Dear John,

I am deeply concerned for the people of Ukraine. In 2022, humanitarian partners aimed to assist 1.8 million people in Ukraine. Now, the Russian invasion has put the country at risk of a displacement crisis and a dire humanitarian situation becoming far worse.  
 
Vladimir Putin’s attack on Ukraine is an unprovoked, unjustifiable outrage and a heinous violation of international law that will have tragic consequences. The Labour Party and I stand with our allies and partners in condemning it in the strongest possible terms. It is imperative that we maintain our unity and resolve. 
 
The hardest possible sanctions must be taken against all those linked to Putin and against the Russian government’s interests, working in a coordinated way with our allies to ensure the Putin regime faces the severest possible consequences. This includes: 
 
1) A full package of sanctions 
2) Excluding Russia from financial mechanisms like Swift 
3) Putin’s campaign of misinformation must be tackled including a review by Ofcom of Russia Today 
4) Stopping foreign influence in deciding who sits in our government 
 
After more than a decade of inaction, the influence of corrupt Russian money must now be extricated from the UK.  The government must now bring forward the urgent measures that Labour have repeatedly called for. 
 
The Prime Minister promised that in the event of an invasion he would unveil a full package of sanctions. A sovereign nation has now been invaded. I stand firmly behind Keir Starmer in calling on Boris Johnson to act and support the people of the Ukraine.  
 
On Thursday, Keir Starmer spoke in a televised address to the nation stating that in the face of Russian aggression, our political parties here in the UK must be united and that is a sentiment I fully support. 
 

On Wednesday, I spoke in the House of Commons Opposition Day debate on the urgent need for reform in the exempt accommodation sector.  
 
In the last five years the exempt sector has overwhelmed Birmingham’s housing stock and now provides over 21,000 units with support to some of the most vulnerable people. 
Current regulation is extremely limited which is allowing too many bad landlords to get into this sector for the wrong reasons, exploiting a toxic cocktail of relaxed regulation, a Conservative housing crisis and an epidemic of unmet need after years of council cuts. 
 
In my speech, I explained how, thanks to the joint efforts of local residents, the Police, Birmingham City Council and I, we were able to collect sufficient evidence to see the closure of Saif Lodge – the first order of this type in the country. However, I also warned the Government that under current legislation, there was nothing to stop this provider from simply opening a similar property in the neighbouring constituency of Ladywood.  
 
For too long their excuse has been that they don’t have the data to warrant this action. Since then, the Government has received reports from Prospect Supported Housing, Spring Housing, policy recommendations from Crisis, Birmingham City Council, as well as reports from multiple community groups. All of these reports are pointing in the same direction. Yet, the Government has still failed to act. 
 
This is why we must see immediate action taken by Government and we must see reform. My five demands of Government are: 
 
1) A statutory definition of the care, support and supervision. 
2) Resources for local authorities to fund inspection programmes for exempt in their region. 
3) Ensure individuals and families housed in exempt have a link to the area they are placed. 
4) Give local authorities and the social housing regulator greater enforcement powers and strengthen the vetting process. 
5) Birmingham has called for government to align existing planning and HMO licensing policies to capture supported housing provision that is currently exempt from licensing and give local authorities powers to reject applications in a specific area on the grounds of oversupply. 

On behalf of the West Midlands APPG, I was pleased to launch the planning and infrastructure report for our region.  
 
At a time when the Government’s planning reforms are on the horizon, it was the ideal time to consider what can be done differently. While the country has begun to build back after a difficult couple of years, we’re presented with a unique opportunity to pursue a post-covid world that serves our residents better than it did before.  
 
Part of making the West Midlands a thriving place to live and work means fully understanding what the region needs in terms of housing, infrastructure and business growth. This report has given us a huge amount of insight into what businesses and residents within the region need from planning powers to be able to deliver for our population and I would like to thank all those that contributed to it. 
 
The findings of the report show there is clear support for more strategic planning powers for the region and moving forwards, strategic planning will be key to ensuring that the West Midlands secures new infrastructure and sufficient land for housing and jobs in the most appropriate locations. 

On Thursday 3rd March the by-election will be taking place in Erdington. This is our opportunity to show our solidarity with the people of Erdington and ensure they get an MP to build on the legacy the late Jack Dromey started.  
 
Erdington needs someone who will fight their causes in Parliament and be a true representative, serving their community. I can’t think of anyone better than Paulette Hamilton. Having lived with her family in Erdington for over 35 years she knows and understands the constituency. For the past six years she has worked tirelessly in her role as Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care. And, during the pandemic, not only did she lead Birmingham’s response, but she demonstrated real leadership by returning to nursing where she had previously worked for 25 years. 
 
I have joined Paulette several times in Erdington, offering my support and campaigning alongside her. On Thursday 3rd March I will once again be backing Paulette and working hard to ensure we get out the vote in Erdington.  
 
I will be joining Paulette from 12pm next Thursday and it would be fantastic to see as many of our brilliant Edgbaston Labour members and supporters in Erdington. I look forward to seeing many of you there, so that we get the Labour MP for Erdington we need!