Leasehold, Loan Charges and English Language Tests - the UK's Brewing Scandals

On Thursday the 14th of March 2024 Barry appeared on The Rundown, a PoliticsHome podcast to dsicuss 3 scandals that aren’t getting enough attention.

Barry joins host Alain Tolhurst alongside fellow guests Nazek Ramadan, director of Migrant Voice, Alice Hardy, a lawyer for Bindmans, who work on behalf of the TOEIC overseas students, falsely accused of cheating on their English language tests, as well as Blanche Zaph from the Loan Charge Action Group, which campaigns on behalf of those pursued by HMRC over a tax arrangement.

You can listen to the podcast here.

Launching the new Brent Schools Climate Action Guide

The children of Brent make us so proud! Performing Informing Motivating Educating The adults at the launch of Brent Schools Climate Action Guide.!

Congratulations to the teachers at Roe Green Junior School, Fryent Primary Kingsbury Green, Mount Stewart Kingsbury High and St Robert Southwell.

Labour’s answer to the leasehold nightmare

On the 13th of March 2024 Barry spoke to journalist Hannah Fearn on the Bunker podcast abotu Labour’s plans to end leasehold.

Problems with leaseholds have ruined lives across the UK. Labour has vowed to end the system, but how? Barry has been campaigning against leasehold for decades and recently fronted a documentary exploring its major issues.

Click here to listen to the full podcast.

LEASEHOLD: "If you're cheating somebody the law should not be there to protect you"

On the 5th of March 2024 Barry went on the New Statesman Podcast hosted by Anoosh Chakelian and Rachel Cunliffe - both current or former leaseholders themselves - to discuss what the government must do on leasehold.

"Crook" landlords are cheating the UK housing system to scam leasehold homeowners out of extortionate rent and service charges, says Barry.

The Conservatives’ Leasehold Reform pretends to solve the issue - it will fail

On the 27th of February 2024 Barry made a speech in the 3rd reading of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill in which he stated that whilst it “pretends” address the issues" it will “fail”.

“The proposals put in front of us today do not liberate leaseholders… it will be left to a future Labour government to do so”.

Meeting US Climate Envoy John Kerry

On thr 26th of February 2024 Barry chaired a meeting wtih John Kerry, the United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate and several MPs.

“A powerful message from John Kerry this morning on the success of the Inflation Reduction Act and the need to recognise woody biomass as neither renewable nor sustainable. A privilege to host him and chair the meeting with colleagues.” - Barry Gardiner

Your home should not be a source of misery to you and enrichment to others

The tinkering changes that call themselves the Leasehold Bill come back to parliament today.

The evidence we took during the committee ignored. Leaseholders still left prisoners in their own homes.

Watch the full documentary here.

We cannot let parliament chaos distract us from the need for a ceasefire

After a chaotic end to a day in parliament which intended to be about discussing the path to a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza, Barry felt “soiled by the whole thing”. Barry went on LBC Cross questions hosted by Iain Dale. The panel discussed a ceasefire, the chaos around the speaker, defence spending, police numbers and female genital mutiliation (FGM).

The panel featured Matthew Warman - Conservative MP for Boston and Skegness, and former Minister of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Sir Trevor Phillips – writer, broadcaster and former Chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and Nimco Ali – Chief Executive of The Five Foundation.

I will be voting for an immediate ceasefire because it is the right thing to do

On the 20th of February 2024 Barry appeared on BBC Newsnight opposite Leader of the SNP in the House of Commons, Stephen Flynn, to explain why he will be voting for an immediate ceasefire.

All the aid aegencies in Gaza say “they have never seen anything like this in 25 years”.

It is “morally wrong” what is happening in Gaza and it must end.

Today, Wednesday the 21st of February 2024, Barry will vote for an immediate ceasefire.

"I will not vote to make Britain colder and poorer"

On Tuesday the 20th of February 2024 Barry spoke against the Conservative government’s Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill which would make Britain “colder and poorer”.

Barry described the bill as a "20th century piece of legislation” stating that it will be left to a future government to fix our “broken energy system”.