Andrew Lewin
MP for Welwyn Hatfield · Labour · United Kingdom
“The housing crisis is a multifaceted problem. We have to build more homes of all tenures, but Your First Home is a really important part of driving demand, particularly because young people who are renting at the moment are paying more than they otherwise would if they could get a foot on the ladder.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“This is a Budget that supports those who need it most through the winter and that ask the banks, which are on course to make record profits, to make a greater contribution. Crucially, it backs young people with the ambition to own their own home and to build a business. There is lots to reflect on.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I will not give way now, but I may do so later. [Interruption.] I am keen to make some progress. Closer to home, in Welwyn Hatfield, 35,000 households will benefit from the £100 direct payment to help with energy bills this winter.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I am going to make some progress. Today the Chancellor has asked the banks to contribute more via a surcharge, and it is really important that we look at the context in which we are having this discussion. I looked at the figures, and all the major banks that operate in the UK are on course for record multibillion-pound profits.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“In the years to come, we need our entrepreneurs and young people to succeed, which is why I was so pleased to learn of the founders’ relief scheme for British entrepreneurs this afternoon. It is a statement that we will back people with the vision and ambition to build a business here.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is news to me that I will be writing the manifesto, but I am always open to a promotion. Our spending review will cover all elements of spending on public services, but this is a Government who have backed public services, unlike the Conservative party. In a more uncertain world, it is imperative that the UK lives by our values.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
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“It is also the case that the IMF has praised our Government for taking decisive action on deficit reduction. However, in the 21st century no country and no economy can stand alone.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“This is a Budget that supports those who need it most through the winter and that ask the banks, which are on course to make record profits, to make a greater contribution. Crucially, it backs young people with the ambition to own their own home and to build a business. There is lots to reflect on. As the newest member of the Treasury Committee, I intend to get into the detail in the weeks to come, but I will start with the international context. It is crucial that we have an honest debate in this House and in the country about the impact that context has on all of us. It is true that we are spending billions more on debt interest than was projected just a few months ago, but that is not because of extra borrowing by this Government; it is because of the global spike in inflation caused by the war in the middle east.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Before the Budget speech, I was pleased to hear the Prime Minister reassert how important it is to him that we have a stronger economic trading relationship with the European Union. Also—I will be honest—I am slightly pleased by how much it upset the hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex (Sir Bernard Jenkin), because that means we are going in the right direction. It is a sad state of affairs that the Conservative Party has drifted so far away from mainstream business opinion that they are saying they will not countenance any improvement in our deal with the European Union. That is why people in areas such as mine, Welwyn Hatfield in Hertfordshire, are no longer voting Conservative.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is news to me that I will be writing the manifesto, but I am always open to a promotion. Our spending review will cover all elements of spending on public services, but this is a Government who have backed public services, unlike the Conservative party. In a more uncertain world, it is imperative that the UK lives by our values. I have been going through the Red Book, and—this is on page 103—the single biggest increase in investment announced today is in our defence, to fund the defence investment plan. That is a very important statement of intent at such an uncertain time for our country, Europe and the world, which is further demonstrated by the package of £10 billion for additional support in loans to Ukraine.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I think the right hon. Member is talking about the issue of the Chagos Islands, which has absolutely no bearing on the speech that I am making today, but if the Conservative party wants to hold to its position that the current deal with the EU is a good one, I will take that debate any day of the week.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Waiting lists have fallen sharply since the election of this Government, and ambulance response times in my region in the east of England have improved markedly in the last year. There is a great deal more work to do—there is no question about that—but this improvement has only been possible because of the investment made in this and previous Budgets. It is striking that £37 billion more is being spent on the NHS under this Government than was spent by the Conservatives.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I will not give way now, but I may do so later. [Interruption.] I am keen to make some progress. Closer to home, in Welwyn Hatfield, 35,000 households will benefit from the £100 direct payment to help with energy bills this winter. The ending of standing charges on gas bills will particularly help those in smaller homes and flats, and it is unquestionably the right thing to do. I was also pleased, earlier in the week, to see the announcement about the warm homes plan, with low and zero interest rate loans for people who are able to make energy improvements to their properties, and cheaper public charging for electric vehicles. That is an all-round energy package that I believe we can support. Let me now say a little about the national health service, which has not featured in the debate as much as it might have.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Mental health support is hugely important—I absolutely recognise that. One of the things that this Government are doing is introducing mental health professionals in every school. I am sure that Members from across the House have had conversations with constituents and seen young people struggling terribly. There is more to do, but we are making progress.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“That is why I am so pleased by the announcement of the Your First Home equity loan scheme this afternoon. It has the potential to change thousands of lives in my constituency and many more across the country. The introduction of a 2.5% deposit means that people living in Hatfield or Welwyn Garden City have a chance of getting on the housing ladder with a deposit well under £10,000, bringing it into reach for many more people.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“In the years to come, we need our entrepreneurs and young people to succeed, which is why I was so pleased to learn of the founders’ relief scheme for British entrepreneurs this afternoon. It is a statement that we will back people with the vision and ambition to build a business here. I will let you in on a secret, Madam Deputy Speaker: the first conversation that I had with our new Prime Minister in Parliament—actually, the first one was about cricket, but the second was more substantive—was about housing and home ownership. I said to him directly that it is so important that we as a Government make the case for giving people the opportunity to get on the housing ladder, especially those who cannot rely on support from the bank of mum and dad.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I am going to make some progress. Today the Chancellor has asked the banks to contribute more via a surcharge, and it is really important that we look at the context in which we are having this discussion. I looked at the figures, and all the major banks that operate in the UK are on course for record multibillion-pound profits. That often happens in cycles in which there are high interest rates, so it is the case that banks can make a contribution via the surcharge and still have an exceptionally good year. I have to say that I am surprised by the Conservatives. If they want to have an election, whenever it may come, in which they go around saying, “We oppose a slight increase in the surcharge on the banks,” they will find themselves on the losing side of that argument.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The housing crisis is a multifaceted problem. We have to build more homes of all tenures, but Your First Home is a really important part of driving demand, particularly because young people who are renting at the moment are paying more than they otherwise would if they could get a foot on the ladder. That is why the deposit scheme will make such a difference. If you need extra support with energy bills this winter, it is coming. If you run a small high street business, business rates are coming down. If you are an entrepreneur, risk will be rewarded and your tax bill will come down in the future. If you are striving to buy your first home, this Government are on your side. The world remains unstable and we are not immune to it, but this is a Budget that I believe can give confidence to people in Welwyn Hatfield and across the country.”
House of Commons28 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The Liberal Democrat spokesperson referred to Wimbledon, an event that attracts clear international interest. I have been watching the tournament for 30 years, and there are players from all across the world. I hope the Minister can reassure us that that is precisely the type of event that will be protected under the Bill.”
House of Commons20 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“As we approach winter, it is even more important that we minimise pressure on hospitals. In Welwyn Garden City, we have an urgent treatment centre at the new QEII, but it is in a modern building, and I believe that it has the capacity to do more. Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is time to look at the resources that we could provide to the new QEII to provide greater community care?”
House of Commons20 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“To deter Russia, we need vigilance at home and the support of our allies abroad. I am sure the whole House will agree that Vladimir Putin’s decision to continue to bomb and target civilian and energy infrastructure in Ukraine is proof that he is not interested in a ceasefire, so does my right hon. Friend agree that, at this moment, our allied response should be to give even greater support to Ukraine and President Zelensky and to look at what further sanctions we could place on Russia?”
House of Commons19 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The question we should be debating in this House today is not how we make things easier for those who rely on inherited wealth, but how we make things easier for those who do not have access to inherited wealth. Last year, the bank of mum and dad provided more than £9 billion in gifts to their children and, in some cases, their grandchildren. Every parent and grandparent who has the ability to offer support to their loved ones will do so and should be encouraged to do so. The average sum given by the bank of mum and dad was £55,000—a very significant amount of money, wherever you are in the country. That is great for those who are in such a fortunate position. There will be people in this Chamber who have been able to give and receive money, and we should acknowledge that.”
House of Commons14 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“My constituents know that we can ill afford a tax giveaway to people who are already fortunate enough to inherit £1 million tax free. The facts matter. Under the current system, only around one in 20 people pay inheritance tax on their estates at all, so the winners from the Conservatives’ proposition will be about 5% of the population, while the rest of us are left to pick up the bill. An independent analysis has found that the proposal could cost the Exchequer upwards of £10 billion a year, as my right hon. Friend the Minister said. The political choice matters too. I believe in maximising opportunities for people from all backgrounds.”
House of Commons14 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“We live in challenging times, with heightened security threats, inflation and cost of living pressures driven by Trump’s war in the middle east. Our NHS is still recovering from the pandemic and from Liz Truss, yet the priority set out by the Conservatives in today’s motion is cutting public spending to give more money away to people inheriting sums of money greater than £1 million. That is sad and predictable, but it is not surprising. As it stands, the Conservatives know that they are not serious contenders for government, so they have reached back into a comfort zone. They hope that by sending a message to some of the wealthiest people in our society, they might hang on to a few more votes, but I am afraid that people across the income spectrum in my constituency and across the country will see right through this policy.”
House of Commons14 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“You can keep your current state retirement age”—which for most young adults today is 68—“or you can put back your state retirement age by a year to 69, and in return, you will receive the value of one year of your state pension as a lump sum.” From April next year, that will be £13,000. That is my idea; I am very pleased that the Social Market Foundation has taken it on, and I encourage any Members who are interested to read its detailed and costed policy paper. I can assure my right hon. and hon. Friends on the Front Bench and in the Treasury that they will be hearing more from me on this subject in the weeks and months to come. I make that point because I want to engage seriously with the idea of intergenerational fairness, which is important to me and to many of my constituents.”
House of Commons14 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I absolutely understand that point, but there are many millions of people in this country who work just as hard but who, through no fault of their own, are not in a position to hand down tens of thousands of pounds to their children. If you will indulge me, Madam Deputy Speaker, I want to use the opportunity presented by this debate to talk a little bit about my own proposal on intergenerational fairness. I have a policy idea called the citizens advance, which I came up with a year or so ago. It is a policy offer that would give people the opportunity to move their lives forward irrespective of their background. This is how it would work: after 10 years in work—10 years of national insurance contributions—the state would say to people, “We’re going to give you a choice.”
House of Commons14 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I obviously do not know the circumstances of that particular business, but I do know that, as the Minister set out, there is a threshold of £2.5 million under which no business will pay any inheritance tax at all. I think that is a fair place to start, and that is the status quo.”
House of Commons14 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I am grateful to my hon. Friend, who speaks powerfully and with great experience on these issues. I will draw my remarks to a close by returning to the proposition put forward by the Conservatives today. I am sad to say that they are a party retreating to their comfort zone. They could have come to the Chamber today and said, “Let’s have a debate about how we invest in defence or public services, or about new ways to support businesses”, but I am afraid that their choice and the choice made by their leader is a giveaway to the top 5% of estates in this country. I am a meritocrat. I want a society that is less reliant on family wealth, not more—a society that maximises opportunity for all. I am sorry that that is not a vision that the Conservative party seems to share.”
House of Commons14 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The hon. Member is a friend—we play cricket together in the parliamentary team and have therefore shared a few pints in a pub. He is of generous spirit. Does he recognise that this Prime Minister is cutting taxes on pubs by 20%? That is something that everybody in the House should welcome.”
House of Commons14 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I congratulate the Secretary of State and the Prime Minister on having the courage to grasp this issue. I was saddened, but not surprised, by the response from the Opposition Front Bench. However, there may be cause for hope, because the Father of the House, the right hon. Member for Gainsborough (Sir Edward Leigh), who is not in his place, has been a consistent advocate of reform of the triple lock, proving the maxim that wisdom comes with age. Will the Secretary of State confirm that, under our adjusted triple lock, pensioner poverty will continue to fall in the 2030s and beyond?”
House of Commons13 October 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I welcome the model proposed for Hertfordshire, with four unitary authorities. Very importantly for me and my constituency, it keeps Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City together, and I am looking forward to working even more closely with my hon. Friend the Member for Stevenage (Kevin Bonavia). It makes sense because of the A1(M) corridor and our shared history of new towns and garden cities. Would my right hon. Friend agree that the single biggest benefit for residents is no longer having to navigate the complexity and confusion of a two-tier council system? We will have one council and one point of accountability for the delivery of services.”
House of Commons16 July 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The tone of the House has changed somewhat since the initial speech by the shadow Secretary of State, the hon. Member for South Suffolk (James Cartlidge), but I will re-inject a bit of politics, because I think it is important on Opposition day that we assess whether the rhetoric of one party matches its record in office. I want to go back to 2014, to the moment when Crimea was annexed by Putin—the moment, as people on all sides of politics would agree, when we should have realised the depth of the threats that we faced in Europe. At that time, defence spending was 2.2%. I had a look at what defence spending was in 2022, the moment when the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. Defence spending in that eight-year period fell to just under 2.1%. I am afraid that when the Conservative party was in office, it did not heed those warnings.”
House of Commons23 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It has a simple premise: to bring veterans together to meet, to socialise and to build networks and connections. He has had great success in doing that in Stevenage, working with my hon. Friend the Member for Stevenage (Kevin Bonavia), and we are in the process of extending it to Welwyn Hatfield. I want to put on the record my thanks to Stuart. This is also the first time that I have had the opportunity to address the Chamber since the Prime Minister announced his resignation. It is a moment of regret for me, and I want to put on the record my thanks to him for all his service to my party and the country, and also for the fact that when he leaves office, most likely in a few weeks’ time, defence spending will be higher than it was at any point during the terms of the five previous Prime Ministers.”
House of Commons23 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is a privilege to follow the right hon. and gallant Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Sir Iain Duncan Smith), who gave an incredibly authoritative speech. I also commend the hon. and gallant Member for Spelthorne (Lincoln Jopp), who spoke powerfully. I have not served, but whenever I speak on this subject, I say that this House is richer because of the service of people on both sides, including the former Minister for the Armed Forces—my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Selly Oak (Al Carns)—and our exceptional Minister for the Armed Forces. It is Armed Forces Week, so I thank everybody in this country who has served and continues to serve. I particularly thank Stuart Mendelson, who set up an initiative in Hertfordshire called the Muster Point.”
House of Commons23 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I am pleased that the hon. Member takes my point, but I am saying that the circumstances had changed. [ Interruption. ] I will make the point: that is why I intentionally picked those two dates—2014, the annexation of Crimea, and 2022, the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Those two points are indelibly linked, and our failure to act was a decisive moment in history.”
House of Commons23 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Is the hon. Member therefore excusing the lack of investment between 2014 and 2022? That is what I am not sure of, because there are Opposition Members who have been clear and consistent—they did not serve in the Conservative Government and they thought it was wrong that defence spending fell. I appreciate that he was not here at that time—neither was I—but I do not know if that was his position.”
House of Commons23 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I will make a bit of progress and then I will let other people in. This might really upset some Opposition Members, so they should brace themselves: this is also the 10-year anniversary of Brexit. It is the case that most Opposition Members present supported Brexit, and I raise it in the context of public spending choices, because it has now been emphatically proven that the decision to leave the European Union has cost our economy tens of billions of pounds. The estimate ranges between 4% and 6% of GDP, which equates to nearly £100 billion. In a scenario where we had remained members of the European Union and had a stronger economy, whoever was making the choices on defence would have been in a far better place to invest.”
House of Commons23 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I am pleased that we were on the same side in 2016, and maybe we will be at some point again in the future. Let me fast-forward to 2024, because that was an important moment for the country.”
House of Commons23 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Again, when faced with the decision, two years into the Ukraine war, “Are you going to prioritise defence spending?”, that was not the choice they made, was it?”
House of Commons23 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I am not sure that I would agree with the characterisation of sacrificing Ukraine, but I am also not saying that the European Union is blameless. I am saying that we had a period of history after Crimea where much of the west was not investing sufficiently in defence, and it is also the case that the Conservative party was in government at that point in time. The point about 2024 is an important one—we had an important general election for the country. We hear now about the Conservatives prioritising defence, so I looked back at their record and their manifesto. What was their offer to the country on the eve of the general election? It was a big cut in national insurance—a cut that would have cost £10 billion a year.”
House of Commons23 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“But the Prime Minister at the time had the full support of the then Leader of the Opposition and now Prime Minister, so we were united as a House on that. I agree with the hon. Member that Boris Johnson at that moment made the right judgment, but he had the full support of our Prime Minister today.”
House of Commons23 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is to be applauded that this Government are investing in drone warfare. My hon. Friend the Member for Swindon North (Will Stone) has been a champion for investing in drone factories in his constituency. In just the last week, we have learned about the development of long-range missiles that the UK and Ukraine are working on together without the need for US components. That is a significant and welcome step forward. While I admire many people on the Opposition side of the House, I regret to have to say that at every opportunity to increase investment in defence spending, the last Government did not take that option. I am afraid that the enduring image that has been left with the public is of the last Conservative Prime Minister leaving the beaches on D-Day early. It was a picture that told a thousand words.”
House of Commons23 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I will make some progress and talk about the record of this Government. [ Interruption. ] I know Opposition Members are enjoying it. It is important that we reflect on the progress and the investment we have made. The aid-to-defence spending switch was not a policy that was universally welcomed on this side of the House, but I believe it was a necessary decision and the right decision to make. We have the Type 26 frigate deal, the Typhoon deal with Turkey, 13 new sites for munitions and factories, which are so important for our rearmament, and the armed forces pay rise—the most generous and urgently overdue pay rise for 20 years, which again was delivered by this Government. We have had some authoritative interventions about the changing nature of warfare, and I have much to learn from other colleagues.”
House of Commons23 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“I am going to come to a conclusion. I recognise that this Government have lots more work to do, but under this Prime Minister’s watch, defence spending is up—it is higher than at any point in the last 14 years or under the last five Conservative Prime Ministers—and whoever is the next leader of the Labour party will have my support in increasing it further.”
House of Commons23 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“T2. There are not one but two England teams that currently have a 100% record of success in world cups: not only did the men’s football team have a cracking result against Croatia last night, but the England women’s cricket team have won two from two in their world T20 tournament games so far. Will the Minister say a little more about how we will capitalise on the success of the women’s world T20 and ensure that cricket is a sport that grows and is available to all?”
House of Commons18 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The past is a story of the Conservatives hollowing out our defence, the present is a story of this Government spending more than the Conservatives did at any time in their 14 years, but my question is about the future. Our brave allies in Ukraine have revolutionised warfare— [ Interruption. ] The Opposition might want to listen to this, as it is serious. Our allies in Ukraine have shown the effectiveness of drone technology and are turning the tables on the Russians, so how can we learn from them in the defence investment plan?”
House of Commons15 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“T3. It is a good time to be a commuter in Welwyn Hatfield. Trains from all five of our stations are now back under public control, and we have fast trains from Welwyn North to London King’s Cross, which have been a big success. We are right on track. However, does the Secretary of State agree that it is really important to support commuters all across my wonderful constituency and that we should look at all options for increasing the number of trains serving Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City, especially during peak time?”
House of Commons11 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Hatfield is a vibrant town, and we have much to be proud of, but we have a serious antisocial behaviour problem in the Parkhouse Court area. There is daytime drinking and visible drug use, and the problem is compounded by the fact that it is happening just yards away from Safari Stars nursery. It is completely unacceptable. I have visited twice and raised it with the chief inspector and the leader of the council, but things are not moving quickly enough, particularly on the need for a public spaces protection order to give the police the powers they need to move people on and sanction them. Will the Leader of the House make time for a debate on how we can expedite the establishment of a public spaces protection order, especially when there is a risk to children?”
House of Commons11 June 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The right hon. Lady talks of absurd positions. I did a little research before the debate today. I went back to 21 May 2024, just before the last general election, and in this House, in her capacity as Secretary of State, she said that she believed in net zero. She said: “We are on track to reach net zero by 2050, and we will do so in a way that brings the public with us.” —[ Official Report , 21 May 2024; Vol. 750, c. 724.] Her position now is that she does not believe in net zero, and does not believe that it is desirable or achievable. Is that not absurd?”
House of Commons19 May 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Retrofitting the homes of people on low incomes demonstrates beyond doubt that this is not some elite project—as Conservative Members want us to believe—but one that will ultimately get bills down for the people who need it most. If the Conservatives and Reform wish to cling to fossil fuels and the global markets, it is their job to explain the cost to their constituents, but clean, green and cheap energy is the future, and this Labour Government are right to strive for energy independence.”
House of Commons19 May 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“Ocado, which I am proud to say has its national headquarters in Hatfield, has been in touch with me about its ambition to speed up grid connections and the importance of an EV charging infrastructure that allows it to transition to electric vehicles. I am also pleased that Mitsubishi Electric Europe, working in Hatfield, is training gas engineers to transfer from boilers, so that their skills can be applied to heat pumps in the future. Most importantly, however, we have to make clear that the green transition will work for everyone in our society. The warm homes social housing fund is one of the most important parts of that plan.”
House of Commons19 May 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“But we have to go further, and I hope that the energy independence Bill can be a focal point for the Government. We have to innovate. I was with the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister in January when he made an excellent speech on how to speed up the delivery of policy, which is something so many colleagues have talked about today. He talked about learning the lessons of the vaccine taskforce model and applying it more universally. I encourage colleagues in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Cabinet Office to work together with this model in mind, and particularly with a view to speeding up the all-important connections to our grid. We have to work with the private sector.”
House of Commons19 May 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“When it comes to embracing green technology, the public are already voting with their feet. The CEO of Octopus Energy has reported a 50% increase in demand for solar panels and a 30% uplift in demand for heat pumps within weeks of the conflict in Iran starting. This is welcome news, but the transition to green, clean and home-grown energy is not a challenge that the market alone can fix. I am proud of the record of our Labour Government in the past two years: two renewable energy auctions, with bids for enough energy to power 23 million homes; ending the de facto ban on onshore wind; and scaling up the social housing warm homes fund, including more than £6 million for Welwyn Hatfield borough council in my constituency, which will see more than 600 council homes retrofitted in my community.”
House of Commons19 May 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The average prices now stand closer to £1.58 and £1.86 respectively. While we are relatively less reliant on the strait of Hormuz than many countries, our exposure to the fossil fuel rollercoaster that is the global market means we are being hit hard, too. The choice before is simple: get off the fossil fuel rollercoaster and accelerate our transition to green and clean energy, or people and the planet will continue to pay the price for our reliance on gas and oil. A word on climate change: records on global temperatures date back to 1850, yet the past 11 years have been the 11 warmest years on record. We must pursue the transition to clean and green energy for our political and economic security today and for the tomorrows of all the generations yet to come.”
House of Commons19 May 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“It is a real pleasure to see you back in the Chair, Madam Deputy Speaker—the model of calmness and authority. After the week my party has had, there is virtue in the stability you represent in that Chair. I am pleased to be back in this Chamber for the first time in this Session of Parliament to talk about policy and not personality, and to focus on one of the biggest issues our country faces: our energy security. The decision by the United States and Israel to strike Iran on 27 February has seen thousands of lives lost, billions expended in weaponry, a stalemate in the strait of Hormuz and a global energy crisis. For many countries the situation has become very grave, very quickly. In the UK, at the pump on the day before the strikes the price for petrol was £1.35 per litre and for diesel was £1.43.”
House of Commons19 May 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗
“The Prime Minister has offered repeated and unconditional apologies from the Dispatch Box and when he has been asked questions by the media, including to the victims of Epstein. He has made clear that this was an error of judgment. A message of contrition has been heard by people in this House and across the country. We all make mistakes; that is not in dispute. Let us turn next to the action that has been taken and continues to take place across Government. More than 300 documents have already been released to the Intelligence and Security Committee, in full compliance with the Humble Address. That is really important. I was part of the debate—a good debate in this House—about giving the Intelligence and Security Committee oversight of the process.”
House of Commons28 April 2026Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0Source ↗