Jacob Collier MP: speeches

Speeches

• 24 Oct 2024 · Black History Month · Hansard source

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  It is a privilege to follow the contributions today, in particular that of my hon. Friend the Member for Beckenham and Penge (Liam Conlon), who spoke so powerfully about his personal experiences. I know he will be a great champion for his constituency. I am honoured to be the Member of Parliament for the newly renamed Burton and Uttoxeter constituency—a community rich in history and diversity. Although there were no boundary changes, the inclusion of Uttoxeter recognises the proud people and industries that are integral to our area. I am further honoured to be delivering my maiden speech in this debate on Black History Month, which reminds us of the importance of recognising the contributions of black Britons, past and present, to our society. In my constituency, the Burton Caribbean Association has supported residents for more than 45 years. Its efforts have enriched our community and celebrated the heritage of black Britons in our towns, and I look forward to supporting its work. As I serve in this House, I commit to representing the diverse communities across my constituency, ensuring that their voices are heard, their contributions celebrated and their challenges addressed. We all have a duty to ensure that black history is British history, woven into the fabric of our national identity not just for one month, but all year round. It is essential that we not only recognise that history, but address the challenges of inequity that remain. To be elected to this House is the greatest honour that anyone can bestow, but to have the opportunity to serve your home town, as I do, is particularly special. I grew up in Stretton and went to local schools, William Shrewsbury and de Ferrers—the primary schoolteacher who appointed me to the school council all those years ago has a lot to answer for. On the campaign trail, I bumped into many of my former teachers and schoolfriends, including my former headteacher, Mrs Hunter. While I was campaigning after becoming an MP, a former teacher said, “I must be getting old, my former student is now my MP.” You can imagine, Madam Deputy Speaker, how strange this must feel for my parents, who are watching this debate. I believe they were the hardest-working parents of any candidate across the country and without them I could not do this job. They have been with me from the very beginning—quite literally. I come from a military family and I am proud of the service of my brother, alongside all who wear the uniform of our country and defend our freedom. As Remembrance Day approaches, it serves as a powerful moment to reflect on those who have given their lives in service to our country, and to honour the sacrifices made by veterans, current service personnel and their families. The values of duty, service and sacrifice are not just words; they are the lived experiences of everyone who serves, and I will always advocate for ensuring that they receive the respect, care, and support they have earned. I pay tribute to my immediate predecessor, Kate Kniveton, who served in this House from 2019 until the last election. Like me, she is a Burtonian and a former employee at the Burton Albion football club. Kate used to manage hospitality and I used to manage the bar in the stand, so I am used to managing difficult people—such as Opposition Members. I commend Kate’s courage and bravery in speaking out about the sexual violence she faced. For any woman to go through that privately must be unimaginable, but to waive anonymity and do so in the public eye to help other women is commendable. She undoubtedly helped others through speaking out, and I wish her and her daughter well for the future. I also recognise my Labour predecessor and friend, Janet Dean, who served as the MP for Burton from 1997 to 2010. When Janet was elected to this House, I was not quite born yet—apologies if I have made anybody feel old—but it was Janet and her colleagues in that Labour Government who gave children like me new textbooks, new play equipment, smaller class sizes and specialist support for more vulnerable children. Much of that has now been unpicked, and it falls to this Government to give kids today the opportunities that I and my generation had under that last Labour Government. Janet has continued to dedicate herself to serving the community and can still be found helping out in Uttoxeter, particularly at Redfern’s Cottage, where she makes a mean cheese scone. I am delighted to represent a constituency that is diverse in both its people and its places. We have two major towns surrounded by many beautiful villages. Our largest town, Burton upon Trent, is best known for its brewing heritage. We are still the heart of UK brewing today, with large companies such as Molson Coors and Marston’s and independent brewers such as Burton Bridge, Uttoxeter Brewing Company and Tower Brewery. We often hear the remark that there must be something in the water, but in Burton there literally is: our water is rich in calcium sulphate, creating the ideal formula for pale ales and bitter—so much so that many other places copied us through a process called Burtonisation. Members are of course welcome to join me in sampling the original and the best. The iconic red triangle of Bass became the world’s first ever registered trademark. Because of Bass’s global reach, it can be found all over the world, though of course, hon. Members will spot it in the many wonderful pubs across my constituency. The Devonshire Arms and the Coopers Tavern are my personal favourites. During my time in the House I will be an advocate for the brewing industry and our pubs, which are a key part of not only our history, but of our present and future. In Burton, more than 15 different languages are spoken. We have vibrant Pakistani, Polish and Romanian cultures. That mix of cultures makes us stronger and is in keeping with the motto of our county of Staffordshire, “The Knot Unites”. If you head north-west from Burton, Madam Deputy Speaker, you will probably do so on the A50, where you will most likely end up in congestion—do not worry: that is something I am working on with the Roads Minister, who happens to be on the Front Bench—but eventually, you will end up in the town of Uttoxeter. Uttoxeter is a beautiful and proud town with a rich history of agriculture and manufacturing, and is home to Uttoxeter racecourse. In the short time I have been Uttoxeter’s MP, I have heard several quite strange pronunciations of the town’s name from hon. Members. Local people, however, fondly refer to the town as at “Utch” or “Utcheter”—I apologise to the Hansard reporters for the difficulty I have just caused. In Rocester we find the iconic yellow diggers of JCB, which is headquartered and has several factories in my constituency. I am proud of the ingenuity and innovation that we have locally, and I will continue to stand up for British manufacturing during my time in this House. As this Government put service back at the heart of public life, there are so many of my constituents who go out of their way to help others, volunteering in food banks and youth clubs and running community activities. I have been humbled to visit some of these groups, from the BAC O’Connor Centre to SARAC—the Sexual Abuse Rape Advice Centre—Burton YMCA, Burton HOPE, Uttoxeter Heath Community Centre and The Community Church, and I look forward to visiting many more during my time in this House. Before being elected I was a communication officer for Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, and I take this opportunity to pay tribute to all my former colleagues and to this country’s firefighters, control and support staff for the dedicated work they do to keep us safe. I look forward to continuing my association with the Fire Service in Parliament. Upon taking up my role in this House, I sadly left my role as a Unison workplace trade union rep, but it was with great pride that on Monday I voted for the Employment Rights Bill, which is just one part of Labour’s new deal for working people. I believe that that Bill, like the National Minimum Wage Act 1998, will be one of the landmark pieces of legislation of this Labour Government. It will transform the lives of workers across the country, strengthening their rights, ensuring fair treatment and restoring balance in a system that has too often been skewed against working people. As a proud trade unionist, I will continue the fight for working people in this House, ensuring that their voices are heard and securing the rights they deserve. I thank my constituents for the honour they have given me of serving them. Every day that I am in this House, I will work to serve them to the very best of my ability.

• 22 Oct 2024 · Renters' Rights Bill (First sitting) · Hansard source

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  Q How far do you think the Bill will go to give renters greater security and stability? Tom MacInnes: We welcome it as an organisation. We think it improves renters’ stability. It gives a bit more power to the renters. There is more that could be done—for example, there is stuff around the two months’ notice only being required after a four-month period. To repeat some previous points, there is a bit about landlords selling their properties and the evidence required. If the evidence landlords needed to provide was increased, we think that there would be a reduction in the misuse of that ground and an increase in stability for renters. We do think the Bill makes a difference and increases stability, and if a change could be made in enforcement, it could do even more.

• 22 Oct 2024 · Renters' Rights Bill (Second sitting) · Hansard source

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  Q You have spoken about your members being responsible landlords, and a previous witness said the Bill would raise the bar for good landlords. What are your thoughts on the national landlord database and how that will raise the standards? Judicaelle Hammond: It might help. We see that database as a way of increasing transparency for both tenants and landlords. Our plea would be: let us do it effectively, and let us ensure that we have an IT system that works and is not basically a massive white elephant. An awful lot of that data is already available in other places. Can that system be built using the available data, rather than having a completely different program that requires quite a lot of time and money?

• 22 Oct 2024 · Renters' Rights Bill (Second sitting) · Hansard source

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  Q I am a younger Member of the House. My generation feel that we are locked into renting, with many people unable to save in order to get on the housing ladder. How do you see the Bill making renting more stable and affordable, so that young people can build up the savings we need? Matthew Pennycook: That is a good question. Like a lot of the debates we have had today, it is slightly out of the scope of the Bill, but you are right to ask it in the sense that the Bill is one part of the Government’s agenda for changing the housing system. There are lots of things we have to do on the home ownership side. You will know from our manifesto that we are committed to a permanent and more comprehensive mortgage guarantee scheme and a first dibs for first-time buyers scheme. In general, the Bill will hopefully empower renters by giving them greater protections, rights and security so that they can stay in their homes longer, build lives in their communities, avoid the risk of homelessness and, in many cases, by bearing down on unreasonable within-tenancy rent hikes, have the opportunity to save, which many do not have at the moment. In answer to your question very specifically, the Bill is part of a wider agenda and touches on the supply issues we have debated. The Bill is not our answer to affordability in the private rented sector, and it cannot be. There are things that go beyond the scope of the Bill. However, in terms of the security, stability and certainty it provides for private renters, who are mainly at the top end of the market but would have, under better circumstances, the chance to save and buy a first home, the Bill will help in a number of ways.

• 21 Oct 2024 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T4. After 14 years of Conservative government, we hardly see police officers on the beat across my constituency. Night policing cover in Uttoxeter and rural areas is virtually non-existent. What steps will the Minister take to put more officers on the beat, and what is the timeline for that?

• 15 Oct 2024 · Gaza and Lebanon · Hansard source

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  Does the Minister agree that the rejection of a two-state solution is against the interests of both the Israelis and Palestinians, and that we need a path towards a sustainable and long-term, lasting peace?

• 10 Oct 2024 · Road Safety · Hansard source

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  Between 60,000 and 90,000 vehicles pass through the A50/A500 corridor every single day, but the road is slow and unreliable, with average rush hour speeds below 20 mph. The road is a daily nightmare for residents of Uttoxeter and the surrounding areas, and serves as a significant barrier to economic growth. Will the Minister commit to meeting me in Uttoxeter to see for herself the upgrades that are needed?

• 9 Oct 2024 · Higher Education: Staffordshire · Hansard source

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  I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this debate. As he says, our area is blessed with many exemplary higher education institutions, many of which are connected by the A50/A500. Does he agree that upgrades to this road are essential to allow our constituents easier access to universities, and to enable greater collaboration across our local universities?

• 12 Sept 2024 · NHS: Independent Investigation · Hansard source

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  When I grew up in Stretton under the last Labour Government, I could get an appointment with my family doctor the next day. After 14 years of the Conservatives, Stretton residents now often have to travel more than six miles to a GP surgery in another village just to get an appointment for which they have already waited weeks. Does the Secretary of State share my view that this is unacceptable, and that it falls to this Government to fix the Conservatives’ mess?

• 9 Sept 2024 · Bus Franchising · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for his statement. I am pleased to see him driving forward this policy to improve our bus services, which are a vital lifeline for my constituents in Burton and Uttoxeter. Does he agree that this plan puts us on the right route by expanding franchising powers so that local voices can finally steer bus services in the right direction?

• 3 Sept 2024 · Occupational Pensions: Tax Relief · Hansard source

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  Pubs are the lifeblood of our local communities. In my constituency, the home of British brewing, we are blessed with wonderful pubs—

• 3 Sept 2024 · Occupational Pensions: Tax Relief · Hansard source

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  Oh—sorry.

• 2 Sept 2024 · Community Cohesion · Hansard source

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  11. What steps her Department is taking to help promote community cohesion.

• 2 Sept 2024 · Community Cohesion · Hansard source

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  Following the horrific Islamophobic attacks experienced by Muslim communities around the country, the Princess Street mosque in Burton-upon-Trent opened its doors to the wider community so that everyone could learn more about Islam and see their place of worship. This was a way to challenge misinformation and promote mutual understanding. Does the Deputy Prime Minister welcome this as an example of how communities can help bring people together?

• 29 Jul 2024 · Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill · Hansard source

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  Have you?

• 25 Jul 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  It is easier to find a needle in a haystack than it is for my constituents to find an NHS dentist. Many have told me that they have to travel miles just to get an appointment, are forced to go private or simply do not bother at all. Could the Leader of the House tell me when the Health Secretary will update the House on his work to solve this crisis?