Rachel Hopkins MP: speeches 2026

48 published records · newest first.

Speeches

17 Mar 2026 · Rural Roads · Hansard source
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It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Stringer. I thank the hon. Member for South Shropshire (Stuart Anderson) for securing the debate. In my one minute, I would like to raise the fact that it is this Labour Government who have brought in record funding to tackle potholes. A record £7.3 billion has been confirmed for local authorities over the next four years to repair and renew roads and tackle potholes. That builds on the £1.6 billion allocated for the 2025 - 26 financial year alone—£500 million more than last year. Following the publication of the red-amber-green ratings for road conditions, I launched a road conditions survey across my Luton South and South Bedfordshire constituency. I flag that in the more rural central Bedfordshire area in my constituency, respondents rated their local road conditions as only a two out of 10, and seven of the 10 most commonly mentioned problem roads were in the independent-led Central Bedfordshire council area. I look forward to hearing from the Minister how she will hold all local authorities to account to ensure that they spend their money on fixing our roads.
12 Mar 2026 · Carnivals · Hansard source
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It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Harris. I thank the hon. Member for Glastonbury and Somerton (Sarah Dyke) and my hon. Friend the Member for Weston-super-Mare (Dan Aldridge) for securing this debate on carnivals and for the fantastic speeches that have already been made. In Luton South and South Bedfordshire there is a long history of processions to mark important events, celebrations and protests, bringing communities together. In Luton they date back as far as the 1400s, when guild feasts were a common feature of local culture. In the South Bedfordshire part of my constituency, many of the villages still participate in the traditional May fairs, which date back to medieval times and mark the beginning of spring. I have been delighted to attend community events in Studham and Kensworth, which are full of fun, with schoolchildren dancing around the traditional maypole, music, community spirit and just good times. In Luton, carnival goes back a long way, but it is slightly different. In May 1976, we held the first Luton carnival as we know it, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Luton becoming a borough. To give away a little secret, I was there as a very small child, with my mum and the other members of the Luton Labour women’s council, who hosted one of the stalls in the street fair. From that small beginning, the carnival has quickly become a significant annual celebration, showcasing the rich mix of cultures that call Luton home. It particularly spotlights the influence and impact of our Luton Caribbean community, many of whom came to the UK as part of the Windrush generation and found their home in Luton, as well as the cultural influence of our African diaspora. Growing up, carnival was an institution, the classic scene that all hon. Members can imagine: up the side streets, stacks of speakers, loud music and everyone having a good time, getting food on one corner and seeing the costumes of the parade on the other. In 2012, Luton International Carnival was officially recognised as the biggest one-day carnival in the UK. That legacy remains, with the event still one of the biggest annual events of the calendar—a true representation of unity, music and culture that embodies the spirit of our Luton community. I am proud to have the UK Centre for Carnival Arts, a registered charity and Arts Council national portfolio organisation, in my constituency. It is dedicated to promoting excellence in carnival arts, championing the work of carnival groups across the UK and connecting, inspiring and strengthening the carnival arts sector. Our carnival is a symbol of everything that makes our town special, celebrating our diverse heritage, our energy and, importantly, our togetherness, making us one town full of many voices. There is no greater evidence for that than the wide-ranging list of participants who join the celebrations alongside our Caribbean groups such as the St Vincent and the Grenadines: the Luton branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, Luton Roma Trust, Luton Irish Forum, Luton Keralites Association, United Nations Associations—Luton, Luton Malayali Muslim Association and Purbachal—The Eastern Sky, to name just a few. This year, our carnival is even more significant, as we celebrate the 50th annual Luton International Carnival on Sunday 24 May, which of course coincides with Luton’s 150th anniversary year as a borough. To mark this occasion, this year’s theme is “gold”—of course it is—with participants showcasing their creativity by celebrating bold and imaginative designs inspired by gold. The procession will travel from Luton town centre down to Wardown Park, which was the original and traditional location for much of the carnival’s history. The impact of the carnival and what it symbolises have been passed from generation to generation in our town. Last June, I was delighted to host the brother and sister duo of Luton filmmakers, Niya and Jadean, in Parliament for a screening of their film, “Beyond The Rush”. The film, developed in collaboration with the British Film Institute documentary society, explored the vital impact of the Caribbean community on our economy, nightlife and cultural scene in Luton, from the Windrush generation to the present day, including key cultural events such as Luton International Carnival. It was great to bring young, local talent from Luton to display this brilliant piece of work in Westminster, featuring some fantastic members of our Luton Caribbean community, and to highlight the enduring legacy of Luton’s carnival in our local community. As has already been said in this debate, carnivals are more than just a great day of cultural and creative fun; they have economic, social, educational and community cohesion benefits. I look forward to joining people from across Luton at this year’s 50th celebration carnival, and I am sure this carnival will be even more epic than last year’s.
12 Mar 2026 · Marriage Regulations · Hansard source
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The right hon. Gentleman talks about anachronisms. Would he agree that the inequity between humanist marriages being legal in Scotland and not being permitted in England and Wales is an ongoing anachronism that should be addressed?
12 Mar 2026 · Defending Democracy Taskforce · Hansard source
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I should mention that I am a member of the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission; its members work very collegiately, cross-party, in support of its important work. I thank the Minister for his statement today. Like the women who encouraged me, I aim to support any young women in my constituency—particularly those from black, Asian and minority backgrounds—who put themselves forward to represent their communities in local government, but unfortunately, the increased harassment, abuse and intimidation of councillors and candidates, particularly in recent years, has been a huge deterrent. Does the Minister agree that it is vital that we increase support and protection for all those putting themselves forward, but particularly women, so that we can encourage women from all backgrounds to step forward and represent their communities?
26 Feb 2026 · Traditions · Hansard source
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5. What steps her Department is taking to support UK traditions.
26 Feb 2026 · Traditions · Hansard source
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The end of May will mark the 50th Luton international carnival, which is the UK’s largest one-day carnival. I think that 50 years means it qualifies as a UK tradition—it is definitely a Luton tradition. Does the Minister agree that events such as Luton carnival are vital for celebrating the rich cultural diversity of our country and strengthening community cohesion, and may I invite him to Luton to join in with carnival this year?
26 Feb 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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This week my home town of Luton celebrates a very important milestone as we mark the 150th anniversary of the borough and its elected council. Will the Leader of the House join me in celebrating this anniversary and paying tribute to our local councillors of all political stripes across the country for their democratic service and representation of their local communities?
25 Feb 2026 · Engagements · Hansard source
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Q2. I very much welcome the fact that our Labour Government have recognised the state of Palestine. I also welcome the Foreign Secretary’s statement last week as chair of the UN Security Council, setting out the UK’s commitment to increasing humanitarian access to Gaza and advancing a two-state solution. Does the Prime Minister agree that protecting civilians, upholding international law and supporting Palestinian-led governance are essential for a lasting peace?
12 Feb 2026 · Lord Mandelson: Government Response to Humble Address Motion · Hansard source
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Just over a week or so ago, I expressed my horror at what had passed and was shocked that we could not remove a peerage from someone who had brought the other place into disrepute, so I am very pleased to see how swiftly the Government moved on bringing in legislation to do so. Does the Minister agree that full compliance with regard to providing transparency of records as soon as possible is vital to ensure that we rebuild trust in politics and politicians?
12 Feb 2026 · Rail Transport and Economic Growth · Hansard source
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Exciting infrastructure projects are under way in Luton South and South Bedfordshire and in the wider region, including the expansion of Luton airport, Universal Studios and the new town at Tempsford. These projects will provide thousands of construction jobs and apprenticeship opportunities for our young people. As we mark National Apprenticeship Week and accelerate support for young people in accessing high-quality jobs, what work is the Department doing to ensure that our transport network is interconnected and can support that economic growth, particularly for young people who cannot drive?
12 Feb 2026 · Rail Transport and Economic Growth · Hansard source
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11. What steps she is taking to help ensure that the rail transport system supports economic growth.
10 Feb 2026 · Local Power Plan · Hansard source
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I thank the Secretary of State for his announcement of the £1 billion in funding for community energy projects under Labour’s local power plan. Will he outline the benefits of community energy for constituencies like mine and set out how local communities can get involved and ensure that any profits are reinvested locally?
5 Feb 2026 · Road Safety · Hansard source
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I very much welcome the steps that our Labour Government are taking to improve road safety. From record funding to improve road conditions to the publication of the road safety strategy last month—the first of its kind in a decade—there is a clear commitment to deliver on our manifesto commitments and set out vital reforms to make our roads safer, particularly as the UK has slipped from third to fourth in Europe’s road safety rankings. One of the key issues that I will highlight is tackling drug driving. Data from the Department for Transport shows that although alcohol remains the leading cause of impairment-related collisions, the gap between alcohol-related crashes and drug-related crashes has narrowed over the last decade. Between 2014 and 2023, the number of drivers killed in fatal collisions with drugs detected rose by more than 70%. I welcome the Government’s decisive steps to give the police additional powers to act at the roadside, including immediate licence suspensions to remove dangerous drivers from our roads, as well as the commitment to explore alternative testing methods such as saliva-based testing and improved processing, including increased roadside testing. In the short amount of time that I have, let me say that road safety must include pavement safety. I really welcome the work that our Government are doing to bring forward measures to tackle the enforcement of hugely inconsiderate pavement parking. Many of my constituents tell me about the danger it poses, particularly for people who have children in pushchairs, use wheelchairs, or are visually impaired and use a guide dog. They often take the risk of walking into the road simply to go about their day. The existing legislation restricts the powers of local authorities outside London and Scotland. When will the Government introduce interim secondary legislation, so that local authorities can enforce against unnecessary obstructions on the pavement? I encourage all my constituents to sign my petition on pavement parking.
2 Feb 2026 · US Department of Justice Release of Files · Hansard source
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Many of my constituents, like all of us, will be horrified by the revelations regarding Peter Mandelson and the Epstein files, but they will also be shocked to know that the Government do not have the power to remove peerages. Does the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister agree that it is absolutely right to do whatever is necessary to modernise procedures to allow for the removal of peers and their peerages when they have bought the other place into disrepute?
29 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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I welcome this Labour Government’s record investment in repairing and renewing our roads, and in fixing potholes, with £7.3 billion having been allocated to local authorities over the next four years. Following the recent introduction of red-amber-green ratings for how local authorities are spending that money and for their road conditions, I have launched a pothole survey to get feedback from my constituents and ensure that local voices are heard. Will the Leader of the House join me in encouraging my constituents to fill out the survey and to give feedback about where roads need improvement, so that I can ensure that local voices are heard?
26 Jan 2026 · Police Reform White Paper · Hansard source
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I thank the Home Secretary for her statement. Can she confirm that, as she consults on the new police force structures, local accountability, community engagement and place-based policing will remain central to the Government’s approach?
21 Jan 2026 · Warm Homes Plan · Hansard source
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I, too, warmly welcome the warm homes plan, which will benefit families in Luton South and South Bedfordshire, and especially the measures targeted at helping low-income families out of fuel poverty. Does the Secretary of State agree that, after a decade of failure from the Conservative party, the Labour Government recognise the cost of living crisis, and are taking definitive action, through this record public investment in home upgrades, to help reduce bills for good?
15 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source
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I want to take this opportunity to publicly praise Luton Town football club for calling out racist online comments directed at several of its black players and, earlier this week, at its assistant manager, Chris Powell, following Luton’s great win over Stevenage. Will the Leader of the House join me in condemning those who express these racist and prejudicial views online, and will he make time for a statement on the progress of the implementation of the Online Safety Act 2023 in this regard?
14 Jan 2026 · Offshore Wind · Hansard source
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Today’s announcement of a record-breaking auction securing over 8 GW of wind power—enough electricity to power over 12 million homes—is clear evidence of this Labour Government delivering on our clean power mission, and it will help my constituents have lower bills in the future. Does the Secretary of State agree that this is good for jobs, good for growth and good for energy security?
8 Jan 2026 · Road Safety Strategy · Hansard source
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I thank the Minister for her written statement about enforcement on pavement parking, which is a huge issue in Luton South and South Bedfordshire. I welcome the launch of today’s road safety strategy, particularly the emphasis on tackling drug-driving. There was a trebling of fatal collisions between 2014 and 2023 related to drug-driving, so will the Minister elaborate further on how that will be enforced under the new strategy?
8 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source
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Accessing airports via public transport is hugely important for sustainable aviation. With Govia Thameslink Railway’s Thameslink franchise coming under public ownership through Great British Railways later this spring, will the Minister meet me to discuss the benefits that that could bring for accessing Luton airport?
5 Jan 2026 · Police Efficiency · Hansard source
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Bedfordshire police have been using both modern technology and AI to ensure that they make the best use of resources over the medium term. However, Bedfordshire faces a disproportionate level of demand due to complex, serious and organised crime, and it relies on special grant support to tackle these challenges. Can the Secretary of State confirm that she will ensure these special grants are protected for Bedfordshire police? When might we expect an announcement on that?
5 Jan 2026 · Police Efficiency · Hansard source
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10. What steps her Department is taking to help improve police efficiency.

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