Rebecca pledges to tackle 'Cost of Childcare Crisis' for working families

Labour's plan for primary childcare guarantee and extension of free nursery hours to 3 and 4 year olds for working families

Rebecca said: “Families in Redditch are facing a cost of living crisis of David Cameron’s making. Whilst millionaires are getting tax breaks people here are suffering.

“Childcare is a key cause of the cost of living crisis for working parents and I’m pleased Labour has pledged to introduce these policies to make a difference to hard pressed mums and dads. A Primary Guarantee will make arranging quality before and after school care easier, and extending the free childcare offer from 15 to 25 hours will be worth over £1500 for parents of three and four year olds to help them pay their childcare bills”. 

Karen, mum of two from Church Hill said "I'm lucky because my mum and dad have the kids when I'm at work.  I can see why people do give up work though because of the cost.  When you're working just to cover the childcare costs and not having much left at the end of it, what's the point?  I think a lot of people would benefit from an increase in free childcare".

 Rebecca backs Labour’s plans to help working families cope with the rising cost of childcare.  Working people are £1600 worse off since the Conservative led government took over running the country.

Childcare is a huge expense for working parents, with families in Redditch  paying an average of £100 per week for 25 hours childcare. For some families this can be as much as having a second mortgage and can be a major barrier to getting into work and making ends meet.  

 

The government are not doing enough to help hard-working families in Redditch and I back Labour’s plans to guarantee wrap around childcare before and after school for primary school-aged children. This move will benefit around 5500 children and their families.

The next Labour government will also provide ten extra hours free childcare provision for working parents of three and four year olds, paid for by an increase in the Bank levy. This could help the parents of 4600 children across the County.

 

 

 

Mourning Tragic Loss of Life

Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Richard Fellows, a young man who tragically lost his life having drowned in open water.  It's a devastating tragedy.  

Once again, I will be meeting council officers today to progress my concerns and work on what more can be done to reduce the risk of people entering open water.

Redditch Council, the Police, Fire Service and other partners will continue to work together, in particular to reach as many young people and make sure they know just how dangerous open water can be. 

While there is much to do, so soon after the loss, we pause to mourn Richard's tragic loss of life.

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A vote against the Alex

When Mrs Lumley the Redditch MP voted yesterday to give the secretary of state the power to close hospitals within 40 days, she put her party before the needs of Redditch people.  Local people have been in touch with me already about this and many more of them will be appalled to wake up to this news. 

For the past couple of years A&E, maternity and the future of our hospital have been under threat to save money.  It has been a long hard slog to defend services and we are still fighting for consultant led births.  Yet Mrs Lumley has pulled the rug from under local people and local doctors having a real say in the future of the Alex. 

To vote to support hospital closures is unbelievable.  It should be as straightforward as ABC, at every opportunity the MP should fight for our local hospital and in choosing not to she has failed the people of this town. 

Let's not forget the reason we are here is because the government wanted to close Lewisham Hospital, a thriving hospital and the courts would not allow them.  And because the government couldn't close the hospital legally, it changed the law - they didn't like the rule book and so they have just re-written it.

The government have specifically said their new power will only be used if lives were at risk or a trust had failed financially.  Given that Worcestershire Acute Trust will be £12 million in debt this year, along with over 30 other Trusts across the country, the future of the Alex has been further undermined by the actions of the Conservative government and the MP for Redditch in yesterday's vote in Parliament.

Ultimately members of parliament can give as many verbal assurances as they like, we the voters will judge them by their actions.  And when the Redditch MP, Karen Lumley voted for the hospital closure clause it was a vote against the Alex. 

A Labour government would repeal this law.

Redditch MP should vote against Hospital Closure Clause

Rebecca Blake, Labour Parliamentary Spokesperson said "I am disappointed that the Redditch MP still claims to remain open minded about how she will vote today on the hospital closure clause that will put the Alex at risk of closure.  I have written to Mrs Lumley, requesting she vote against measures that would make it easier for the government to close our hospital.

 

"Local people have proven in overwhelming numbers, how much they care about the Alex and services remaining.  Redditch needs an MP willing to fight for our hospital and for the good of this town I hope she votes against.  If I was the Member of Parliament for Redditch, asked to vote on a bill that would put the Alex in danger of closure, I know how I would vote.  I would vote against without hesitation". 

International Women's Day 2014

 

Lesley, Meena, Nayab, Rachel, Monica, Rebecca, Pat, Sandi, Joan, Margaret, Chris & Hannah

 

In celebration of International Women's Day on Saturday 8th March, Rebecca Blake, Labour's Parliamentary Spokesperson for Redditch took a group of eleven women to London for a tour of Parliament.

Rebecca said "International Women's Day is a perfect excuse to bring local women together, learn more about our democracy and discuss relevant issues facing women.

Given most people are not aware that they can visit Parliament and have a free tour of the Palace of Westminster, it's important to me that our seemingly inaccessible institutions are made more accessible to local people. 

The first time I took a group of women for IWD I received great feedback and was delighted to repeat the trip with another group of local women.  I was especially pleased that for one woman it was her first visit to London.  Rachael Smith from Batchley commented "Our trip to Parliament is one trip I will remember for a lifetime, it was interesting and insightful".

"After the tour we had a chance to discuss relevant issues facing women, some of which women face disproportionately to our male counterparts" said Rebecca.  "Including the pay gap between men and women, domestic violence which tragically still results in two women a week killed at the hands of their partner or ex partner and the disproportionate effects upon women associated with the rising cost of living.  As well as raising issues affecting women, IWD is a good time to commend women who are very often the people who are holding families and communities together".

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