Kevan’s latest Parliamentary update is available here: Parliamentary Update – December 2023
NATO PA visit to Washington D.C.
At the start of the month I visited Washington D.C. in my role as a Vice President of NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Over 100 members of parliament from 25 nations came together to discuss NATO Allies’ continued commitment to Ukraine and other priorities at the top of the transatlantic security agenda with experts and US government officials.
Rwanda Bill
I took part in the debate on the Government’s Rwanda Bill on 12 December. The Bill was introduced after the Supreme Court determined that the existing scheme to detain and process asylum seekers in Rwanda is unlawful based on the risk that an individual could be returned to a country where they face persecution or ill treatment.
I have never believed the Rwanda scheme will work and I think the Government’s new Bill will damage the international reputation of our country and waste taxpayers’ money. In my view, we should be taking action to stop the small boat crossings of the English Channel, to go after the criminal gangs, and to clear the asylum backlog. Instead, we have chaos, unprotected border security and a broken asylum system. Britain, and genuine asylum seekers and refugees, deserve better than this.
You can watch a clip of my speech here:
Leasehold and Reform Bill
On 12 December I spoke in the debate on the Government’s Leasehold and Reform Bill. This Bill was announced to great fanfare several weeks ago after years of promises to leaseholders. However, now that the Bill has been published, we can see that it goes nowhere near far enough to reform the outdated leasehold system.
Not only does the Bill not ensure that new flats are sold as freehold, but it also does not even ban the sale of new leasehold houses. I raised local examples of why we desperately need immediate and comprehensive reform of this archaic system.
You can watch a clip of my speech here: fb.com/KevanJonesMP
Compensation for sub-postmasters
On 19 December the Commons considered a Bill aimed at ensuring compensation for victims of the Post Office Horizon scandal can continue. This is one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in our country’s history and I have been campaigning on this issue for over a decade now.
I spoke in the debate on the Bill and raised the case of my constituent, Tom Brown, who sadly passed away recently. Tom was a sub-postmaster for 30 years until he was accused by the Post Office of wrongdoing based on unreliable information from a flawed accounting system. He died still waiting for his final compensation settlement. I will continue to campaign on this issue until all victims receive the justice they deserve.
You can watch a clip of my speech here: fb.com/KevanJonesMP
LGBT veterans
On 13 December, the Government published its response to an independent review into the service and treatment of LGBT veterans who served between 1967 and 2000. The review made 49 recommendations, one of which included a financial award scheme which is capped at £50 million. I believe we need a proper compensation scheme for those LGBT veterans who were mistreated by the state and this should be funded fairly.
You can watch a clip of my speech here: fb.com/KevanJonesMP
Happy Christmas
I would like to wish everyone across North Durham a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. I know that this time of year can be difficult for many, so if you need help or simply some to talk to please reach out for help: