Thanks for reading my September 2022 newsletter. It’s been quite a month.

 In Parliament 

New Tory Prime Minister

At the beginning of the month, just over 80,000 Tory Party members elected Liz Truss to replace the disgraced Boris Johnson as their leader and she became the UK Prime Minister on 6^th September. Liz Truss has been a government minister for 10 of the last 12 years of Tory government responsible for implementing austerity, dismantling our public services through funding cuts to Welsh government, defending the indefensible behaviour, scandal and law-breaking by Johnson and Downing Street during the pandemic and much more. Decisions she made has led to the cost-of-living crisis. The person at the top of the Tory Party may have changed, but the government and its record hasn’t.

During the leadership campaign, she made nearly 150 policy promises, and it’s only taken three weeks for her to renege on some of them. She has no mandate from the public for much of what she says her government will do.

The country needs a fresh start with a Labour government.

I spoke to Walescast about the result. You can watch it HERE

The late Queen and the new King

On Thursday 8^th September the death of the Queen was announced. A 10-day period of national mourning commenced, and Parliament business was changed to enable MPs to make tributes on behalf of their constituents. I spoke during the special sitting of the House of Commons on Saturday 10^th September, and you can watch my speech here [insert link to parliament clip]

On 12^th September, I was present in Westminster Hall as the new King and the Queen Consort came to Parliament to receive addresses from the Commons and the Lords and I attended their service at Llandaff Cathedral later that week along with the First Minister and the Prime Minister. 

I also joined many Cardiff Central residents in signing the book of condolence to the Royal Family in Cardiff City Hall

Mini Budget and the Cost-of-Living Crisis

Last Friday, the new Tory Chancellor set out his mini-budget. This was the first test of Liz Truss’ government. By the time the Chancellor sat down it was clear that she was not going to be on the side of working people, instead she protected the unexpected and enormous profits (estimated to be around £170 billion) of the oil and gas producers, one of whom she used to work for.

Instead of a windfall tax on those excess profits, she chose to ramp up the cost-of-living crisis with around £60 billion of government borrowing which will fall to be repaid by working people for many years to come. The cap on investment bankers’ bonuses was scrapped and so was the top rate of tax for those who earn over £155,000 and the rise in corporation tax reversed.

The reaction to the announcements was immediate. The pound tanked. The Bank of England had to step in to prevent pension funds collapsing, interest rates are rising, and mortgage providers withdrew hundreds of mortgage products from the market.

Liz Truss has crashed the economy by choosing to give enormous, unfunded tax cuts to those who earn the very most and to the richest companies, including the oil and gas producers! She has damaged the UK’s reputation and credibility for good.

For households across Cardiff Central and the UK, the cost-of-living crisis continues, and we will now have higher mortgage payments, higher rents, continuing eye-watering energy bills and all that government borrowing to repay. And for what? To give more to the very wealthiest people and companies.

The Conservative cost-of-living crisis has to be paid for. That’s why Labour would extend the windfall tax on oil and gas giants and scrap the proposed cut to corporation tax. We will reinstate the top rate of tax for the very wealthiest and reverse the cut to corporation tax.

We can’t carry on like this, lurching from crisis to crisis. The Prime Minister needs to stop prioritising saving face over saving people’s homes, recall parliament and reverse this disastrous, kamikaze budget now.

Only Labour has a plan to create jobs, slash energy bills and make UK energy secure, resilient, and independent from foreign dictators.

I spoke to BBC Wales about the crisis, you can watch this in full HERE

Around Cardiff Central

Cardiff University

Freshers Fair

I had a great time at Cardiff University Students' Union Freshers Fair this week.

I met lots of new students and it was great to be able to personally welcome them to Cardiff Central.  

Macmillan Coffee Morning

Thank you to everyone who joined me at my annual coffee morning at the Maelfa Community Café to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.  It was great to see so many new and familiar faces to have a cake, chat and cuppa. A huge thank you to Frank and Fran Jacobsen and the team there for hosting us and to local residents who brought delicious home-made cakes for everyone. Together, we raised £110.

Visit to the Dogs Trust

I visited the Dogs Trust Wales re-homing centre in Cardiff this week. As the Tory cost-of-living crisis affects everybody, they have seen an increase in the number of pet owners needing support and the Dogs Trust is there to support families to keep their pets at home.

Labour Party Conference

Our annual conference took place in Liverpool and it was a real honour this year to address the conference as Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Wales.

My speech was an opportunity to publicly thank our strong, united and determined team of elected Welsh Labour representatives across our Councils, Senedd and Parliament.

I was also able to share with the conference how a Labour government is making a difference to the lives of people across Wales, by:

•           Extending free school meals and providing free breakfasts

•           Introducing a real living wage for social care workers

•           Providing help with council tax bills

•           Giving students the best deal anywhere in the UK

•           Extending our childcare offer to parents in training and education

Just imagine how much more we could do with a UK Labour government in Westminster working alongside our Welsh Labour government.

Click the link below to watch my speech in full:

https://youtu.be/stLWlD7ltIk

Labour Leader, Keir Starmer, ended Labour conference with a keynote speech setting out the fairer, greener, future the country can expect with a Labour government.

•           Establishing GB Energy as a publicly-owned renewable energy company

•           Support for first time buyers & reform to the private rented sector

•           100% clean electricity by 2030

•           Preventing crime & supporting victims

You can watch Keir’s speech HERE

Advice & Street Surgeries

Thank you to residents who have come along to my advice surgeries during September and as usual, I have been out knocking doors with my team, listening to residents’ concerns and questions about local and national issues. I’ve also been meeting with lots of local businesses about energy costs and what they need from the UK Tory government.

I have now confirmed my surgery dates for October. These are an opportunity for any resident living in Cardiff Central to come and chat to me about any issue you might need assistance with or, to ask any question you have about my work in Parliament and here, on your behalf.

You can see my full plan of surgeries dates online using the link below – please call my office on 029 2132 9736 – or email me at [email protected] to make an appointment.

•           14th October – Cyncoed

•           20th October – Cathays

•           21st October – Pentwyn