2017 April

I was delighted to keep a Walsall tradition alive and take part in the ceremony of Walking the Fair, an annual event which dates back as far as 1662. This is a tradition where local stall holders give a donation to the Mayor Councillor Kath Phillips JP for those in need as the Mayor does the walk. The photo shows l-r the Mayors Consort Maurice, to my left the Mayor and on the far right of the photo Cllr Eileen Russell, Councillor for St Matthews.

Following the recent announcement of a General Election, Business Questions to the Leader of the House was the last before Parliament is Prorogued and there is a dissolution of Parliament. I raised various issues with the Leader of the House, Rt Hon David Lidington MP. My speech is below:

I attended the Vaisakhi celebrations in Parliament on Tuesday 18 April 2017 organised by Pat McFadden, Labour MP for Wolverhampton South East. Sikhs from the Black Country and across the country attended Mr Speaker’s apartments to celebrate Vaisakhi, one of the most important dates in the Sikh calendar. It is the Sikh New Year festival and it also commemorates 1699, the year Sikhism was born as a collective faith.