June Highlights

This is where we are at with our current casework:

📥Cases opened for residents: 596

📤Cases closed for residents: 541

⏳Total number of cases we are currently working on: 279

Please contact us and we will always try to help:

📧mark.sewards.mp@parliament.uk

A Tribute to Karen Renshaw

I’m deeply saddened by the death of Karen Renshaw. The news hit me like a truck. Karen served as a dedicated councillor for the people of Ardsley & Robin Hood for over 22 years. Her commitment to the ward was unquestionable and her love for her daughter Lily, unshakeable. I first met Karen when I joined the Labour Party in 2008, we campaigned alongside each other for many years and, when I was elected as a councillor in 2022, she was an enormous help to me, both personally and professionally. Her sense of public duty always shone through and I will miss her dearly.

Summer has arrived in Leeds South West and Morley

The sun has made a welcome appearance in Leeds South West & Morley, just in time for community fayres, fetes, festivals and fantastic events.

As your Member of Parliament, I am required to work in Westminster from Monday to Thursday, so I use Friday to Sunday every week to squeeze in as much constituency work as I can, including my weekly surgeries. In June, I had the pleasure of attending events in every corner of our constituency. Some highlights include, the St Michael’s Summer Fair in East Ardsley, the Lancasterian School Rooms Summer Fete, in New Farnley, the Gildersome Scarecrow Festival and the Mayor or Morley’s Civic Service at Morley Community Church.

This month, I joined with colleagues, community leaders and constituents at the final ‘Run for Jo’, which has been held annually for the past ten years in memory of Jo Cox, murdered at a constituency surgery. My sincere thanks go to Kim Leadbeater, the Jo Cox Foundation, GMB and More in Common for organising this special tribute to Jo’s legacy. It was a powerful reminder that Jo was absolutely right when she said, “We are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us.”

I was also proud to recognise the incredible commitment of students at the Global Banking School who conducted their first graduation ceremony in Leeds, with nearly 2,000 in attendance at the Royal Armoires. Many of their graduates have overcome challenges, including caring responsibilities, working full-time and/or raising a family too, while still completing their studies in person. I commend them for their efforts.

Although this is a summary for June, I wrote this after England knocked out DR Congo to progress to the round of 16. I hope, that by the time I write the next issue, England will still be celebrating victory in the final. We can hope.

Tacking State Threats Bill passes every Commons stage

I have spent the last 2 years lobbying the Government at every level, both publicly and privately, to create the powers required to designate the nefarious Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a threat to the UK. The IRGC threatens our people, plans terror attacks on our streets, pays people to carry out evil deeds and is a threat to the British Jewish Community.

The Government agreed to introduce the Tackling State Threats Bill in June, a narrow and focussed piece of legislation, which will allow us to designate the IRGC and other state threats, such as those based in Russia and China, who threaten our people. We can then target and dismantle their networks and operators here in the UK, alongside harsh punishments for those that work with them. During the passage of the Bill, I spoke at every Commons stage to underscore the reasons that this law must receive Royal Assent as soon as possible. I was pleased it passed.

Time to rewrite the NHS Dental Contract

Everyone knows there’s much more work to do to save NHS dentistry. The Government’s funding commitment to provide hundreds of thousands more appointments is welcome and it does fulfil a manifesto promise. However, far too many people still cannot access an NHS dentist.

The trade-offs required to make a new contract work are significant. It will cost at least £1.5 billion, with some estimates higher still, and we must raise and spend every penny wisely. But NHS dentistry is too important, and too inaccessible for too many, so we must step in and save it.

Social media ban for under-16s from 2027

I welcomed the Government’s decision to raise the minimum age for social media access to 16 from 2027. Thank you to everyone who shared their views with me, whether by speaking me to me online or at events across Leeds South West & Morley. I also worked with the Education Select Committee to gather evidence on the proposal, including lessons from the Australian model.

I know there are strong opinions on this, but I believe it is the right move. Social media algorithms are increasingly designed to keep children hooked, and many parents have told me they want a cultural reset. While there will undoubtedly be ways around it, just like any other age restriction, giving children three more years before they typically access these platforms is a positive step.

Learning the lessons from the Nottingham Maternity & Neonatal Inquiry

Following the publication of the second phase of the Fuller Inquiry, I raised the deeply distressing findings about the mistreatment of babies’ bodies. I told the Health Secretary about Cody, Liam and Zoe, whose experiences are relevant to the inquiry, and asked for a meeting ahead of the Government’s response to the final recommendations. I was pleased to receive a commitment that this meeting will take place so that their voices can be heard. It will take place in July.

I also spoke about the upcoming maternity inquiry into Leeds, led by Donna Ockenden. Families deserve openness, honesty and answers, so I welcomed the Government’s commitment to preserving a duty of candour and asked for reassurance that the lessons learned from previous maternity inquiries will be fully applied in Leeds. That includes applying the ‘duty of candour’ set out in the Hillsborough Law, so that people in prominent positions cannot evade difficult questions. The Health Secretary agreed that those lessons must shape the inquiry from the outset, helping to ensure families receive the accountability and support they deserve.

The Leeds Inquiry is being set up now and will begin very soon.

Fighting antisemitism

I was pleased to finally secure a debate on antisemitism on university campuses. I’d like to thank the Union of Jewish Students and Jewish Communal Bodies for the vital work they do in fighting the normalisation of antisemitism in higher education.

It was a deeply personal debate for me. I am not Jewish, but my experience at university alongside Jewish students helped to shape the person and the politician I am today. When I was a student at the University of Leeds in 2008, I decided to stand with the Jewish society. Even then, despite not having a deep or ingrained knowledge of the issues surrounding Israel, Palestine or modern antisemitism, I could see that my fellow students were subject to racism and discrimination just because they were Jewish.

It was an excellent debate and I thank everyone who attended, no matter which party they represented. I was pleased that the Government agreed to my specific request and will be strengthening oversight of universities’ Prevent duties through their Protecting What Matters programme, which the Minister confirmed would be released very soon.

I was also honoured to be invited as a guest speaker at the Leeds Leads Against Antisemitism demo in City Square. I commend the organisers for putting on such a crucial event and it was great to meet other speakers, most from different religious or ethic backgrounds, who share a common cause. There is more that unites us than that which divides us.

Dealing with criminals

There have been a number recent despicable break-ins across Morley and Churwell-based businesses and homes. I’m sickened by these attacks on people’s livelihoods and we need to put these criminals in prison, where they belong.

You’ll recall that we had to deal with a similar spate of crimes last year which ended when we caught the people responsible. Once again, I have been in regular contact with Inspector Mark Lund, who has assured me the police are providing extra emergency resources and patrols. As soon as I have more information, I will update you.

Supporting Our Community

One of the most rewarding parts of any week is hosting my regular, in-person surgeries, where residents can ask me for support with anything or put any question to me.

In June, I held them at New Farnley Community Centre, Gildersome Meeting Hall, Christ Church Lofthouse and Morley Labour Rooms. I rotate them between 13 different locations in the constituency and I’m very grateful to everyone who hosts me.

And finally, congratulations to Noel Bullock on becoming the Mayor of Morley. I was honoured to deliver his Oath of Affirmation and look forward to working with him in the year ahead.

Please contact me if I can help:

mark.sewards.mp@parliament.uk

June Update