Dear John,

Over the last few months, we’ve seen an increased number of attacks and violence targeted towards the LGBTQ+ community in Birmingham. This homophobia is abhorrent, and I stand with the LGBTQ+ community against those who try to spread this hatred. Everyone has the right to feel safe in our city and it is awful to think that anyone doesn’t feel comfortable to walk on the streets of Birmingham.  
 
The city I know is a caring and inclusive city that’s why I was so pleased to see such strong support at the protest in the gay village on Thursday evening. No one wants to see these kinds of attacks and there’s simply no place for this kind of hatred in our city. 
 
I know that the Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, is taking hate crime seriously and will be taking swift action to find those responsible. I will be meeting with him shortly and will ensure to discuss the measures he is putting in place to tackle this homophobia as well as other forms of crime and anti-social behaviour across the constituency. 

Many residents across the constituency have written to me concerned about the financial support in place for pubs following the pandemic. It is vital that this iconic part of British culture is protected.  
 
Pubs and breweries greatly contribute to the UK’s economy, generating £23 billion a year, £13 billion in tax revenues and providing more than 900,000 jobs.  
 
However, even before the pandemic, pubs were under a severe threat with 15% closing between 2010 and 2020. Now, tax pressures on pubs mean that three pubs their doors for good close every day. 
 
As such, I have written to the Chancellor asking that he ensures the much-delayed overhaul to business rates is completed. This must be part of a real plan to help our hospitality sector and highstreets that have faced more than a year of lost trade and forced closures through the pandemic.  
 
If the sector is to rebuild and thrive, we must now support them and offer the vital help they need. 

This week I called on Government to reverse its decision to cut funding by 75% for the removal of land mines and unexploded bombs. Funding which would see deadly explosive devices cleared, has been reduced from £100 million to just £25 million over three years.  
 
Not only will this risk lives and have a devastating impact to millions of people around the world, but it will do further damage to the UK’s global reputation. We have stood shoulder to shoulder with our friends and allies across the world to ensure that British territories are declared mine free. Now, when the time has come to repay the favour, this Government has made the cowardly decision to back away. 
 
Over the last two years, many overseas activists and volunteers have spent so much time supporting the UK’s efforts to de-mine the Falkland Islands. However, this new cut to funding will mean that people in South Sudan, Zimbabwe, Myanmar, Iraq, Lebanon and Vietnam who helped the UK, will no longer receive any support from the British Government to rid their communities of the peril of landmines and other remnants of war. 
 
This catastrophic decision has been met with outrage by those on both sides of the political aisle as well as charities throughout the sector. 

The climate emergency is a real threat. We must take action against it, now. COP26 is in a fortnight and will be the most consequential summit that has ever taken place. 
 
This summit comes amidst an energy crisis here at home. We must learn the lesson from this crisis that we need to plan ahead and as we have learnt, the best route to energy security is to go further and faster on the green transition at home. 
 
This week, Labour unveiled its five demands that the Government must enact at COP26. They are: 
 
1) Leading by example 
Climate action must start at home. By investing £28bn every year until 2030 to tackle the climate crisis, we can protect the planet and create secure jobs in the UK. 
  
2) Supporting the most vulnerable  
By reversing the overseas aid cut, delivering and exceeding the $100bn promised to developing countries, addressing loss and damage, and massively increasing vaccine supply for the world’s poorest countries. 
   
3) Pressuring the big polluters  
By calling for 1.5C- aligned targets from the big emitters, phasing out fossil fuels, and ensuring a just transition for workers. 
    
4) Protecting nature  
By ending deforestation and ensuring all climate mitigation and adaptation is nature positive. We also need a robust Net-Zero and Nature Test for all government spending. 
    
5)  Mobilising our major businesses behind climate action  
We’d require financial institutions and FTSE100 companies to publish their carbon footprint and adopt credible 1.5C-aligned transition plans. 
 
The cause is not hopeless and COP 26 can make a huge difference, but we have to do everything we can in the remaining days as it requires all the focus, attention, and strategic thinking the government can muster.