Homelessness and overcrowding is making people's lives in Redditch a real misery

Rebecca says "Homelessness and overcrowding is making people's lives in Redditch a real misery. The 'bedroom tax' assumes that people who have a spare room can simply move to a smaller property, but in Redditch the reality is that we do not have those smaller properties to give.

Pressures on Councils and Housing Associations are at breaking point and the fundamental problem is that we need more affordable housing. When Labour were in government we did not build enough affordable housing and unfortunately the Conservative led government has since cut that budget by 60%. I urge the government to use the £3 billion windfall from the 4G sale to build 100,000 much needed affordable homes.

Taking Housing Benefit from people who can downsize is one thing, taking money away from people who have no viable alternative is quite another.

For people who cannot move, losing £18.31 a week could see families becoming homeless, that doesn't help them or the welfare bill. Under the Council's duty to families seeking Homeless status, figures were up 187% in 11/12 when compared to the year before".

For more info visit Bedroom tax will hit those already struggling to pay rent

Looking for a work experience placement?

Post: Work Experience Placement 3 hrs a week.
Duration: 6 months, March - September

Would you like to gain experience working with the Redditch Labour Parliamentary Candidate?

You should have an interest in making Redditch a better place to live, be organised and hardworking.

In return, you will gain skills in communication, campaigning and learn more about the challenges that affect everyday people's lives.

Applications to rebecca.blake@redditchlabour.org.uk

Please tell me about yourself (CV helpful, not necessary) and include a paragraph of approx 250 words on what you believe would make a good MP for Redditch.

Same Sex Marriage

If the majority of MP's support same sex marriage today, our country will have become an even fairer place to live in regards to equality of sexual orientation.  And how apt if this should happen during LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Gender) History Month.

In a relatively short time, we have achieved huge progress towards equality for gay and lesbian people.  The last Labour Government introduced civil partnerships, which I am immensely proud of, the age of consent was equalised, we made laws to protect LGBT people from being denied goods and services, scrapped the ban against serving in the forces and increased sentences for hate crimes to name a few changes that made our society fairer.  I am in no doubt these changes have underpinned where we are today, on the cusp of making same sex marriage law.

When Labour brought in civil partnerships, at that time I believed they addressed the appalling inequality that existed for same sex couples, where lifeIong partners had no legal status.  Nine years on, I can see how wrong it would be to deny people who wish to be married the right to do so based on their sexuality.

I am sorry that some religious groups at this stage do not feel they could offer same sex marriages, but I am optimistic about progress, although recognise it will take longer.  I commend the Quakers, Unitarians and Reform Judaism who will offer same sex marriages if the Bill becomes law.  Interestingly in the original Bill, the government proposed that all religious organisations would be banned from conducting same sex marriages, thanks to lobbying from Labour, churches now have a choice.

I speak to people who disagree with marriage changing, however, I feel very strongly that as our society changes we must have a response that is fit for purpose and as fair for all as possible.  In this case it is possible to go further and I hope Members of Parliament will support the Bill, which is supported by the majority of people.

Welfare spending must be reduced and the best way to do that is by getting people back to work

Today the government pushed through a bill that will see 7200 working families in Redditch have their Working Tax Credit cut.  Perversely the majority of the people affected by the cuts are in work.

These changes do not stimulate the economy, create a single job or take a single person off benefit.  Instead MP's voted for families on the lowest wages to pay for the cost of rising unemployment, costing this country an extra £13.6 billion.

Rebecca Blake, Labour Parliamentary Spokesperson said "I cannot find anyone who does not agree that welfare spending must be reduced.  The question is what is the most effective way to do it. 

Is it to get people off benefits by providing them with work?  Or is it to take Working Tax Credits away from those in work who are on low pay?

I've been speaking to many families who work, who will receive a real terms cut to Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit and Child Benefit.  They tell me that already with both parents working it's hard to make ends meet and some do not know how they will feed & clothe their children, especially with cuts to Working Tax Credits averaging £534 by 2015. 

They are angry that nothing is being done to get people who are out of work into work, while they are working hard.  Some families in low pay are working out that cuts to Working Tax Credits mean work no longer pays and they would be better off out of work and on benefits.  This cannot be right. 

The Government are increasing tensions between the low paid and the unemployed, however, in Redditch we have 3 people chasing every single vacancy.

The Government should use the £3 billion tax relief they now give on pensions for the top 2% of earners and use it to get the long term unemployed into compulsory jobs for 6 months.  This would get them off benefits and provide intensive support to find work.  Employers want jobseekers who have a work ethic and without tackling unemployment, long-term unemployment and stimulating the economy we will not bring down the cost of welfare".

Price Rises Are Unwelcomed Start to the New Year

I have had a number of complaints about the dire service from London Midland operating the Redditch train service.  For months now services have been cancelled without warning, leaving passengers stranded.

Despite assurances from the Department for Transport, some trains have still not been operating over the past week.

I was therefore shocked to learn this morning that London Midland have raised fares this year on a route where they are performing so poorly and recently had to give tickets away.

This year passengers will have to pay the average price hike of 4.2% on the 'anytime single' and a whopping 6.2% for the 'anytime return'.  This hits people who have no choice but to travel at peak times for work or to study.

I question how the Government can claim they have intervened by capping price hikes to around 4% but in Redditch, passengers will be subject to greater increases for their train travel than other parts of the country.

Nationally we have more people using the railways, which is essential to get people out of their cars and doing their bit for the environment.  Passengers must contribute to the cost of the railiways, however, these rises should not be higher for passengers who already have a sub standard service.  The unreliable service on this route is already putting people off using the train, a 6.2% increase in the fare adds insult to injury.

I will be doing everyting I can to defend Redditch train passengers who start the New Year not only getting a rough ride but too often they cannot get a ride at all!

Patient Care at the Alex

Today's report is shocking and my thoughts are with the 38 families who have suffered mistreatment of their loved ones, 35 of whom have been at the Alex Hospital.

 

My concern for the care of patients at the Alex remains. Despite the majority of people going through the Alex getting good care, there is a deep rooted problem regarding the quality of care. Both long standing and revealed by the damning CQC report last year on how older people were being failed.

 

Today's revelation tells me that while investment alone will clearly not solve this issue, cutting £50 million from our local hospitals will only make things worse. The people of Redditch want and deserve good local services and with these findings it's clear the Alex needs greater support not less, something I will continue to campaign for.

There is no excuse for substandard care and if we want to see an end to this we cannot accept cuts of this magnitude to the NHS including 5000 fewer nurses since 2010.

http://www.redditchstandard.co.uk/2012/12/23/news-Payout-over-patient-neglect-at-the-Alex-59000.html


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/heal-our-hospitals/9763018/Victims-of-neglect-at-the-Alexandra-Hospital.html

Long term unemployment is still stubbornly high in Redditch and the Government’s Work Programme is not working

In Redditch, long term unemployment is up 58% on last year.  For 18-24 year olds it's even worse, up 125%.   At the same time as the Government’s Work Programme is found to be failing.

Last month we found out that the Work Programme is getting fewer people into jobs than if the Government did nothing at all.  Only 1.1% of people referred onto the Work Programme have been placed into jobs in Redditch.

 

Rebecca said, “This Government has got to wake up to this crisis.  The cost of living continues to rise, last month prices rose at twice the rate of wages, people are falling further and further behind. 

Right now, three people in Redditch are chasing every vacancy.  The Government must take action now and they should start with Labour’s Real Jobs Guarantee and get our young people back to work. 

The Government does not appear to understand that the best way to reduce borrowing is to get those that can work into work, simply concentrate on cutting benefits without jobs for people to go into is incoherent".

Labour would raise £2 billion from Bankers Bonuses to get young people who are out of work for over a year into work for at least 6 months and to include training to improve their skills and experience.  A National Insurance tax break for small firms hiring new staff would also help stimulate employers to recruit staff, creating new jobs.