2018

The Government is in chaos. On Tuesday 4 December 2018, it was defeated three times in a row in the House of Commons.

I responded to the Business of the House motion on Tuesday 4 December 2018 which sets out the proceedings of debate on the EU Withdrawal Act.

3 December is the United Nation’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities. More than one billion people, or approximately 15 per cent of the world’s population, live with some form of disability.

I raised the Government’s refusal to publish the full legal advice on the Brexit deal with the Leader of the House. The House resolved that the Government would publish the legal advice but the Government now says that it will publish a position statement. A position statement can exclude that part of the advice that states that the Government may or may not be acting appropriately, or the consequences of the way in which the Government act. We need clarity and transparency. This is in the national interest. We govern in the people’s name, not in our own name.

I  was delighted to attend a moving event in Speaker’s House on Monday 26 November 2018 to mark the passing into law of the Mental Health Units (Use of Force) Act 2018.