“We have only been on this planet for 0.13% of the time that biodiversity has existed. We have no right to destroy the world around us.”
Watch Barry’s speech in today’s House of Commons debate on protecting and restoring nature at COP15 and beyond 🔽
Barry calls for St Monica Trust to be referred to the HSE for use of agency workers
Barry called on the minister to report the St Monica Trust to the Health and Safety Executive, during the debate on the government's intention to allow agency workers to be used to break strikes, on Monday 11 July.
That morning, Barry had visited striking Unison members on their picket lines at the Bristol Cote Lane and the Sandford sites. These low paid workers are being subjected to fire and rehire, but their biggest concerns, which they shared with Barry, are about the use of agency staff who are not skilled or experienced.
The striking staff were deeply concerned for the safety and welfare of the elderly people in their care.
WATCH Barry’s intervention 🔽
Barry speaks in the Queen's Speech debate
Barry gave a passionate speech during yesterday’s Queens Speech debate in which he touched on much of what the Government could have included with particular reference to his tabled amendment.
Barry touched on the backlog to the NHS, the right to food, land reform and stronger workers rights to stop fire and rehire
Barry demands an Urgent Statement on Article 16
Barry challenged the Leader of the House with regards to trade relations with Northern Ireland, specifically Article 16. The Leader of the House’s response left much to be desired.
The full exchange can be viewed below;
Barry presses the Home Office on the delays for passports
Barry challenged Home Office Minister, Tom Pursglove with regards to the ridiculous length of delays to people receiving passports and reminded him that it isn’t just those going on holiday who have been affected.
Barry brings reality to the Chancellor's Spring Statement
Barry brought some reality to the Chancellor’s Spring Statement today by raising the case of a single mother who turned down potatoes at a food bank as she didn’t have enough money to be able to heat them. Rishi Sunak’s answer was predictably weak.
The exchange can be viewed below
Barry makes the case for stopping fire and rehire
Barry spoke up for P&O workers, many of whom were present in the public gallery and made the point of guidelines not being enough and reminding the government that if they had voted for the proposals in his Private Members Bill, DP World would not have been able to do this to P&O workers.
Barry challenges the government on P&O
Barry challenged the government on the treatment of the 800 workers sacked by P&O over Zoom. He highlighted how if the Government had backed the measures in his Private Members Bill this would have stopped companies acting in this way.
Full exchange can be viewed below
Barry asks for urgent debate on racism in the Met
Barry was in the Chamber for the Urgent Question on the treatment by the Metropolitan Police of Child Q. He also raised the issue of institutional racism in the Met including cases in his own constituency.
Full exchange can be viewed below
Barry raises constituent's case in violence against women and girls debate
Barry intervened during Labour’s Opposition Day debate today to powerfully raise an incredibly concerning case of a constituent he met over the weekend.
The young woman had gone to the police to report violence from her partner, against her. She was concerned that the officer hadn’t taken the issue seriously and raised a complaint against the officer.
She was then subsequently charged with stalking the person that had committed violence against her.
During his contribution Barry said; “This is the way in which our police I am afraid in London have got things entirely wrong”
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said that she would like to meet with Barry discuss with him further to discuss the individual case.
Barry challenges Liz Truss on humanitarian efforts for Ukrainians
Barry spoke up today on behalf of constituents who have relatives who have fled to Ukraine to Poland and asked Liz Truss what conversations she has had with her Polish counterparts with regards to swift flights being arranged to bring them here.
Barry also asked what conversations had been undertaken with the Home Secretary with regards to the matter. The full exchange can be viewed below
Barry challenges the Prime Minister on the Sue Gray Report
Barry challenged the Prime Minister today following the publication of the update from Sue Gray on the behaviour of the Prime Minister and staff in Number 10 Downing Street during the pandemic.
Barry pointed out that Sue Gray said excessive drinking was not permitted in Government Departments and asked the Prime Minister about his own drinking habits during the parties…
Barry stands up for the NHS in Westminster Hall Debate
Barry spoke in a Westminster Hall Debate today relating to the future of the NHS.
Barry spoke of why the Health and Care Bill must be stopped in its tracks as it makes its way through Parliament and how it is vital it must always remain free at the point of use.
His full contribution can be viewed below.
Barry speaks in the Holocaust Memorial Day Debate
Barry spoke in the Chamber during today’s Holocaust Memorial Day Debate.
He spoke of meeting Gena Turgel, known as the Bride of Belsen when she was speaking to school children in Brent North.
Barry commended the Holocaust Memorial Trust and the important work they do in the the continual word of mouth to the next generation so that it is never forgotten.
Barry suggests a new Metropolitan Police Commissioner
Barry was in the Commons for Labour’s Urgent Question; To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on the status of the investigation into Downing Street parties following the statement from the commissioner of the Met police.
Barry used the opportunity to suggest a possible future Metropolitan Police Chief…
Barry calls for an urgent windfall tax to help leaseholders stuck in limbo
Barry asked a question to Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Housing, in his statement on Building Safety.
In his question, Barry said that the Secretary of State’s statement focused on cladding, when the vast majority of leaseholders in unsafe homes are suffering from other insulation and fire stopping defects.
Barry also noted that many of the companies who will be asked to ‘pay up’ have gone into voluntary liquidation. Barry asked the Secretary of State whether he will implement a windfall tax on the whole industry now.
Many leaseholders in Brent North and around the country have been waiting 3 years in purdah and need some urgent clarity and leadership from the government on this issue.
You can watch his question in full below.
Barry responds to the Autumn Budget
Barry responded to the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget in the Chamber. In his speech, Barry touched on matters such as:
This Budget is the result of 11 years of austerity and under-investment.
No Government since the war has implemented a higher tax take from the people of this country.
Growth in the next three years will slow to a sluggish 1.3% and our country’s debt stands at the astonishing figure of £2.2 trillion
The growing deficit
The total lack of strategy to tax wealth on unearned income
The failure of the Government to work towards a net zero economy
You can watch Barry’s speech in full below.
Barry speaks in Westminster Hall debate on Sustainability and Climate Change in the National Curriculum
Barry was pleased to speak in the debate on the vital topic of Sustainability and Climate Change in the National Curriculum. A debate that was introduced by Nadia Whittome MP.
Barry spoke about how young people today should be angry. Angry with the way that successive generations have left them a world that they are going to have to cope with. The problems that we have created are the problems that they will have to deal with.
Barry agrees that there is a strong need for us to teach about climate as an integral part of the curriculum and not just a tick-box exercise within schools. He also spoke about the hope that the Dasgupta review brings- an economic review commissioned by the Treasury to look into the integration of biodiversity and the natural world with economics—something that is long overdue.
You can watch my speech in full below
Barry speaks in debate on COP26 and limiting global temperatures to 1.5 degrees
Barry joined colleagues from across the House for a Backbench Business debate this afternoon to discuss the pressing need to keep global temperatures to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels. This debate comes less than two weeks before COP26, which the UK Government will host in Glasgow. Barry spoke of the importance of the ‘Green Grids’ initiative he is championing with the Climate Parliament group which will aim to create a connected electricity grid across many countries in the global South harnessing wind, solar and tidal energy. He also spoke about some of the plans in the Government’s Net Zero Strategy released on Tuesday, including nuclear which is not as cost-effective as renewable sources.
You can watch his full speech below.
Barry speaks in Backbench debate on Kashmir
Barry spoke in a backbench Business debate on Kashmir.
Barry spoke of the Importance of people understanding the connections between democracy, pluralism and human rights, and the equally strong connections between fundamentalism, terrorism, insurgency and the loss of human rights.
Barry also spoke about the complicated political history of the area, as well as the human rights abuses faced by many religious groups, as well as women.
Unfortunately, due to time constraints in the debate Barry was not able to conclude his speech.
You can watch his speech below.