At the start of this week, Parliament debated the Employment Rights Bill and I was proud to vote in favour.

This is a groundbreaking piece of legislation that aims to increase productivity, improve living standards, create jobs, investment, and most importantly improve the lives of working people.

Ahead of the debate, I met with Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner to discuss the issues facing working people across our area and action the Government is going to take to help.

The Bill contains 28 measures that represent the biggest upgrade in workers’ rights in the UK in a generation. This is the type of change and positive action that people rightly expect from a Labour government, and it will have a significant impact on the lives of people across Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West. 

Among the measures in the Bill are an end to exploitative zero-hour contracts and unfair fire and rehire practices. Instead of the uncertainty of insecure work, people will now have the right to a guaranteed hours contract if they work regular hours over a defined period.

In addition, the bill will remove the existing two-year qualifying period for protections from unfair dismissal.

These changes will see an end to one-sided flexibility in the workplace, putting workers’ rights in line with those of their employers.

People will also now have bereavement and parental leave from the first day of employment, as well as statutory sick pay being improved and the waiting period prior to sick pay being available will be removed. 

These measures are all to retain workers and reduce recruitment costs to employers. Reinvigorating the labour market is crucial for economic growth and by protecting our workforce we can help boost the economic productivity of businesses and by extension the economy.

This Bill is just the start of Labour’s plans. Next week, the Chancellor will announce her first budget which will be focussed on fixing the foundations of our economy and improving the lives of working people across our country.

Drop-in meetings

This week in Westminster my team and I also attended many drop-ins and meetings with various charities and organisations.

On Wednesday, I met with Google to discuss the need to create more jobs and to be able to provide people with the relevant digital skills to be able to complete these roles. I’ve already had Google in the constituency twice since the election, providing training, and will have further events next year.

At the end of the week, we spoke with fuel poverty charities and energy suppliers to gain a better understanding of where people can seek assistance but also to understand the services and support available to customers from energy companies.

My casework team are ready to support any constituent who has issues with energy bills or their energy company, so please do get in touch.

Poppy Appeal

This morning, I will attend the Garden of Remembrance Service at the Municipal Buildings in Greenock.

Remembrance honours those who serve to defend our democratic freedoms and way of life. This marks the beginning of the Poppy Appeal and a national period of remembrance across the country as we give thanks and respect to those who have sacrificed their lives.

This year marks the 80th anniversaries of momentous battles and turning points of the Second World War. The D-Day landings of June 6 – the largest seaborne invasion in history – marked the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe.

It is also 25 years since the end of the war in Kosovo and the deployment of the NATO peace-support force, KFOR.

In the coming weeks I will be attending remembrance events locally and at Westminster to pay my respect to our veterans.