Dear friend,

In July Keir Starmer set out the last of Labour’s missions for government: to break down the barriers to opportunity for every child, at every stage and shatter the class ceiling.

The promise we tell our children and grandchildren is that if you work hard, you’ll be able to get on, no matter what your background.

But Britain is currently failing on that promise.

Labour has a plan to shatter the class ceiling that holds this country and its people back. We will reform childcare and early years support, recruit and train thousands more teachers, deliver a broad curriculum with core knowledge and creative subjects, and expand high quality education, employment and training routes so more people than ever are on pathways with good prospects.

Whatever the obstacles to opportunity, wherever the barriers to hope, the next Labour Government will tear them down.

This month, I’ve been hosting local school student Ruben in my office for work experience. It’s always a pleasure to meet Hounslow’s bright and engaged young people.

Leading from the Frontbench

Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill

This month I finished line-by-line scrutiny of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill. It’s a really important Bill that makes changes to how digital markets work. Labour Party colleagues and I worked hard to improve the Bill to support businesses online and to keep us all safe from online fraud – now it’s time to see if the Government has listened.

Trip to Germany

It was a pleasure to visit Germany this month with Toby Perkins, our Shadow Skills Minister, and Andrew Dakers, the CEO of West London Business, to learn about their skills system and how businesses access workers with the right skills.

Businesses in the UK desperately need skilled workers to grow and prosper – Labour is committed to reforming the skills system so that young people are ready for work and ready for life and ensure businesses have the skilled employees they need to get Britain growing.

Local News

Save Our Ticket Office

South Western Railway have proposed closing the ticket office at Feltham Station.

I am deeply concerned about the impact of these ticket office closures on rail users who are elderly, disabled or have limited digital access, as well as on job security.

These proposals must not be implemented until there are answers to serious outstanding questions about the accessibility and job security. That’s why local councillors and I have launched a petition to put pressure on the Government to withdraw these plans and keep Feltham Ticket Office open. You can sign here.

Supporting Beavers Community Primary School

After visiting Beavers Community Primary School for their Art Week, they mentioned that parents were having difficulty funding their Reception class trip to the seaside. I thought this was completely wrong and managed to secure an incredibly generous donation from Russell Finex which covered the costs of their seaside trip. In addition, I got the Ealing Young Lions Club to donate to cover any additional expenses the school might be struggling with. I am so grateful to both Russell Finex and Ealing Young Lions Club for their kind help.

The Tories’ Hard Right London Mayor Candidate

The Tory party has selected a hard-right politician to stand to be Mayor of London.

She…

• Supported Donald Trump
• Cheered Liz Truss’s mini-budget, which sent mortgages and rents soaring
• Wants to deport migrants to Rwanda
• Defends Boris Johnson
• Talks down London

The Tory candidate is out of touch with our city and values. The Mayoral election next year is going to be a two-horse race between the hard-right Tory candidate who sees diversity as a weakness and not a strength and Labour’s Sadiq Khan.

The Tories have failed the country. Don’t let them fail London too.

Parliamentary Update

Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill

Many constituents contacted me with their concerns about this Bill. The Bill would prevent public bodies from making procurement and investment decisions based on their own moral or political disapproval of a foreign authority.

I believe public bodies should be able to take ethical investment and procurement decisions, but these must be based on principles that apply equally to all countries. In the debate, I raised concerns that the Bill will weaken our voice on the international stage when it comes to tackling human rights abuses, labour law violations and environmental recklessness.

That’s why I voted for a reasoned amendment to deny the Bill its Second Reading, but it was defeated by Conservative MPs and the Bill passed Second Reading with their support. Unless Ministers take the solution offered, I will vote against the Bill at Third Reading.

All-Party Parliamentary Group on the OECD

I hosted the AGM of the APPG on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an international organisation that works to build better policies for better lives.

It was great to be joined by so many MPs and peers and it was clear that there’s an appetite in Parliament for more joined-up work between Parliament and the OECD.

Como Manifesto

I’m delighted to support the Como Wellbeing Manifesto, which calls for wellbeing – how we feel about our lives – to be the ultimate goal of government. I agree with Lord Richard Layard that there can be no more inspiring purpose for our lives.

I would encourage everyone in Hounslow who agrees with these goals to join me in signing the Como Wellbeing Manifesto.

Violence in the West Bank

Following shocking reports from Jenin, including that medical teams are unable to access civilians in need, I called for the Government to take action to tackle Israeli settle violence, as well as issues faced because of new Palestinian militant groups. Action is needed now to de-escalate the situation, as well as funding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which is vital to support Palestinian refugees.

This follows a very enlightening but troubling trip to Israel and Palestine earlier this year with the Council for Arab-British Understanding, Amnesty International and Medical Aid for Palestinians. I will continue to press for steps towards a solution to the conflict in Israel and Palestine and an end to Israeli settlements.

Crime in West London

I supported Brentford and Isleworth MP Ruth Cadbury’s debate on crime in West London, raising my concerns about children who are afraid to walk home after school, that police are not responding swiftly and effectively to residents, and cuts to community policing, as well as raising the important work done by No Shame in Running, run by Garvin Snell, and Project Turnover. You can read the full debate here.

Food and Drink

I know that lots of people in Feltham and Heston are concerned about the rising cost of food and drink. Thirteen years of Tory failure means Britain is hit harder by high inflation than our international peers.

Labour has a plan to ease the cost of living crisis for working people now – but also build a stronger, more secure economy for the future.

I was proud to pledge to support food and drink companies in Feltham and Heston recently. Costs are rising dramatically for farmers and food producers, putting further pressures on food price inflation.

In the Constituency

I have been working with the Southville Primary School senior leadership team after Southville pupil Maja and her family were tragically found dead in Feltham. We discussed how they had supported the children through the incident, and the way the council, police and church community had come together to support the school. We also discussed how to better support children and parents through the cost of living crisis and the need for more support and advice for families experiencing domestic violence.

I supported a very well-attended coffee morning hosted by Hanworth Methodist Church, where I took up personal casework, heard about local issues and discussed ways we could bring improvements to the local area. Make sure to keep an eye on my social media if you want to hear details of my coffee mornings and surgeries.

Crime and antisocial behaviour is an incredibly serious problem in Feltham and Heston. I hear from parents who are worried about their children playing in the park or being targeted online, pensioners worried about scams or being robbed in the street and small businesses worried that they will be targeted by thieves or vandals. Women feel less safe on the streets and antisocial behaviour from neighbours is blighting the lives of hard-working families.

I am holding regular meetings with Hounslow’s Borough Commander, Chief Superintendent Anil Puri, where I raise the issues that local people are telling me about policing in the area, as well as discussing the Met’s policing strategy.

I am also visiting areas that people have told me are an issue. Last month I had a really useful meeting with residents in Hounslow West to discuss how we can better tackle antisocial behaviour and fly tipping and grow the sense of pride in the local area.

It was brilliant to attend the Southall Mela for an afternoon of fabulous entertainment – Punjabi dance, songs, food and much more!

I joined the West London Turkish Volunteers at their Summer Festival this month. We will all be aware of the Volunteers’ incredible work earlier this year supporting those affected by the earthquake in Turkey. They have contributed so much to Hounslow and West London.

I attended the Hounslow and Feltham Sea Cadets Summer Extravaganza. It was excellent to meet so many young people who were passionate about making a difference in their community – as well as stopping by the stalls where the incredible people who help make Sea Cadets happen were fundraising!

It was very special to join everyone at Hope Church for the most wonderful celebration of 150 years of the church in Hounslow West, attended by the Rt Revd Dr Emma Ineson, the Bishop of Kensington. Thank you to all at Hope Church for your incredible work in the community.

It was an honour to cut the cake made by Vanema shaped like the church, which was then shared with the congregation.

As ever, if you need any assistance or want to find out my view on any issue, please email seema.malhotra.mp@parliament.uk.

Yours,

Seema Malhotra MP