Update on my work in Parliament and the constituency View this email in your browser Thank you for reading my March newsletter During March my team and I held ten advice surgeries, including specialist immigration clinics. Details of my February advice surgeries are at the bottom of this email. You don't need an appointment for any of my surgeries, please just drop in. People's Vote March Subscribe Past Issues Translate
I joined over a million others on the march in London for a People's Vote. The turnout was staggering, and the contingent who travelled from Wales was huge. The march was positive, friendly, diverse and good natured.
The Prime Minister’s “deal” was rejected by Parliament for a third time (I voted against it) and last week and again yesterday we had a series of “indicative votes”, allowing MPs the chance to vote for possible options to see if the deadlock can be broken.
Over 85% of Cardiff Central constituents who have contacted me about Brexit want a public vote and want to cancel Brexit. 20% of the entire electorate of Cardiff Central have signed the UK parliament petition calling for Article to be revoked which has now topped 6 million signatures. In Parliament Brexit You don't need me to say that the past month in Parliament has been dominated by Brexit. The Prime Minister’s shambolic handling of the negotiations and her stubbornness in parliament meant she had to request an extension to Article 50 and we did not leave the EU on the 29th March as originally scheduled. She ended up having to tell her own MPs that she will stand down as Tory Party leader (and Prime Minister) at some point when the next stage of negotiations start, but at the moment we don’t know when that will be.
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And I didn’t support “Common Market 2” for the reasons I set out in my article published last week which you can read here Again there wasn’t a majority for a single option, primarily because hardly any Tory MPs participated in the votes. There are likely to be further votes tomorrow. Committee
I didn’t support leaving on 22nd May with only a customs union because that is far, far worse than the deal we currently have on so many levels.
DCMS
On the first round of voting to narrow down the 8 choices , there wasn’t a majority for a single option but a confirmatory referendum obtained the highest number of votes.
In the second round of voting last night, there were four options to vote on. I voted in favour of the motion to revoke Article 50 in order to avoid a no deal Brexit I also voted in favour of a confirmatory referendum.
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Called on the Government to review the effectiveness of the law intended to prevent customers being ripped-off when buying tickets for live concerts
Call for review of business rates on live music sector to help struggling venues
It's been a busy month for our Committee. We published our long awaited report into Live Music, a subject I am passionate about. I was pleased that Cardiff got some mentions in the report and that in evidence to the Committee, our Save Womanby Street campaign and the introduction of Agent of Change planning guidance that I championed in Wales, England and Scotland is being introduced. Our report sets out the stark challenge that venues face despite the fact that live music is booming. Music lovers are being ripped off by greedy ticket reselling companies like viagogo, small music venues are closing at a record rate and the pipelines of future music talent are at risk. Basically, urgent action is needed to safeguard the future of the industry. As I wrote in my piece for Politics Home this month - we know only too well the struggle that live music is facing, and this is a make or break moment for the industry
Below are some of the main points of interest from the report: MPs advise public ‘not to buy or sell tickets’ through viagogo
More investment needed, including from the music industry, in developing new talent
Away from live music, our Committee continued our inquiry into immersive technologies this month - we interrogated Snapchat’s Directors particularly about their age verification system which doesn’t work. Which you can watch by clicking here. In addition, I appeared on Channel 4 news to discuss how big tech companies have failed to self-regulate their online content This followed the horrific terrorist in Christchurch earlier this month - where the attacker was not only able to live stream his attack, but it was then uploaded onto YouTube and Facebook to be viewed thousands of times by anyone. Urgent action by Governments around the world is needed to regulate the tech sector as selfregulation has completely failed.
Concerns about discrimination hindering success of urban music
You can read more about our report into Live Music by clicking here.
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You can see my question to the Minister here.
Probation Privatisation Mess
Since 2010, the Tories and Lib Dems have turned an award winning, publicly owned probation service into an unmitigated privatised disaster. The private sector’s failure on probation has cost the taxpayer an estimated £171 million – to end publicly funded contracts that former Justice Secretary Chris Grayling signed up to despite widespread warnings. In my question to the Justice Minister, I stressed the importance of 'break clauses' to get out of any future probation contracts without a financial penalty, although we all know that probation would be much better run if it were returned to the public sector
Welcoming the New Welsh Government Fund for University Students' Mental Health
You can watch my question by clicking here.
Earlier this month I took the opportunity to praise the Welsh Labour Government's new ringfenced fund for mental health in our universities. The funding will go to support students’ health and well-being, including mental health, at Wales’ higher education institutions. It is Subscribe Past
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Question on Police Funding and the Rise in Knife Crime I again asked the Home Office Minister about police funding and the links between the Government’s cuts to South Wales Police budgets and the rise in knife crime. I raised the fact that that 131 knives were seized in Cardiff Magistrates Court alone last year
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I was really pleased to hear that following my representations, and meeting with the Cardiff Bus Managing Director, and our Labour Council’s budget decision to invest £750,000 to support bus routes, the six bus routes that were under threat and due to end on March 31st have been saved. Many constituents had contacted me concerned about the impact of routes 28A, 54 and 52 being cut. Through a new tender exercise, Cardiff Bus has won four of the routes, with Stagecoach winning the remaining two routes.
Out and About Cardiff Bus Routes SAVED
I’m very pleased to hear that following my representations, and subsequent meeting, the six bus routes that were under threat and due to end on March 31st have been saved thanks to new investment by Cardiff Council.
hoped that university-wide initiatives such as training staff in well-being and mental health awareness as well as promoting health information on campus will benefit from the funding. You can watch my question by clicking here.
For more information please click here. Happy Bangladesh Independence Day! In amongst all the Brexit madness in Parliament this month, I was delighted to be able to attend and speak at the celebrations for Bangladeshi Independence Day in Parliament - and to say how grateful I was to the Bangladesh people for their incredible humanitarian support for the Rohingya refugees during the recent crisis. Subscribe Past Issues Translate
This month I visited Battersea Dogs and Cats Home to see the amazing work of the staff and volunteers there. The Home cares for, and re-homes dogs and cats from all over the country – I saw some dogs that had been rescued from a Welsh puppy farm. Sadly, it seems that illegal puppy farming is rife across South Wales but organisations like Battersea Dogs Home are doing their best to counter it and ensure the animals’ safety.
Visiting Battersea Dogs and Cats Home
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A big, big well done to The Hollies School in Cardiff Central, who this month won the 'IntoFilm School Film Club of the Year' award. The pupils and staff received the award at a star-studded event at ODEON in Leicester Square - and were presented with the award by actor Luke Evans and screenwriter and directorAmma Asante. This award is great news for the hardworking pupils and staff - well done to you Tall.oread more about The Hollies' film club and to see some of their work, please click here.
The one thing that instantly stood out to me was the dedication of the staff and volunteers there – they all work immensely hard to endure a safe environment for the dogs and cats they look after, and making sure they are re-housed as soon as can be. You can read more about my visit, or find out more about potentially re-homing a dog or a cat from Battersea by clicking here.
This month we celebrated International Women's Day and I was pleased to be able to speak at Unite's International Women's Day Summit. During my speech I made sure to encourage more women to become more active in the Trade Union movement and also celebrated the immense contribution
If you're a student who needs help with an issue, please don't hesitate to contact my office - details of which can be acessed by clicking here.
We (finally) had some good news this month relating to Guildford TheCrescent.demolition plans have now been withdrawn - pending the outcome of discussions between the Rapports and Cardiff Council over a new masterplan for the area, which is aimed at regenerating the area from Churchill Way right down to Bute Terrace and across to the Admiral building. Should the landowner want to demolish the buildings in the future, they will have to file a new application to do so. This news comes as testament to the incredible campaign run by Minty and others - whether you marched, signed the petition or wrote an objection, well done for playing your part. I now look forward to seeing the Council's masterplan for the area in the coming months.
Upcoming Advice Surgeries
I hold regular surgeries around the constituency. All surgeries are drop-in, no appointment is needed. Every Wednesday, 11am - 12noon
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I was pleased this month to be able to run a specific student advice surgery in Cardiff University Student's Union. It was great to be able to meet directly with students and speak to them about the issues that matter to them. Very high on the list were Brexit, quality/cost of student housing and fees.
we already make to the movement. We want more female reps and officers, but also more women getting active in all walks of life. For more information on joining a trade union, please click here.
Friday 17th May, 3pm - 4pm
Full details of upcoming surgeries are listed on my website. My staff team are available in the Albany Road office every day fro 9am-5pm (except Thursday's when the office closes at 12 noon). You can contact us any time using 02921 329736 or by emailing jo.stevens.mp@parliament.uk. Copyright © 2019 Jo Stevens MP, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list Subscribe Past Issues Translate
Friday 24tth May 4pm - 6pm
Friday 31st May, 2pm - 3pm
Advice Surgery at Constituency Office, 116 Albany Road, CF24 3RU
Rhydypennau Library, Llandennis Road, Cyncoed, CF23 6EG
Advice Surgery at Constituency Office, 116 Albany Road, CF24 3RU
Advice Surgery at Constituency Office, 116 Albany Road, CF24 3RU
Advice Surgery at the Powerhouse Hub, Roundwood, Llanedeyrn, CF23 9PN
Friday 12th April 4pm - 6pm
Friday 10th May 11.30am - 12.30
Immigration Clinic at Constituency office, 116 Albany Road, CF24 3RU
Friday 3rd May 4pm - 6pm
Advice Surgery at Adamsdown Day Centre (St German's Church Hall), Star Street, Adamsdown, CF24 0JY
Advice Surgery at Constituency Office, 116 Albany Road, CF24 3RU
Friday 26th April 4pm - 6pm
