Honoured by Berkeley for “30 Years of Public Service”
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Adoption Debate House of Lords
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This is a photo of my son Elia with his amazing foster mother Treena. And this is my Lords debate where I argue for a change in the law. It is CRAZY that the Government is making it harder (in some cases) for incredible foster parents like Treena to help Britain's most vulnerable children. Treena picked up Elia from hospital at 10 days old, and with her mum Pam, helped him recover from a terribly difficult start in life. By the time I got Elia at 13 months old, his health and prospects we're transformed. We should make things easier for foster families like Treena's, not harder. So here's what I argued:
My Lords this amendment seeks to prevent the introduction of financial disincentives for adoptive parents. I strongly commend the Government’s stated desire to increase adoption rates where adoption is an appropriate outcome for the child concerned. However, recently passed legislation will have the opposite effect, which is why I have tabled this amendment. The noble and learned Baroness, Lady Butler-Sloss, first brought this to my attention, and the Committee reminded itself this afternoon that if she thinks something is a problem, it is a problem.
The British people must vote on final Brexit deal
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Let me begin by making one thing very plain: at this point in time, it is the will of the British people to leave the European Union, and therefore negotiations on Brexit must take place. Once they conclude, and once the shape and meaning of Brexit becomes clear, at that point, it is only fair and democratic that the British people accept or reject the final deal.
The problem is, at the moment we have no idea when that deal will be made, even if it will be made, or what it will include. To borrow a phrase, we know nothing.
25th Wedding Anniversary!
...in 2019 I celebrate my 25th Wedding Anniversary
Being an MP...
If you want to know what it was like being an MP, this is my 8 years as an MP reduced down to 15 minutes. Read more...
Oona with 3 of her 4 kids
Information on Oona's work on adoption
Idris goes to Parliament
His speech on diversity in the media
Questions in Parliament
My tribute to Jo Cox MP
House of Lords, 20th June 2016
I knew Jo because we both worked for the Kinnocks, we both worked for the Browns, we both worked for Labour Women's Network - which Jo Chaired - and we both had a habit of ending up in refugee camps.
In the run-up to Jo's election as an MP, she told me my diaries of Westminster nearly put her off. "Thing is", she said, "I know my constituency would never cause me as much grief as yours." This is the only thing Jo was wrong about.
THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES: WHY OUR FUTURE DEPENDS ON THEM
Speech to Parliament as Shadow Broadcast Minister:
A generation ago, in 1998, the Labour Government defined the creative industries as comprising any business with the potential to generate,
“wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property”.
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