Letter from Parliament: Tony Lloyd MP

Tony Lloyd MP

To start, I would like to say that I really enjoyed attending Rochdale AFC’s final match of the season last weekend. It was such an important game and we had a tremendous result; achieving both a great victory and a great escape. The atmosphere, I think, was the best it has been all season as the crowd filled with excitement. I send a big congratulations to the team.

This week, I attended a Labour Shadow Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. This was about the ongoing confusion in the government surrounding the EU and manufacturing within it. Labour are pushing to be a part of the customs union in the EU, but it is proving to be a real struggle to get answers out of the government, as there is so much confusion surrounding the topic.

Regarding the topic of customs union, I also met with the NUF Fields Trust to see what we can learn from Japan. As most know, the social care in Rochdale is in an unacceptable state and I wanted to see how we can begin to change that. In Japan, everyone has a personal care manager, something that I think is a really good idea.

Loneliness is also a big issue within Rochdale, so I think it would be good to make sure people have these care managers and therefore avoid feeling isolated within their own homes.

On Wednesday, as the Labour Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, I attended a meeting about how there is no hard border in Northern Ireland. This could prove a crucial target for terrorists, meaning people’s wellbeing and lives are at high risk. This is a really important issue for me as it matters that we get the customs right.

We also spoke about the power-sharing agreement in Northern Ireland.

I also went to a meeting about Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease and dementia and how the symptoms of these illnesses are commonly mistaken or not even recognised. This can have a detrimental effect on individuals and is something I want to take forward in Rochdale, ensuring people have the services that they need.

Thursday, I met with an organisation called Syria Relief. This charity was started in Greater Manchester when the war broke out in Syria to help children that had been orphaned due to the war and to provide services to people who had lost limbs, ensuring they recover something in their lives. These people really do rely on the generosity of people throughout Greater Manchester.

Syria Relief also help the Rohingya Muslims who were forced out of their home Myanmar (also known as Burma) and into Bangladesh after enduring state persecution and violence.

I also attended a major debate about the demand for compensation for victims of the IRA.

Friday afternoon I met with other Greater Manchester MPs and people from across the 10 councils at Manchester Airport. The subject of the meeting was the transport structure across the region, which is a big issue for people in Rochdale.

On Saturday I will be staying in Rochdale to attend a charity event.