Sadly, I have too much experience of abuse scandals.
For the last five years I have been the Member of Parliament for Rotherham.
I know first-hand that if allegations of abuse are ignored and victims belittled or afraid to report, a toxic environment can rapidly escalate.
I have worked with survivors of abuse in Rotherham, Oldham, Rochdale, Oxford. Abuse is always about power. It can flourish when people don’t believe there will be consequences to their actions.
Read MoreI know that many of my constituents are members of the British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS). As you may know Tata Steel UK last month received approval from The Pensions Regulator to enact a Regulated Apportionment Arrangement (RAA) in respect of the BSPS. As a result of this agreement, the BSPS has now separated from Tata Steel UK. Following this change, members of the BSPS now have the option to transfer into a new scheme or follow the existing scheme into the Pension Protection Fund. This is an important decision and the best option for you may depend on your own circumstances.
Read MoreI am pleased that the Prime Minister bowed under massive pressure from Labour and announced today that the Government will no longer cap housing benefit for social and supported housing tenants at the local housing allowance rate.
As John Healey MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, said, “the Government has given ground, but the devil will be in the detail – and the funding”.
Read MoreCedar House provides crisis care for people suffering from mental health issues in Rotherham. It currently faces an uncertain future following RMBC’s decision to end direct Council funding.
Read MoreYou may be aware of my campaign to reform the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), which awards compensation to victims.
The culture of CICA is fundamentally flawed. Rather than seeing themselves as a service to help victims rebuild their lives, CICA seem to believe their role should be one of suspicion towards the victims’ applications.
Read MoreIt might surprise you that gender inequality only really surfaced as an issue for me when I became a Member of Parliament aged 43. I had gone to a mixed comprehensive school, I was the first in my family to go to University and my fellow Psychology students were roughly gender balanced. When I graduated, I worked in the arts and my last job before coming the MP for Rotherham was running the local children’s hospice. Both health care and the arts are largely dominated by women.
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