt that these were her little bit of recognition. But the BBC’s consultation on the…

Barry’s stance on calling a Climate Emergency

On 1 May 2019, the House of Commons debated an Opposition motion declaring “an environment and climate emergency” following the findings of a report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – the international body for assessing the science on climate change. The motion noted “the devastating impact that…

Free TV licences for over-75s debate

This Wednesday Parliament is debating free TV licences for over 75s. I share the concerns many Brent North constituents hold that millions of older people could lose their free TV licences. Please find enclosed here a copy of my letter to the Minister at the Department for Culture Media and…

Barry’s response to the ‘Stop Christophobia’ campaign

Premier, the Christian media organisation, is running the Stop Christophobia campaign, calling on the Government to support and implement 11 aims on supporting, protecting and advocating for persecuted Christians around the world. The campaign also welcomes the Foreign Secretary’s announcement of a review into how the Government does this. The…

Barry’s Letter to Constituents on Brexit

Dear Constituent This is the second letter I have written to constituents on this subject. The situation has been changing so much and so quickly that it is difficult to set things down without them being overtaken by events. But I want to assure you that I write the…

Deportation of Kweku Adoboli

Kweku Adoboli is a Ghanaian national who has resided in the UK since the age of 12. He faces deportation following a custodial sentence for two counts of fraud. Mr Adoboli is pursuing a judicial review and injunction to prevent deportation. EDM 1591: notes with concern the Home Office decision to…

Human Rights in Bahrain

A number of organisations including the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) continue to highlight the human rights situation in Bahrain. Reprieve, the human rights organisation, is running a petition calling on the King of Bahrain and the Bahraini government to halt the planned executions of three individuals that…

Stem Cell Transplants

The blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan is campaigning to: raise awareness of the stem cell register; encourage more people to sign up to the register; and ensure that every patient in need of a stem cell transplant can find a lifesaving donor. The campaign notes that every year in the…

Planning Decisions for Shale Gas Exploration

In May 2018 the Government announced new measures to support the development of shale gas in the UK, including several proposals relating to the planning system. In particular, the Government stated its intention to hold an early-stage consultation in summer 2018 on whether and under what circumstances non-fracking shale gas…

Personal Injury Reforms and Workplace Accidents

1) The Government’s Civil Liability Bill aims to crack down on fraudulent whiplash claims. Alongside this, the Government will make secondary legislative changes to raise the small claims track limit for personal injury from £1,000 to; a) £5,000 for Road Traffic Accident cases, and b) £2,000 for all other personal…

Amazon and Tax

A 38 Degrees petition is calling on MPs to ensure that Amazon pays its fair share of tax in the UK. The petition states that, whilst Amazon’s profits have doubled in the past year, the company ‘are paying even less tax’ than a year ago. The petition further states that…

BBC Coverage of Israel-Palestine

The Israel-Britain Alliance (IBA) is campaigning against the BBC’s coverage of Israel and its conflict with Palestine. The IBA is a UK based organisation that aims to “celebrate Britain’s relationship with the State of Israel” and bring “clarity to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”. The group is encouraging supporters to contact their…

Weddell Sea Ocean Sanctuary

A campaign by Greenpeace is calling on MPs to support the creation of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Weddell Sea, a body of water within the Southern Ocean. Greenpeace believes that the MPA would ‘ensure a safe home for future generations of animals and protect the waters from…