Reporting Back: Oliver Ryan MP: Winter Fuel, Darzi, NHS & House of Commons Update

I'm not going to make this political, it is a simple issue of money. But in the current financial climate, with the diabolical inheritance from 14 years of Conservative rule needing to be cleared up, in our NHS, our prisons, our borders, our public services, we cannot afford to justify a universal payment to every retiree, some of whom do not need it. Indeed, as the Darzi Report set out in horrific detail, the last 14 years have broken the NHS, our job is to fix it.

I know the threshold for Pension Credit is low, and this is an imperfect science, but I also know the Government is looking to do more in October’s Budget, specifically for those just outside of the threshold. I will always support those who are retired, indeed through the Triple Lock Guarantee the Government has in place, we will raise the State Pension by over £1000 in the next 2 years alone, yes in part because of the inflation bombshell we’re still grappling with thanks to Liz Truss, but an unprecedented rise nonetheless.

I’ve seen lots of correspondence about this issue, some agreeing with me, others not. I know some will read this and rather we hadn’t chosen to accept the recommendations of the Independent Public Sector Review Body, but continual strikes have a cost, especially in our NHS. Decisions cannot be avoided forever. Some will rather we “just don’t” send money to Ukraine instead, something which only helps Putin and puts European security in jeopardy. Some will say we’re spending “millions on illegal immigrants/prisoners” to this I say, we have inherited a completely broken system which incurs it’s own cost. As Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak knew our prisons were overloaded and at tipping point, but chose not to act. Similarly on the illegal boat crossings, he failed to act, that has a cost.

This sort of ‘whataboutery’ avoids the big questions and breeds a more short term, populist politics. We are bringing changes, these will take time, but in the mean time, difficult decisions must be made, not because we want to but because to shirk them would mean we’d be no better than the Tories. To be frank, as someone who relies on your vote to continue in post, I must do the honest thing, not always the easy thing.

The House of Commons Update

It’s been another busy and productive week in Westminster, filled with important meetings, votes, and parliamentary activities.

I began the week with a meeting with a few community organisations. We had in-depth discussions on their work to the cause. Their insights are invaluable, and I remain committed to standing against all forms of hate and discrimination.

In Parliament, I took part in several key votes in the chamber. Voting on legislation is one of our most fundamental responsibilities as MPs, and I always approach each decision with careful consideration, ensuring that I act in the best interests of both the constituency and the country, this week most notably around the re-regulation of our bus services to ensure local routes are safe, but also our railways.

The Darzi Report

Following the election, Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary immediately opened an investigation into the current state of the NHS. Professor Lord Darzi, a distinguished surgeon of 30 years and Crossbench Member of the House of Lords, led the investigation, looking into patient access, quality of care and the overall performance of the health system. I know many constituents across Burnley, Padiham and Brierfield have their own horror stories from their experience with our NHS, so I welcome the investigation.

The findings of this report are damning. After 14 years of Tory neglect the National Health Service is in serious trouble and public satisfaction is now at the lowest ever, which is a drastic drop from the highest satisfaction levels seen in 2009 under the previous Labour Government. This report highlights what we already know – people are struggling to see their GP, waitlists have surged, A&E waiting times have skyrocketed, and procedure waiting lists have ballooned. A decade of extreme austerity from the previous Government has gutted the NHS, with money being spent on temporary plaster fixes rather than long-term solutions.

The NHS is a sacred and valuable public service and despite the challenges, we have a service that has exceptional clinical talent and staff. The staff have a strong sense of belief in NHS values and their passion and determination to help patients is the beating heart of the service. They deserve a system that works and truly values their hard work. I am proud that our Health Secretary led this investigation, however this is just the start. After over 10 years of neglect it will take time to fix what has been broken, but this is something I am confident we can achieve as a Government with the soon to be announced NHS 10 year plan.

Education, Energy and Great British Farming

For too long our country has been at the mercy to dictators like Putin who have controlled our access to energy for far too long. I am proud that this government is moving forward with their aim of clean energy by 2030, and I have advocated for more projects to come to Burnley in the future. I will continue to advocate to bring the clean energy sector to our constituency, providing more jobs whilst doing the patriotic thing by providing our nation’s energy security. I asked the Secretary of state for Energy, Ed Milliband, if he supported more homegrown projects for clean power so that we can protect our energy bills from future price shocks at the hands of other countries. I am glad he agreed that the patriotic thing to do is to bring energy back to this country, through Great British Energy, providing energy security and newer clean, green jobs.

Education standards in our schools are critical to the future success of our children, communities, and countries. The current Ofsted system of single word ranking does not provide parents, pupils, or schools a fair assessment of the quality of the school, and I am glad this Labour Government has taken action. The current standard of education in this country is declining, schools are crumbling and when in power the previous government claimed to have “maxed out” on their support for our children.

In a question to an education minister, I asked if the minister agreed that every school, parent, and pupil deserved better support from the new Government. I am pleased that she agreed with me, and whilst this legislation tackles the framework of Ofsted reporting, it helps ensure the best outcomes for every child. This Government will breakdown the barriers of opportunity for every child, regardless of where in the country they are from.

On British Farming Day I was honoured to meet the President and Vice President of the National Farmers Union to express my support for the hardworking, local farmers in our towns and across the nation. The work that farmers do across the country is vital to producing food for our three meals per day, caring for the countryside, delivering renewable energy, and providing jobs for rural communities. I will also be visiting with local NFU farmers next week in Briercliffe to discuss how I can best support our local farmers over the next four years.

The Burnley Update:

Since becoming your MP I have done many interviews with journalists all over the country, but I was honoured to sit down with a young Hapton resident, Harry Brandon. We talked politics, life as an MP, local politics, and the Labour Government’s policies on education. It was fantastic to meet young person so enthralled in our politics. I met with SELRAP, the organisation advocating for the reopening of the Colne to Skipton railway line. The reopening of this line would provide financial and social benefits to this area, and I am proud to advocate for this campaign on their behalf.

Since my last blog update my office at 5 Grimshaw Street, BB11 2AS, is now fully operational. My staff have been working hard to catch up on the thousands of pieces of correspondence I have received since taking office, so thank you for your patience! The office will be open for walk-ins Monday-Friday between the hours of 10am-2pm. If you need any help or assistance, please do pop in and speak to one of my staff members, or alternatively please contact me at [email protected] or call 01282 216398.

Until next time.

Oliver