The attacks and murders in Southport have left every decent person reeling in shock and disbelief. I find it difficult even to comprehend the horror of this incident. The tragic loss of these young lives will have a profound and lasting impact, both physical and psychological, on the families and survivors.
Our thoughts are of course with the families, neighbours, and friends of the three little girls who lost their lives, and the other children and adults who were injured in this senseless act.
Because the matter is sub-judice, I must not comment on or pass any judgement about the case itself as that could prejudice the criminal trial.
What I can comment on is the actions of those individuals who seek to use the tragedy to promote their own agendas, to turn genuine grief into misplaced anger, and to divide us instead of uniting us.
I am angry that this tragic case has been used as an excuse by far-right thugs to riot and target innocent people, specifically asylum seekers, Muslims and people of colour. Their rioting and violence may have been driven by deliberate misinformation, but that misinformation clearly found fertile ground in the Islamophobia and racism of those who engaged in the riots.
The rise of islamophobia and other racist sentiment is a deep scar on our national life. Those who attacked Mosques and other places of worship as well as refugee centres and immigration advisory offices are now rightly being punished with severe prison sentences.
In his Downing Street news conference on 1 August, the Prime Minister announced a new police Violent Disorder Unit to co-ordinate police efforts to disrupt the far-right’s activities, including mob violence and online misinformation. Following a COBRA meeting on 5 August, the Prime Minister confirmed a “standing army” of specialist police officers to “deal with incidents where needed.”
I share your concern at the ease and speed that hateful narratives can be established and disseminated, and that this online hate so easily translates into physical violence, mobs on the streets, and attacks on the police. I have urged my colleagues in government to take action against the online platforms who have been irresponsible in disseminating the lies and propaganda which have acted as the fuel to this racist agenda.
If there is anything good we can take from the events of the past week, it must surely be the way thousands of citizens — equally appalled as you and I — have taken to the streets to express their solidarity with those whom the right wing thugs have targeted. Their declaration that immigrants are welcome and that racism has no place in modern British society shows that the far right extremists are precisely that — extremists on the fringe of decent society.
These ‘outside voices’ must not be allowed free rein to spread misinformation and provoke hate. But extremist and violent racism thrives when there is tacit complicity for casual racism. It is vital that each of us plays our part by challenging the casual racism every time we come across it in our own daily lives.
Thank you once again for contacting.
Kind regards,
Barr Gardiner
Member of Parliament for Brent West
Stop NHS Privatisation
Thank you for contacting me to raise concerns about NHS privatisation.
The NHS is our greatest institution, established 75 years ago to provide universal healthcare free at the point of use. I am committed to upholding its founding principles as a comprehensive, integrated, and public NHS: a right afforded to everyone regardless of ability to pay.
Both the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care have pledged to safeguard our NHS as a publicly funded service, free at the point of use. It is not, and never will be, for sale. They will empower commissioners, alongside NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care, to act as a bulwark against privatisation. The NHS will be the preferred provider of services, and there will be an end to the reliance on outsourcing.
Right now, one of the major challenges in the health system is that people cannot access healthcare quickly enough. Despite the heroic efforts of staff, waiting lists have risen to record levels – 7.8 million.
I am committed to getting the NHS back on its feet. This is one of the Government’s five missions to build a better Britain: building capacity in the NHS – providing it with the staff and resources it needs - so that all patients are treated on time again.
To address the immediate crisis, I support a fully-funded plan to tackle waiting lists – an additional £1.1 billion to pay staff extra to deliver two million more operations, scans and appointments every year, and a £171 million a year investment in state-of-the-art equipment and technology, doubling the number of CT and MRI scanners.
In the short term, I believe we have a responsibility to utilise spare capacity in the independent sector too, to get through the current crisis and cut NHS waiting lists. Nobody should be left languishing in serious pain, while those who can afford to, pay to go private. That is the two-tier healthcare system that I and my colleagues want to end.
In the long term, I want the NHS to be so good that people never have to go private. I support plans to build an NHS fit for the future by boosting capacity, reforming health and care services to speed up treatment and shift care into the community where possible, harnessing life sciences and technology to reduce preventable illness, and cutting health inequalities.
Nye Bevan – who spearheaded the creation of the NHS - said in 1948 that “this service must always be changing, growing and improving”. I support a 10-year plan of investment and reform that seeks to do just that: dealing with the root causes and immediate challenges while building an NHS that is fit for the future.
Thank you once again for contacting me about this issue.
Yours sincerely,
Barry Gardiner
Member of Parliament for Brent West
Winter Fuel Payments and Tax Allowance
Thank you for contacting me about the government’s decision in July to means test the Winter Fuel Allowance.
I recognise the worry and anger that the announcement of this change by the Chancellor has caused. In this letter I will set out my own view about the change and also try to explain the wider financial context in which the government has taken the decision.
The Principle of Universal Benefits.
I believe that Universal Benefits are an important element of social cohesion. They avoid a two-tier society where some people see themselves as paying tax but not being treated equally in the benefits they receive. They also avoid others (mistakenly) feeling reluctant to claim the benefits to which they are entitled – often expressed as “I don’t want charity” -- when in fact it is their rightful due for all that they have contributed to the community.
Universality takes away this split and for that reason I prefer universal benefits as part of the “social glue” that makes for a coherent and harmonious society. It is also the case that the very process of means testing can be a costly and bureaucratic process and can sometimes undermine any perceived savings that come from limiting the number of people who are entitled to receive it.
Means Tested Benefits.
Whilst universality is the ideal, I recognise that successive reports dating back to 2009 have pointed out that the Winter Fuel Allowance is “poorly targeted” with only as little as 12% of recipients being thought to be “Fuel Poor”. That is why successive governments have examined the case for means testing. Indeed, many wealthier pensioners have questioned why they receive this benefit, saying they do not need it.
The current proposal is to pay the benefit only to those who are eligible for Pension Credit. In financial terms that means people whose income is less than £218.15 a week if you are single, or £332.95 if you live with a partner. (if your income is higher, you may still be eligible if you have a disability)
I am deeply concerned, however, that there are 880,000 pensioners who are eligible for Pension Credit but do not claim it. That is why I will be working with the local council and local organisations to ensure that those people do get the money they are entitled to.
The key problem with means tested benefits is the creation of a cliff edge, where those whose income is just a few pence above the threshold, lose out entirely on the benefit. This does seem manifestly unfair and I have suggested that there should be a taper system where those just over the threshold receive a diminishing benefit.
I am aware that the administration cost of a taper system can be very expensive and therefore reduces the amount of any projected savings. For this reason, I have supported the solution proposed by Martin Lewis: to make payments to those pensioners who live in housing council tax bands A to D. They are the ones who are likely to be amongst the poorest pensioners whilst those living in higher council tax bands are likely to be asset rich even if they are cash poor. It is not a perfect solution, but in a constrained financial position, I consider it a reasonable one.
The Current Financial Position
Each year the government sets a budget which sets out its spending commitments and allocates resources to each department. In doing so it has to identify where it will get its revenue from. After the General Election the new Labour administration discovered that the Conservatives had failed to identify where £22billion of that revenue was coming from. Had that failure been over the entire five years of the budget cycle, it might have been possible to make up that shortfall in future years by growing the economy and increasing revenue from the expanded tax base. It was not. It was a £22billion hole in THIS YEAR’s budget.
This means that the new government must find that money either by raising taxes or cutting services within the rest of this fiscal year. That is incredibly difficult to do. It is also why the announcement of the cut to the allowance had to be made early – in July, just after the new government came in – because the payments would normally start to go out around the time of the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement when other measures are likely to be introduced.
Impact of the Changes
Because we have committed to the triple lock to protect state pensions, the average rise in the Full State Pension from April this year is already £900.00 and the projection is for a further £460.00 rise next April. Energy bills are expected to rise by an average of £149.00, and the Chancellor has used these figures to claim that the impact upon pensioners of the loss of the Winter Fuel Allowance will be marginal. The Allowance is £200 per household or £300 if the pensioner is over 80.
Whilst that may be argued in relation to the Full State Pension, it is important to remember – as a constituent pointed out to me recently – that those who claimed their pension prior to 2016 do not receive the Full State Pension. They receive the Basic State Pension because they had the option to receive an Additional State Pension, the amount of which depended on the number of National Insurance Stamps you had paid whilst in work.
The amount of the Basic State Pension only rose by £691.00 in April and is only projected to rise by £353 in April 2025. Although that is still a significant rise of over £1,000.00 it still leaves the Basic State Pension at just over £9,000.00. It should also be said that these are, by definition, older pensioners, (men born before April 1951 and women born before 1953) and this cohort are therefore more likely to have been getting the £300.00 so their proportionate loss is greater if they have not claimed Pension Credit.
The government would point out that in 1978 these older pensioners were given a second, State Earnings Related Pension or SERPS which paid up to 25% of salary on top of the Basic Pension. These second pensions however, were only available to those in employment and many older pensioners were self-employed and therefore not able to access SERPS. For those who wished to “opt out” of SERPS they paid a reduced rate of NI at the time and had an amount put into a money purchase pension pot.
This confusing overlap of multiple pension systems means that whilst many of those older pensioners do have an additional second pension on top of their Basic State Pension, there are some who do not. These are likely to be older pensioners who are particularly vulnerable to the cold and may not have applied for Pension Credit. It is right that help should be targeted at those who are worst off.
Targeting
When the winter fuel payment was introduced in 1997, a higher percentage of pensioners than people of working age were in poverty. That is no longer the case. Given that half of pensioners have wealth of over half a million pounds I believe it would be wrong not to redirect the money freed up from their winter payments towards assisting the very poorest; both pensioners and others, who through disability or illness have particular heating needs.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is also writing to 120,000 pensioner households who are in receipt of housing benefit but who are not yet claiming the pension credit that they are likely to be entitled to. This targeting of assistance to the most vulnerable is vital if we are to ensure the take up by all who need it.
The saving that the current change will make is projected to be £1.5 billion. On its own this will not solve the £21.9Billion budget deficit, but it will refocus a benefit that was widely seen as poorly targeted and, along with other measures, try to repair the damage to our society that was done by the irresponsibility of the previous government.
My Representations to the Chancellor
I have urged the Chancellor to look at three separate areas.
To increase the number of pensioners who claim Pension Credit through a nationwide campaign. I am pleased to say that since the announcement in July, the Government have received double the number of applications. I have asked that the campaign be as broad as possible, and run right through to the deadline for application on the 21st December.
To consider merging Pension Credit with Housing Benefit to simplify the system and ensure that pensioners who are already claiming Housing Benefit and most likely to be entitled to Pension Credit do not miss out.
To consider increasing the personal tax allowance for pensioners so that those pensioners who are just over the tax threshold do not find that they are having to pay very small amounts of tax on their marginal income (sums which are in themselves costly to administer).
There are two further points I wish to make
The responsibility for having to make these immediate snap changes lies with the Conservative government who left £21.9Billion of unfunded commitments in the budget for this financial year.
The combination of the state pension rising under the triple lock, with those in greatest need getting winter fuel payments alongside pension credit, and the extension of the household support fund, which those in need can access through their local council, means that the fewer pensioners should be in distress this winter than last.
Thank you once again for writing to me about this important matter.
Yours sincerely,
Barry Gardiner
Member of Parliament for Brent West
The UK's Official Development Assistance (ODA) Budget
Thank you for contacting me about overseas development assistance.
As you will know, the previous Government reduced the proportion of funding spent on overseas development assistance from 0.7% of gross national income (GNI). This had been the established target for the aid budget since the International Development Act 2015. In 2022, the proportion of gross national income spend on overseas development assistance was 0.51%.
I am committed to returning the aid budget to 0.7% of GNI. Unfortunately, the previous Government has left a dismal fiscal inheritance. However, the new Government is working to deliver economic growth and, once the fiscal situation allows, it will return the aid budget back to 0.7.
I want to see a world free from poverty on a liveable planet. Poverty and a lack of opportunities are drivers of vulnerability, conflicts and uncontrolled migration, a vicious cycle which breeds more poverty and hunger. The manifesto I stood on set out key priority areas for overseas development. These include supporting economic transformation, tackling unsustainable debt, empowering women and girls, supporting conflict prevention, and unlocking climate finance.
This Government is clear that it intends to take a new approach to international development, one characterised by genuine respect and partnership with the Global South in order to achieve our common interests. At the same time, it will also put in place robust measures of development effectiveness, transparency, and scrutiny for the money that is spent in this vital area.
We can change the future and this work starts now.
Thank you once again for contacting me about this issue.
Yours sincerely,
Barry Gardiner
MP for Brent West
E-collars
Thank you for contacting me in support of a ban on the use of electronic shock collars.
I recognise your concerns about the use of these collars, and I am grateful to you for contacting me to raise them.
As you know, these collars are sometimes used in the training of animals, commonly but not restricted to dogs. Some organisations such as the Association for Responsible Dog Owners argue that they are effective training methods.
However, I know that organisations like the RSPCA, the Kennel Club and the Dogs Trust oppose the use of the collars on the grounds that they are harmful to animal welfare and can generate unwanted behaviours and responses in the animals on which they are used.
Let me assure you that this new Government will introduce the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation and will bring forward its plans in due course. I know that Ministers are currently considering the available evidence around the use of electronic collars and their effects on the welfare of animals. I will continue to monitor developments on this subject with interest.
In the last parliament, I did much work in fighting animal abuse, such as tail docking, puppy-smuggling and more. You can read the report that the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee produced in April 2024, here: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/7283/pet-welfare-and-abuse/publications/
Animal welfare is an issue I care deeply about and I will do all I can to ensure that the Government fights to protect our pets.
Thank you once again for contacting me about this very important issue and for sharing your views.
Kind regards,
Barry Gardiner
MP for Brent West
The use of cages and crates on farms
Thank you for contacting me about the use of cages and crates on farms.
I know that Ministers are currently reviewing policies in this area and these will be announced in due course.
The new Government has committed to introduce the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation, and as a member of the EFRA committee in the last parliament, it is an issue which I take most seriously.
As part of that work on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, I worked with colleagues to provide scrutiny and recommendations to government to best improve the wellbeing of animals. We made specific recommendations in relation to including animal welfare into our trade treaties negotiation and, in another inquiry made several recommendations to stop abuse of animals being trafficked in the pet trade. You can read this report here: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/7283/pet-welfare-and-abuse/publications/
Thank you once again for contacting me about this important issue.
Kind regards,
Barry Gardiner
MP for Brent West
My views on abortion
Thank you for contacting me about abortion amendments in the Criminal Justice Bill.
The Criminal Justice Bill was introduced in the previous session of Parliament. Due to the General Election, it will make no further progress, as Bills are not carried over from one Parliament to another. The amendments you have contacted me about will therefore not be debated or become law.
I appreciate that abortion is a divisive issue, with strongly held views both sides of the debate which remains a matter of conscience for individual MPs. I would like to assure you that I am sending the same response to everyone.
My view is that abortion is an essential part of healthcare which is highly regulated and should not be subjected to more restrictive time limits or custodial sanctions. I personally believe there is a clear consensus on the need to take action to stop women being jailed for getting an abortion when they are doubtless at their most vulnerable – a position also supported by a range of health professionals.
More widely, I believe it is essential that women and girls have access to safe, high-quality healthcare that supports their wellbeing. This particularly applies to women’s sexual and reproductive healthcare, which is fragmented and understaffed, meaning that women do not always get the high-quality care they deserve.
Thank you once again for contacting me about this issue.
Yours sincerely,
Barry Gardiner
MP for Brent West
The Employment Rights Bill
Thank you for contacting me about the Employment Rights Bill.
Our economy is blighted by insecure work, low pay and poor productivity. Recent analysis by the Trade Union Congress showed that 16 years on from the global financial crisis, wages are set to be lower – in real terms – in 212 out of 340 UK local authorities in 2024. And in every UK local authority, real wages are far below where they would be if they had grown at the pre-2008 growth rate.
I therefore welcome that this Bill will deliver the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation and make work pay. It will end exploitative zero-hours contracts by introducing rights to reasonable notice of shifts and to be offered a contract with guaranteed hours, reflecting hours regularly worked. It will establish day one rights for paternity, parental and bereavement leave for millions of workers. And it will strengthen statutory sick pay by making employees eligible from the first day of illness or injury and removing the lower earnings limit test.
A particular aspect of the Bill that I am excited by and proud of is the end to fire and rehire. The Bill will make it automatically unfair to dismiss workers because they refuse to agree to a variation of contract. You may be aware that I campaigned for the end to fire and rehire and introduced a Private Members Bill in this effect. This Bill was unfortunately blocked by the Conservative Government at the time. I am incredibly happy that a Labour government will now bring the change that will protect millions of workers from predatory employment practices. You can find out more about my campaign to end fire and rehire here: https://stopfireandrehire.org/
The Bill will also require employers to justify the refusal of flexible working requests, expand employers’ duties to prevent harassment of staff and give employees protection from unfair dismissal from day one, subject to a potential probationary period. It also repeals the anti-union legislation put in place by the previous Government and strengthens the voice of working people by making it easier for trade unions to get recognised, giving them the right of access to workplaces and making sure they have enough time to represent their members.
In addition, the Bill will establish a fair pay agreements process in the adult social care sector and re-instate the School Support Staff Negotiating Body to improve terms and conditions for school support staff.
I believe this Bill will benefit not only working people but also employers, by helping to keep people in work and levelling the playing field on enforcement. I welcome that the new Government is calling time on the previous administration’s scorched earth approach to industrial relations, which led to the worst strikes chaos in decades. A new partnership between trade unions, employers and government will ensure we benefit from more cooperation and less disruption, as we raise the floor on workplace rights to deliver a stronger, fairer and brighter future for workers in the UK.
Thank you once again for contacting me about this important issue.
Kind regards,
Barry Gardiner
MP for Brent West
Fireworks
Thank you for contacting me about fireworks regulations.
Living in the heart of Wembley, as I do, it is a matter of real concern to me. Diwali and Guy Fawkes are nights of constant barrage as well as leaving the streets littered with the detritus of rockets and other discharged fireworks. As a dog owner I see first hand the distress caused to pets and it was for this reason that I introduced a Ten Minute Rule Bill on Fireworks into parliament more than 20 years ago. That bill eventually became the basis for the existing national regulations.
I do of course recognise that displays run by local charities and organisations can provide a safe and organised way for people to enjoy fireworks, while promoting community cohesion and raising funds for local causes. But, I believe it is important to ensure we also protect people, animals and the planet from the misuse of fireworks, and the stress and anxiety it can cause to smaller children, older people and those who suffer from mental health issues, as well as to pets and livestock.
Since January 2005, the sale of fireworks to the public has been prohibited, except for from licensed traders.
However, fireworks can be sold by unlicensed traders for Chinese New Year, Diwali, Bonfire Night celebrations and new year. Under the Fireworks Regulations 2004, it is an offence to use fireworks after 11pm and before 7am without permission, except on permitted fireworks nights, when the times are extended. The regulations also allow fireworks use by local authority employees to put on displays permitted by the local authority, or for a national public celebration.
The Government has made clear that, as a matter of best practice, those organising displays should give neighbouring property owners plenty of advance notice of the fireworks display and should ensure that fireworks are not set off near livestock or horses in fields, or close to buildings that house livestock.
I believe that when it comes to our firework regulations, it is important to consider properly whether the law has kept pace with developments, the changing impact of fireworks and whether any changes are needed.
I can therefore assure you that I will continue to monitor developments on this issue and keep in mind the points you raise.
Thank you once again for contacting me.
Yours sincerely,
Barry Gardiner
MP for Brent West
Private Hire Drivers
Thank you for contacting me about issues facing private hire drivers.
I believe that the taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) sectors provide a vital service to our communities. Every day our hard-working taxi and PHV drivers show up and deliver an excellent service – whether that is taking elderly people to their hospital appointments or making sure that children get to their school on time. The benefits of having a thriving taxi and PHV sector should not be underestimated.
The Government keeps the legislative and regulatory framework for taxis and private hire vehicles under review and I know is aware of the concerns you raise. To increase consistency in standards, the Department for Transport issues guidance to all licensing authorities in England. I am pleased that the Government is considering how to improve regulations whilst still enabling the sector to deliver safe and accessible services that meet a wide range of passenger needs.
Ministers have been clear that all employers must comply with their legal obligations towards those they engage.
I support the Government’s Employment Rights Bill which will upgrade workers’ rights across the UK. The Bill makes good on the Government’s promise to the British people to change their lives for the better and to deliver an economy that works for them. It will end the poor pay, poor working conditions and poor job security that have held too many people back for too long.
As part of this legislation, the Government is committed to creating the Fair Work Agency. It will bring existing functions like minimum wage enforcement into one place and it will also enforce rights such as holiday pay and Statutory Sick Pay. In addition, I welcome the Government’s commitment to consulting on moving towards a simpler two-part framework that differentiates between workers and the genuinely self-employed.
I am pleased that the Government is taking action to support motorists more widely by providing an extra £500 million for local highway maintenance for the 2025/26 financial year.
Thank you once again for contacting me about this important issue.
Kind regards,
Barry Gardiner
Member of Parliament for Brent West
The situation in Pakistan
Thank you for writing to me about the situation in Pakistan.
I am deeply concerned by the reports of the loss of life arising from recent protests in Islamabad. Please rest assured that the Government is closely monitoring the situation, including, I understand, the potential impact on British nationals.
I strongly support the right to protest. I am glad that the Government is urging the Pakistani authorities to respect protest and other fundamental freedoms. Recently, on 15 October, a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development (FCDO) Minister stated that “Pakistan is a FCDO human rights priority country. We work to protect and promote human rights in Pakistan through our diplomatic engagement and programme funding.”
I am concerned by reports that a number of journalists have gone missing following the protests. I believe that media freedom is important, and journalists should be protected.
I understand that the Government is urging authorities in Pakistan to ensure the safe return of all journalists. I welcome this, and the Government’s efforts to raise concerns about threats of violence directed towards religious minorities in Pakistan.
More broadly, I believe Pakistan must be open and tolerant. I welcome the Government's efforts to urge the government of Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people, as laid out in Pakistan's constitution and in line with international standards.
Pakistan is a human rights priority country for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. This means that the Government works to protect and promote human rights in Pakistan through diplomatic engagement and programme funding.
For example, the UK provides aid to Pakistan, with the aim of helping protect human rights and to boost inclusion. I am aware that the Government tries to target this aid closely, and where there are concerns, will raise these through diplomatic channels.
I can assure you that I will continue to support the Government’s work to press the Pakistani authorities to demonstrate their democratic credentials, including the right to a free and fair trial.
Thank you once again for contacting me about this serious and saddening issue.
Kind regards,
Barry Gardiner
Member of Parliament for Brent West
Tax on beer and pubs
Thank you for contacting me about tax on beer and pubs.
I appreciate the concerns you raise. Pubs make an enormous contribution to our economy and our society. They are an important part of our culture and heritage, and a crucial source of local employment. They bring vibrancy to communities and provide welcoming spaces for everybody. It is therefore worrying that they are still struggling to recover from the pandemic, as well as having been hit by the cost-of-living crisis. I am concerned that the last Government failed to protect businesses in the hospitality sector and allowed the running down of our high streets, with over 6,000 pubs and bars closing from 2010 to 2023.
I therefore welcome that the new Government took action in the Budget to support British pubs by cutting alcohol duty on draught products – which make up around 60% of the alcoholic drinks sold in pubs – reducing it by 1p per average strength pint from February 2025. This increases the relief available on draught products to 13.9% and will reduce businesses’ total duty bill by over £85 million a year.
I also recognise the concerns pubs have about business rates. Our business rates system disincentivises investment and creates uncertainty, and is particularly unfair on high street businesses such as pubs, which have shouldered too much of the burden for too long. I therefore welcome the Government’s plan that from 2026-27, it will introduce permanently lower tax rates for hospitality properties. This will enable them to benefit from much-needed certainty and support, and will be funded by introducing a higher multiplier on the most valuable properties, such as the warehouses used by large online companies.
In the meantime, as you will know, hospitality businesses were facing a cliff edge in April, with temporary business rates reliefs due to expire. I therefore also welcome that the Government has offered a 40% discount to retail, hospitality and leisure properties up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business in 20256-26, as well as freezing the small business multiplier. This is a support package worth over £1.6 billion in 2025-26 and will save the average pub over £3,300 in 2025.
Thank you once again for contacting me. I can assure you that I am committed to ensuring our pubs are able to thrive again.
Kind regards,
Barry Gardiner
MP for Brent West
Fraud Error and Debt Bill
Dear Constituent,
Thank you for contacting me about the proposed Fraud, Error and Debt Bill.
I believe it is important that any proposals to use data to identify fraud and error are implemented with the proper safeguards in place.
Whilst the level of fraud in the welfare system is unacceptable, with almost £10 billion lost last year, I think it is vital that government also focuses on the far greater amount of tax evasion that the wealthiest people in society get away with each year. We must not tolerate tax evasion and equally should not tolerate those who defraud the social security system. Both are effectively stealing from their fellow citizens.
Increased use of data will be essential on clamping down on fraud, but we need to make sure that any powers used to collect these are legal, proportionate, and targeted.
I was therefore glad to see the Work and Pensions Secretary explain that the eligibility verification measure in the new Bill will not give the DWP access to any bank accounts, nor information on how claimants spend their money. Instead, the proposed new power helps verify benefit eligibility, using only very limited information from banks and financial institutions.
I should stress that safeguarding vulnerable claimants is always a priority. The Bill will have a clearly defined scope and clear limitations for all the powers that the Government is introducing.
The Bill will also include safeguarding measures, reporting mechanisms and independent oversight. It is important that claimants can see that any new powers are being used fairly and effectively.
I am also aware that the Government intends to consult on a Code of Practice during the passage of the Bill. I believe this is an important additional step, which will help provide further assurance on the safe use of these powers.
Thank you once again for contacting me about this serious issue.
Kind regards,
Barry Gardiner
Pension Compensation
Dear Constituent,
Thank you for contacting me about the impact of State Pension Age (SPA) equalisation on women and the investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), whose findings were presented to the previous Government on 21 March 2024.
I have been a long-time supporter of the WASPI Women I must admit I am disappointed in the government’s response. I will first outline their position and then my own.
It is important to note that the investigation was not into the SPA equalisation itself, but into how that change was communicated. Nevertheless, I understand that the accelerated timescale in the Pensions Act 2011 impacted many women. I note that, at the time that Act was being debated in Parliament, Ministers in the then coalition Government refused to introduce fair transitional arrangements to protect women born in the 1950s.
The Government fully accepts the Ombudsman’s findings that previous administrations committed maladministration when it came to communicating the change in the SPA. It has, therefore, rightly apologised. However, given that most women knew the SPA was increasing, the Government does not believe that paying a flat rate of compensation, at a cost of up to £10.5 billion, would be a fair or proportionate use of taxpayers’ money. The Government is clear that this has been an extremely difficult decision to take but that it is the right course of action, as current circumstances cannot be ignored. This includes the fact that the previous Government failed to set aside a single penny for any compensation scheme while leaving a significant black hole in the public finances that needed to be filled.
The Government recognises that 1950s-born women will be deeply disappointed by the lack of compensation. However, they would respectfully reject any notion that the they are not committed to supporting women in retirement. The new State Pension will increase by more than £470 a year in April 2025, thanks to the triple lock. The Government will also maintain the triple lock by spending £31 billion over the next five years, money that will help protect pensioners in retirement.
This is an area where I differ from the Government, however. Shortly after the announcement I spoke to the Mirror to express my deep sadness at the government’s response. All of us who stood alongside the WASPI women in their campaign knew when we supported them, that the costs were substantial. Many of us feel the reason for that is because the injustice done to them is substantial. It cannot be a reason now to abandon a solution.
More widely, I know that lessons must also be learnt from what has happened over recent decades to ensure everyone can properly plan for their retirement. I believe that information about any future changes to the SPA should be communicated in a timely and targeted way.
Thank you for contacting me on this issue.
Yours sincerely,
Barry Gardiner
The Tragedy Unfolding in Gaza
Thank you for your recent email concerning the continuing tragedy unfolding in Gaza.
Since the horrific attack by Hamas on October 7th and the unjustifiable seizure of hostages, the situation in Gaza has become intolerable. Children are starving, the healthcare system is being dismantled and approximately 40,000 people have been killed. 70% of the civilian infrastructure – homes, schools, hospitals, and places of worship have all been destroyed.
On Thursday, October 10th I made a speech in Westminster Hall where I laid out the UK’s current failings in line with international law. I argued that in order to abide by our commitment to the international rule of law the UK must recognise the state of Palestine and ensure that we as a nation do not support or condone the illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories. You can watch and read this speech here: https://www.barrygardiner.com/barry-in-the-commons/the-uk-still-does-not-recognise-the-state-of-palestine-this-is-incompatible-with-international-law
Earlier this year I welcomed the foreign secretary David Lammy’s call for a ceasefire and reinstatement of funding for UNWRA, and pressured him to end arms sales to Israel. Watch this here: https://www.barrygardiner.com/barry-in-the-commons/what-are-the-government-doing-to-pressure-the-israeli-government-on-human-rights
As I have said in my previous letters, the situation is so fast-moving that it is difficult to summarise events and their consequences in an email without the risk of being out of date by the time it is read. That is why I have always tried to set out the principles upon which I base my judgements and decisions, rather than simply responding to each twist and turn of events.
You will know that:
I was the first Member of Parliament to go on the media to demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
I have also been constant in demanding the removal of all restrictions on humanitarian aid, and the need to uphold international law.
I have insisted upon the unconditional release of all hostages and illegally detained people.
I spoke out in advance against the offensive by the IDF in Rafah, and predicted it would be a humanitarian catastrophe.
I demanded the reinstatement and restoration of funding to UNWRA.
I called for a visa scheme that can provide a safe route to reunite Palestinians in Gaza with their family members here in the UK.
I have written to the former Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary demanding that the UK stop arms sales to Israel which are in danger of making our country complicit in breaches of international law and what the ICJ has described as “plausible risk” of war crimes.
Here in Britain, the former President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, Baroness Hale of Richmond, along with 1,100 lawyers, legal academics and former members of the judiciary, signed a joint legal opinion indicating that suspending funding to UNRWA puts the UK in breach of its international obligations to prevent genocide. The government must immediately do all it can to help aid get into Gaza and this includes reinstating funding for the UNWRA now.
The importance of the International Court of Justice cannot be overestimated. The ICJ has ruled that South Africa has brought a plausible case that the people of Palestine need to be protected against genocide and that as such, their rights are at risk of irreparable damage. I support the court’s rulings and call for Israel to implement the provisional measures that the ICJ has demanded.
I signed the Early Day Motion 177 and have advocated for it on the mainstream media. You can access my most recent statements in relation to the ICJ here: https://vimeo.com/943986809?share=copy
You can also read the letter I co-signed with my colleague Zarah Sultana here: https://twitter.com/zarahsultana/status/1772898790053155083
As the situation has worsened in Gaza, we have seen increasing breaches of international law in the West Bank. The increase in settler violence against Palestinians, demolition of their homes and property, and the deliberate and systematic spread of Israeli settlements appears to be part of a deliberate campaign to annexe more and more Palestinian land in the West Bank, making the settlements a fait acompli. That is why I have always called for a restriction on settlement goods being imported into the UK.
The need for emergency visa schemes to get people out of an active warzone is one I have always supported – whether it be for civilians in Ukraine, Afghanistan or Gaza. The UK must do all it can to allow families to reunite in safety. In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the UK government introduced the Ukraine Family Scheme. The government must now do the same for the Palestinians.
Finally I have signed a letter to the former Foreign Secretary urging him to respect the International Criminal Court and not allow its work to be undermined If you would like to discover more about my responses as the situation has unfolded since October 7 2023, you can visit my website where you will also find links to my appearances on the Today Programme, ITV News, BBC Politics Live, Politics Joe and more.
In all these interviews I make it clear that a ceasefire is the only way to move the situation forward and that the UK must not be complicit in breaches of international law.
You can find these by clicking on the links here:
https://www.barrygardiner.com/barry-on-the-box/israel-gaza-war-barry-will-vote-for-a-ceasefire-today
https://www.barrygardiner.com/barry-on-the-box/we-must-take-moral-leadership-and-negotiate-a-ceasefire
https://www.barrygardiner.com/barry-on-the-box/why-barry-will-vote-for-a-ceasefire-today
My original letter to constituents following October 7th is also there: https://www.barrygardiner.com/policy-responses/israel-gaza-war-15th-october-2023
Winter Fuel Allowance
Dear Constituent,
I recognise the worry and anger that the announcement of this change by the Chancellor has caused. In this letter I will set out my own view about the change and also try to explain the wider financial context in which the government has taken the decision.
The Principle of Universal Benefits.
I believe that Universal Benefits are an important element of social cohesion. They avoid a two-tier society where some people see themselves as paying tax but not being treated equally in the benefits they receive. They also avoid others (mistakenly) feeling reluctant to claim the benefits to which they are entitled – often expressed as “I don’t want charity” -- when in fact it is their rightful due for all that they have contributed to the community.
Universality takes away this split and for that reason I prefer universal benefits as part of the “social glue” that makes for a coherent and harmonious society. It is also the case that the very process of means testing can be a costly and bureaucratic process and can sometimes undermine any perceived savings that come from limiting the number of people who are entitled to receive it.
Means Tested Benefits.
Whilst universality is the ideal, I recognise that successive reports dating back to 2009 have pointed out that the Winter Fuel Allowance is “poorly targeted” with only as little as 12% of recipients being thought to be “Fuel Poor”. That is why successive governments have examined the case for means testing. Indeed, many wealthier pensioners have questioned why they receive this benefit, saying they do not need it.
The current proposal is to pay the benefit only to those who are eligible for Pension Credit. In financial terms that means people whose income is less than £218.15 a week if you are single, or £332.95 if you live with a partner. (if your income is higher, you may still be eligible if you have a disability).
I am deeply concerned, however, that there are 880,000 pensioners who are eligible for Pension Credit but do not claim it. That is why I will be working with the local council and local organisations to ensure that those people do get the money they are entitled to.
The key problem with means tested benefits is the creation of a cliff edge, where those whose income is just a few pence above the threshold, lose out entirely on the benefit. This does seem manifestly unfair and I have suggested that there should be a taper system where those just over the threshold receive a diminishing benefit.
I am aware that the administration cost of a taper system can be very expensive and therefore reduces the amount of any projected savings. For this reason, I have supported the solution proposed by Martin Lewis: to make payments to those pensioners who live in housing council tax bands A to D. They are the ones who are likely to be amongst the poorest pensioners whilst those living in higher council tax bands are likely to be asset rich even if they are cash poor. It is not a perfect solution, but in a constrained financial position, I consider it a reasonable one.
The Current Financial Position
Each year the government sets a budget which sets out its spending commitments and allocates resources to each department. In doing so it has to identify where it will get its revenue from. After the General Election the new Labour administration discovered that the Conservatives had failed to identify where £22billion of that revenue was coming from. Had that failure been over the entire five years of the budget cycle, it might have been possible to make up that shortfall in future years by growing the economy and increasing revenue from the expanded tax base. It was not. It was a £22billion hole in THIS YEAR’s budget.
This means that the new government must find that money either by raising taxes or cutting services within the rest of this fiscal year. That is incredibly difficult to do. It is also why the announcement of the cut to the allowance had to be made early – in July, just after the new government came in – because the payments would normally start to go out around the time of the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement when other measures are likely to be introduced.
Impact of the Changes
Because we have committed to the triple lock to protect state pensions, the average rise in the Full State Pension from April this year is already £900.00 and the projection is for a further £460.00 rise next April. Energy bills are expected to rise by an average of £149.00, and the Chancellor has used these figures to claim that the impact upon pensioners of the loss of the Winter Fuel Allowance will be marginal. The Allowance is £200 per household or £300 if the pensioner is over 80.
Whilst that may be argued in relation to the Full State Pension, it is important to remember – as a constituent pointed out to me recently – that those who claimed their pension prior to 2016 do not receive the Full State Pension. They receive the Basic State Pension because they had the option to receive an Additional State Pension, the amount of which depended on the number of National Insurance Stamps you had paid whilst in work.
The amount of the Basic State Pension only rose by £691.00 in April and is only projected to rise by £353 in April 2025. Although that is still a significant rise of over £1,000.00 it still leaves the Basic State Pension at just over £9,000.00. It should also be said that these are, by definition, older pensioners, (men born before April 1951 and women born before 1953) and this cohort are therefore more likely to have been getting the £300.00 so their proportionate loss is greater if they have not claimed Pension Credit.
The government would point out that in 1978 these older pensioners were given a second, State Earnings Related Pension or SERPS which paid up to 25% of salary on top of the Basic Pension. These second pensions however, were only available to those in employment and many older pensioners were self-employed and therefore not able to access SERPS. For those who wished to “opt out” of SERPS they paid a reduced rate of NI at the time and had an amount put into a money purchase pension pot.
This confusing overlap of multiple pension systems means that whilst many of those older pensioners do have an additional second pension on top of their Basic State Pension, there are some who do not. These are likely to be older pensioners who are particularly vulnerable to the cold and may not have applied for Pension Credit. It is right that help should be targeted at those who are worst off.
Targeting
When the winter fuel payment was introduced in 1997, a higher percentage of pensioners than people of working age were in poverty. That is no longer the case. Given that half of pensioners have wealth of over half a million pounds I believe it would be wrong not to redirect the money freed up from their winter payments towards assisting the very poorest; both pensioners and others, who through disability or illness have particular heating needs.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is also writing to 120,000 pensioner households who are in receipt of housing benefit but who are not yet claiming the pension credit that they are likely to be entitled to. This targeting of assistance to the most vulnerable is vital if we are to ensure the take up by all who need it.
The saving that the current change will make is projected to be £1.5 billion. On its own this will not solve the £21.9Billion budget deficit, but it will refocus a benefit that was widely seen as poorly targeted and, along with other measures, try to repair the damage to our society that was done by the irresponsibility of the previous government.
The critical point is that the combination of the state pension rising under the triple lock, with those in greatest need getting winter fuel payments alongside pension credit, not to mention the extension of the household support fund, which those in need can access through their local council, means that the fewer pensioners should be in distress this winter than last.
My Representations to the Chancellor
I have urged the Chancellor to look at three separate areas.
To increase the number of pensioners who claim Pension Credit through a nationwide campaign. I am pleased to say that since the announcement in July, the Government have received double the number of applications. I have asked that the campaign be as broad as possible, and run right through to the deadline for application on the 21st December.
To consider merging Pension Credit with Housing Benefit to simplify the system and ensure that pensioners who are already claiming Housing Benefit and most likely to be entitled to Pension Credit do not miss out.
To consider increasing the personal tax allowance for pensioners so that those pensioners who are just over the tax threshold do not find that they are having to pay very small amounts of tax on their marginal income (sums which are in themselves costly to administer).
There are two further points I wish to make
The responsibility for having to make these immediate snap changes lies with the Conservative government who left £21.9Billion of unfunded commitments in the budget for this financial year.
The combination of the state pension rising under the triple lock, with those in greatest need getting winter fuel payments alongside pension credit, and the extension of the household support fund, which those in need can access through their local council, means that the fewer pensioners should be in distress this winter than last.
Thank you once again for writing to me about this important matter.
Yours sincerely,
Barry Gardiner
Member of Parliament for Brent West
An Update on the Tragedy Unfolding in Gaza
Dear Constituent,
Since the horrific attack by Hamas on October 7th and the unjustifiable seizure of hostages, the situation in Gaza has become intolerable. Children are starving, the healthcare system is being dismantled and approximately 40,000 people have been killed. 70% of the civilian infrastructure – homes, schools, hospitals, and places of worship have all been destroyed.
On Thursday, October 10th I made a speech in Westminster Hall where I laid out the UK’s current failings in line with international law. I argued that in order to abide by our commitment to the international rule of law the UK must recognise the state of Palestine and ensure that we as a nation do not support or condone the illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories. You can watch and read this speech here: https://www.barrygardiner.com/barry-in-the-commons
Earlier this year I welcomed the foreign secretary David Lammy’s call for a ceasefire and reinstatement of funding for UNWRA, and pressured him to end arms sales to Israel. Watch this here: https://www.barrygardiner.com/barry-in-the-commons/what-are-the-government-doing-to-pressure-the-israeli-government-on-human-rights
As I have said in my previous letters, the situation is so fast-moving that it is difficult to summarise events and their consequences in an email without the risk of being out of date by the time it is read. That is why I have always tried to set out the principles upon which I base my judgements and decisions, rather than simply responding to each twist and turn of events.
You will know that:
I was the first Member of Parliament to go on the media to demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
I have also been constant in demanding the removal of all restrictions on humanitarian aid, and the need to uphold international law.
I have insisted upon the unconditional release of all hostages and illegally detained people.
I spoke out in advance against the offensive by the IDF in Rafah, and predicted it would be a humanitarian catastrophe.
I demanded the reinstatement and restoration of funding to UNWRA.
I called for a visa scheme that can provide a safe route to reunite Palestinians in Gaza with their family members here in the UK.
I have written to the former Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary demanding that the UK stop arms sales to Israel which are in danger of making our country complicit in breaches of international law and what the ICJ has described as “plausible risk” of war crimes.
Here in Britain, the former President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, Baroness Hale of Richmond, along with 1,100 lawyers, legal academics and former members of the judiciary, signed a joint legal opinion indicating that suspending funding to UNRWA puts the UK in breach of its international obligations to prevent genocide. The government must immediately do all it can to help aid get into Gaza and this includes reinstating funding for the UNWRA now.
The importance of the International Court of Justice cannot be overestimated. The ICJ has ruled that South Africa has brought a plausible case that the people of Palestine need to be protected against genocide and that as such, their rights are at risk of irreparable damage. I support the court’s rulings and call for Israel to implement the provisional measures that the ICJ has demanded.
I signed the Early Day Motion 177 and have advocated for it on the mainstream media. You can access my most recent statements in relation to the ICJ here: https://vimeo.com/943986809?share=copy
You can also read the letter I co-signed with my colleague Zarah Sultana here: https://twitter.com/zarahsultana/status/1772898790053155083
As the situation has worsened in Gaza, we have seen increasing breaches of international law in the West Bank. The increase in settler violence against Palestinians, demolition of their homes and property, and the deliberate and systematic spread of Israeli settlements appears to be part of a deliberate campaign to annexe more and more Palestinian land in the West Bank, making the settlements a fait acompli. That is why I have always called for a restriction on settlement goods being imported into the UK.
The need for emergency visa schemes to get people out of an active warzone is one I have always supported – whether it be for civilians in Ukraine, Afghanistan or Gaza. The UK must do all it can to allow families to reunite in safety. In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the UK government introduced the Ukraine Family Scheme. The government must now do the same for the Palestinians.
Finally I have signed a letter to the former Foreign Secretary urging him to respect the International Criminal Court and not allow its work to be undermined If you would like to discover more about my responses as the situation has unfolded since October 7 2023, you can visit my website where you will also find links to my appearances on the Today Programme, ITV News, BBC Politics Live, Politics Joe and more.
In all these interviews I make it clear that a ceasefire is the only way to move the situation forward and that the UK must not be complicit in breaches of international law.
You can find these by clicking on the links here:
https://www.barrygardiner.com/barry-on-the-box/israel-gaza-war-barry-will-vote-for-a-ceasefire-today
https://www.barrygardiner.com/barry-on-the-box/we-must-take-moral-leadership-and-negotiate-a-ceasefire
https://www.barrygardiner.com/barry-on-the-box/why-barry-will-vote-for-a-ceasefire-today
My original letter to constituents following October 7th is also there: https://www.barrygardiner.com/policy-responses/israel-gaza-war-15th-october-2023
Sincerely,
Barry Gardiner
Member of Parliament for Brent West
Pensions tax allowance
Dear constituent,
Thank you for contacting me about the income tax personal allowance for pensioners. I recognise that the freeze in the income tax personal allowance introduced by the last Government means a tax increase for pensioners already paying tax, as well as many pensioners paying tax out of their fixed income for the first time.
Unfortunately, given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances, including the £22 billion blackhole left by unfunded spending commitments made by the last Government, the new Government has to make tough choices to bring the public finances under control. It is only by taking these tough decisions and not making unfunded commitments on tax or spending that we can begin the process of change. By providing economic stability, we can begin to attract the investment and growth that our country desperately needs in order to fund our public services.
Nevertheless, I can assure you that I am committed to supporting our pensioners. Everyone in our society, no matter their work history or savings, deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. I welcome the Government’s commitment to protecting the triple lock on pensions over the lifetime of this parliament.
The triple lock, which guarantees that the state pension increases each year in line with the highest of either inflation, average earnings or 2.5%, saw the new state pension rise by over £900 this year, and I know that a further rise will be announced at the Budget on 30 October. I am pleased that over 12 million pensioners are set to benefit from the triple lock over the course of this parliament, with the full yearly rate of the state pension forecast to increase by around £1700.
In addition, pension credit continues to provide a safety net for the poorest pensioners and those with additional needs, such as those with a severe disability, caring responsibility, responsibility for a child or certain housing costs. I welcome that the Government has launched a nationwide campaign to increase the take-up of pension credit by those eligible.
Thank you once again for contacting me about this important issue. I can assure you that I am committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement.
Kind regards,
Barry Gardiner
MP for Brent West
Assisted Dying
Dear Constituent,
Thank you for contacting me about assisted dying. This is a complex and emotive issue with strongly held ethical and moral views on both sides of the debate. I find myself with conflicting views. I believe personal autonomy is important and I can envisage a scenario in which I might wish to take a decision to end my own life. This prompts me to reflect that if I voted against the bill I might be denying others a right I would wish to have for myself. However, I am conscious that the very existence of that legal right could put pressure on some individuals or make them more susceptible to manipulation by others who would pressure them to take a decision to end their lives.
Successive governments, of both parties, have taken the position that the law on assisted suicide is a matter of conscience for individual MPs. The Prime Minister has confirmed that any change in the law on assisted dying will not happen via a Government Bill. A change can only be made via a Private Members’ Bill (PMB); that is a Bill introduced by a backbench MP or Peer. It is rightly a matter for individual MPs, rather than political parties, to decide the purpose of such Private Members’ Bills.
Such a Bill would be debated and refined on a cross-party basis with each Member free to speak and vote according to their own conscience. It would, of course, be scrutinised by both Houses of Parliament in turn. Therefore changing the law in this area would not be a quick process but one that gave time for reflection and a considered discussion of the issues raised.
In my view, if the law does change, it is vital that it also includes strong and proper safeguards. Furthermore, any reform should recognise the concerns that many people have, including those who support reform in principle, to try to achieve the widest possible consensus.
If the law were to change, I believe that assisted dying should not become an alternative to high-quality palliative and end of life care. People deserve dignity in dying, and each person nearing the end of their life should feel reassured and safe in the knowledge they will receive the very best care.
As your elected representative in Parliament, I assure you I will bear in mind the points you have raised and will be giving this issue an enormous amount of thought over the next few weeks up to the vote.
Thank you once again for contacting me about these matters.
Yours sincerely,
Barry Gardiner
Member of Parliament for Brent West
Supporting Brent Pharmacies.
In May 2020 Barry wrote a letter to the Department of Health and Social Care raising these issues, demanding that the government take action in supporting pharmacies through the Covid-19 pandemic.
