Rushanara Ali MP

On Friday 2 November, the East End lost of one its brightest radical flames. My friend Max Levitas died at the age of 103, after a long life of community service and activism. Max’s roots were in the old Jewish East End of Whitechapel and Stepney, amongst the refugees from Russia and Poland, and in the Communist Party before the war.

Rushanara Ali MP and Anne Main MP have today called on the government to end forced repatriation of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. The two MP’s jointly chair the cross-party parliamentary group on the rights of the Rohingya.

Yesterday, the draft Withdrawal Agreement between the UK-EU was published. On the future economic partnership, the agreement does not include a commitment to deliver frictionless trade, a permanent customs union, nor a firm mechanism to protect financial services.

Last week, Parliament held the first ever Women MPs of the World Conference in the Chamber of the House of Commons.

The conference was attended by MPs from over 80 different countries, as part of the events to celebrate the centenary of women’s suffrage in the UK.

Yesterday, the Chancellor, Philip Hammond published the Autumn Budget which pledged to end austerity but failed to provide sufficient funding for the NHS, policing social care and education. The statement was made against the backdrop of Brexit weakening the overall economic outlook for the UK and the growing possibility the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Over 100 Parliamentarians have signed a letter urging PM Theresa May, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Phillip Hammond MP and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Esther McVey MP, to reconsider the two-child limit policy.

On Sunday 21 October, in a column in the Sunday Times, Rod Liddle made a number of divisive comments. Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green and Bow, Rushanara Ali, strongly condemns his actions.

Today we commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street. 82 years have passed since thousands of East Londoners stood together against fascism and intolerance.

Following the UN fact finding mission, over 160 Parliamentarians call for justice over the Rohingya crisis

Over 160 Parliamentarians across parties have signed a letter urging PM Theresa May and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt MP to refer the Myanmar military to the International Criminal Court. This is ahead of the Foreign Secretary’s visit to Myanmar later this month.

It is a year on since the 2017 Burmese military attacks on the Rohingya people, which forced over 700,000 people to flee for refuge in Bangladesh and thousands were killed.