Mr Bayo Alaba
MP for Southend East and Rochford · Labour · United Kingdom
“That is unsurprising when you consider the regeneration efforts of recent years, which I have been proud to play a part in. It is a particular pleasure to see the steps being taken to return our iconic Kursaal to public use.”
“Bordered by water on three sides, we are physically isolated, an obstacle compounded by a single century-old link road and our location at the end of the railway line. I regularly hear from local residents, business owners and farmers about the impact that regular cases of standstill traffic has on their daily life and work.”
“I am deeply honoured to have the opportunity to speak in the Sir David Amess debate. Sir David’s life was defined by public service, including the 24 years he spent representing the constituency of Southend West. Indeed, it was in Sir David’s memory that Southend was granted city status in 2022.”
“My constituents regularly find themselves stuck in standstill traffic as a result of Rochford’s struggling road network. I have also heard from Baltic Wharf, a key port on the estuary, and from my farming community, who all report supply chain issues due to the refusal of delivery drivers to navigate Rochford district’s outdated highways.…”
“That is why I am proud to be reigniting the mission to secure a new link road into south-east Essex, and why I am working to attract new industries and investment into our area. As I believe Sir David Amess understood, the success of south-east Essex is defined by our spirit of hard work and self-improvement.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Alec. I thank the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael) for securing this debate on an issue that concerns those in my constituency.”
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“In comparable countries, a city like Southend would generate £55 billion more across the country. Will the Minister explain what powers the English devolution Bill will give to mayors, so they can drive local growth and areas can fulfil their financial potential?”
“Nowhere is that more apparent than in Southend-on-Sea. Suffice it to say that I wholeheartedly welcome the Bill as a first step in the transformation of the water industry.”
“After all, Southend is a coastal community, so water quality is completely intertwined with daily life. Our beautiful coastlines are a natural asset that needs to be protected—frankly, they are one of our superpowers—but, frustratingly, our water quality does not always meet the standards that residents, visitors and tourists deserve. However, the Bill means that we can look forward to clean rivers, lakes, seas and estuaries. Not only will it drive up performance by blocking bonuses for executives and imposing automatic and severe fines for those who pollute our waterways, but it will introduce criminal charges for persistent lawbreakers. In 2022, £9.7 million was paid out in executive bonuses—that is simply not good enough. For too long, water quality and food resilience have been overlooked.”
“That is simply not good enough, and it is why I am so pleased to be here to support the most significant increase in enforcement and regulation of the water industry in a decade. Since my election, I have co-chaired the Southend water quality summit with my good and hon. Friend the Member for Southend West and Leigh (David Burton-Sampson). We have been trying to bring all community stakeholders back together again to put additional pressure on Anglian Water. The summits are held quarterly, and are an opportunity for residents, water companies and campaign groups such as Southend Against Sewage to come together to raise issues and concerns. That model empowers communities, and I am proud that our city has been a pioneer in holding water companies to account.”
“I am so pleased to be here to discuss the Bill. Water quality is one of the biggest issues facing residents across my constituency, particularly in relation to pollution levels, and under-investment in infrastructure has reduced flood resilience in our residential areas. In Southend, our beaches have lost some of their blue flags in recent months, particularly in Thorpe bay, because of surface water drainage issues. Constituents experiencing significant flooding every time there is increased rainfall. Some constituents living around the Thorpe Hall Avenue area have tried to sell up, and have been forced to sell for up to 15% below the market value as a direct consequence of flooding.”
“On Friday, I had the joy of visiting a couple of local organisations: the Southend business partnership and the Southend art collective. What is apparent from these meetings is the will and the talent in Southend East and Rochford to reanimate the city. However, like many constituencies, we struggle with the loss of grassroots sport, music venues, leisure facilities and high street shops. Will the Leader of the House join me in recognising the hard work of both collectives and grant a debate on the importance of extracurricular activities in low socio- economic areas?”
“That may sound insignificant to many people, but some mortgage lenders are reluctant to lend on the said properties due to such technical financial interest. That prevents young families looking to either remortgage or move out of their property from doing so. Residents can request a deed of variation, which is one way in which they can come out of that situation, but the fees for those deeds are £1,200, so it is prohibitive. This is about being responsible and reasonable with residents’ money. I thank the hon. Member for Keighley and Ilkley again for securing the debate. I look forward to hearing the Minister’s comments.”
“Although the service is supposed to be for them, as the hon. Member for Chichester (Jess Brown-Fuller) said, they are not really part of the decision-making process. That is a real source of frustration, and residents would not mind so much if they were getting the services they were promised. Does the Minister agree that it is important that housing developers take responsibility and appoint reliable, reasonable management companies? Another key issue that I am keen to raise is the over-zealous housing developers who maintain a financial interest in the properties to the detriment of residents. A housing developer in my constituency is maintaining their financial interest by imposing an annual fixed rent charge of £1.”
“Unfortunately, for a number of my constituents in Rochford, some housing developers have failed to do their due diligence and appoint reliable and accessible management companies. For example, residents in the Elizabeth Gardens estate on Hall road in Rochford are being forced to pay a lump sum in excess of £300 in annual service fees. They are asked to pay that in one go, rather than in instalments, which is one example of how inflexible some management companies can be with new residents who move into certain communities. As I am sure we have all heard before, grass is not being cut, areas are not being maintained and fees are unaccounted for, and the list goes on. Thus far, residents have not been offered the opportunity to pay in monthly instalments, which goes to show that again they are not necessarily being listened to.”
“It is an honour to speak under your chairmanship, Mr Pritchard. I thank the hon. Member for Keighley and Ilkley (Robbie Moore) for securing this much-needed debate, and I will try to avoid party politics, because I do not really think this is about that. Although it is less often said, I see a responsibility that housing developers ought to fulfil post construction: the appointment of reliable management companies to ensure the upkeep of estates. One of the reasons why I am here today is to talk about that. Developers should ensure a smooth transition to reliable and reputable management companies but, as I am sure hon. Members know from their casework, that job is often not completed.”
“The Budget turns a page on the last 14 years and begins to create the conditions for an area such as Southend East and Rochford to thrive.”
“These are steps that will deliver the change that our communities deserve and regenerate our local economies. Finally, this Labour Government are increasing the national minimum wage to £12.21 per hour——an increase of 6.7%—which will serve to revitalise the hospitality and retail sectors. The Low Pay Commission estimates that 54% of all jobs paying at or below the minimum wage are in retail, hospitality, cleaning and maintenance occupations. The workers in those industries have been overlooked for too long. Labour’s Budget puts those workers back on the agenda, with more money in their pockets at the end of the month. I welcome the actions of this Labour Government to support essential services and equip our leisure and retail industries with the tools for the future.”
“I know how important this is in Southend East and Rochford, where hospital and health workers are working hard to serve their community. The businesses, restaurants and bars that are integral to Southend East and Rochford’s local offer will be pleased by the measures announced in this Budget—as someone who has run businesses in that sector for over 24 years, I know how important it is. The Government are choosing to protect small businesses by increasing the employment allowance to £10,500 and expanding that allowance to all eligible employers. This Labour Government are making business rates fairer to protect our high streets and are permanently introducing lower rates for retail, hospitality and leisure—as many as 6,380 microbusinesses in the Southend city council area stand to benefit from those changes.”
“This Budget represents a huge step towards restoring the vibrancy and potential of my constituency. The commitments in this Budget will support our hospital and health services, revitalise trade and hospitality, and knit the community closer together. Over the past 14 years, our public services have been neglected and the hospitality and retail industries have been unsupported. That is why I am so proud that the Labour Government are working to fix the foundations and reform our public services at their very roots. This Budget invests £25.6 billion in the NHS over two years, which will cut waiting times by creating an extra 40,000 elective appointments a week so that the NHS will be there when we need it.”
“As we know, she became the first black woman to be elected to the House in 1987. She inspired a generation and paved the way for many of us to follow her. I am the first black Labour MP for Southend East and Rochford. The result of my election was declared about an hour before that of my hon. Friend the Member for Southend West and Leigh (David Burton-Sampson), so perhaps I am being slightly creative here—”
“Courtney Pine is an internationally recognised musician who I have had the pleasure of seeing many a time. Writer, director and multiple literary prize winner Malorie Blackman is the person behind books such as “Noughts & Crosses” and “Boys Don’t Cry”. Last but by no means least is my childhood friend Randall McNeil, also known as DJ Randall. Randall was an internationally acclaimed pioneer of UK drum and bass and the dance industry. He helped transform the UK dance industry with his style, skill and personality. Sadly, we lost Randall earlier this year. Finally, given that we are here in the House of Commons Chamber, which has an immense history, I pay tribute to the Mother of the House, my right hon. Friend the Member for Hackney North and Stoke Newington (Ms Abbott).”
“It comprised men from Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone and The Gambia. Thousands were drafted in to fight in Burma, which, as many hon. Members will know, saw some of the harshest and fiercest fighting during the second world war. The West African Division stood shoulder to shoulder with soldiers from India and Britain as they fought the Japanese enemy at the time. It is crucial that the commitment and sacrifice—sometimes the ultimate sacrifice—of those men is remembered whenever we talk about the contribution of colonial and Commonwealth soldiers in the second world war. When talking about black excellence here in the UK, we have to talk about our huge contribution to the arts, film and, of course, the music industry. Steve McQueen is a director whose most notable films are “12 Years a Slave” and “Lover’s Rock”.”
“He built the city of London wall to protect the citadel of London, as it was then. A number of hon. Members have spoken about black history being British history, and the wall is a testament to how far back black history goes. As we are approaching Remembrance Day and talking about reshaping narratives, it would be remiss of me not to mention and champion the West African Division, formerly the West African Frontier Force. The right hon. Member for New Forest East (Sir Julian Lewis) mentioned the commitment, dedication and sacrifice of people from the Afro-Caribbean community who gave everything to the armed forces and the British empire, and the West African Division is a testament to that. The West African Frontier Force was formed in 1915, and was renamed as the West African Division in 1943.”
“Morgan Garrett, who was born in Kentucky in 1877, invented the gas mask and the traffic lights system, which, as we know, has gone on to save tens of thousands of lives. Coming closer to these shores, I pay tribute to Walter Tull, who was born in Folkestone in 1888. He was one of England’s first black professional football players, going on to play for Tottenham—I didn’t say he was perfect. [ Laughter. ] Tull went on to be one of the first black officers in the British Army, serving with credit in world war one. Tragically, he was fatally shot in northern France in March 1918. A number of Members have spoken about the history of the UK. The original wall surrounding the city of London was built by Severus, who was the first African emperor of the Roman empire.”
“The theme of this year’s Black History Month is “reframing the narrative.” To do that, I want to champion the contribution of black inventors, black scientists, black scholars, black literature, black journalists and black innovators. I also want to acknowledge the history of black military personnel. Finally, I want to talk about black excellence in the arts, culture and the creative industries. In celebrating black inventors, scientists and mathematicians —I know that my hon. Friend the Member for Brent East (Dawn Butler), as a technical person, will appreciate this—I pay tribute to Lewis Latimer and Morgan Garrett. Lewis Latimer, who was born in Massachusetts in 1848, invented the carbon filament found in light bulbs, giving us long-lasting light.”
“I pay tribute to all hon. Members who have made such brilliant speeches today. I pay particular compliments to the Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Erith and Thamesmead (Ms Oppong-Asare), for supporting me on my journey into politics. I do not come from a political background—I come from a military and self-employed business background—but when I met my hon. Friend during a couple of political engagements, she saw something in me, supported me and gave me some good counsel. She even came out and campaigned for me, so I thank her for her support. I am honoured to be here representing Southend East and Rochford and discussing Black History Month.”
“My hon. Friend’s result was declared 20 minutes after mine, and we became Southend’s first black MPs. It is really important to talk about reframing narratives. Black history has too often been seen through the prism of the transatlantic slave trade and the American civil rights movement, so I want to talk about how black British history has affected the United Kingdom. Including black people harmonises history better and more accurately, improving community cohesion and economic prosperity. By telling a more accurate story and referencing the African diaspora’s impact on society, we can do just that—we reframe the narrative.”
“Pubs and bars provide a vibrant hospitality sector, and it is an industry that helps the next generation prepare for work. Service providers and operators in this sector should be championed for what they provide for our communities.”
“They shoulder that burden, sometimes against the backdrop of increasing antisocial behaviour and decreasing footfall. Those are the challenges that, as I have mentioned before, I faced myself in running my business. I am sure many Members here, once upon a time, worked in pubs and bars as an entry-level job to get into the workplace. We should not underestimate the importance of the soft skills that this sector develops, such as responsibility, punctuality, problem solving and dealing with people from many cultures in different types of situations. Other businesses benefit from those as those individuals move further into the workplace. It is also worth noting that many operators in this sector, including myself, in some circumstances put their life savings into their business as well. It is important that we support this industry.”
“I thank the hon. Member for Mid Leicestershire (Mr Bedford) for securing this debate. This is a matter close to me because my background is in the hospitality sector. I spent 23 years running and owning bars, pubs, restaurants and festivals, and I provided consultancy services to the industry. In my role as the MP for Southend East and Rochford, I have spoken to a lot of businesses because they are particularly important to the regeneration of the town centre and the high street, and that is something that I have been keenly engaged with. With all those industries, as some hon. Members have mentioned, it is quite important how they run, plan and make their business. The example that they have given me is the increasing costs from business rates, food, beverages and even wages, which make their businesses quite hard to run.”
“T6. In Southend East and Rochford, the Freight House and the Kursaal sit vacant. In times gone by, my community used those sites greatly. We cannot allow buildings with such cultural capital potential to sit vacant. Does the Minister agree that the regeneration of cultural sites such as the Kursaal and the Freight House is central to a prosperous community?”
“Economic growth is the defining mission of this Government and ensuring thriving local high streets is essential to that. As MPs, we need to work towards effective partnerships with local authorities and business associations to realise that mission locally and to restore vibrancy to our high streets. I am filled with the hope that visitors to Southend East and Rochford will step off a train from Southend Victoria or Southend Central and will know from the thriving, bustling and prosperous high street that our local area is well worth a return visit.”
“I have had a long career in regeneration and the hospitality industry and, chatting to the organisations at the forefront of Southend’s offer, I felt inspired that there was a collective of new businesses looking to reanimate the town centre. It is now our obligation to support them with strong, forward-thinking policy, giving them the foundations to grow their business and to elevate the communities that they are in. Another important aspect of a vibrant high street is the circular economy, which is limited in Southend East and Rochford because of its struggling high streets. We need to put the mechanisms in place that see every pound spent circulated locally three, four or even five times. That is the goal of any community that wants to future-proof its relevance.”
“I have met a multitude of local businesses to understand the challenges they face and discussed a strategy to revive our high streets. They have told me about the difficulties in covering business rates, utility bills and the decreased footfall caused by antisocial behaviour, which ironically increases as our shops and venues close down. A by-product of a vibrant high street is that it is a gateway for young people, providing soft skills and equipping them for the future. Last week, I met with bar operators on Alexandra Street who I know will be vital to the regeneration of the city centre in Southend. Independent businesses, such as IndiRock, are reinventing what the high street has to offer and paving the way for businesses to come.”
“I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Derby North (Catherine Atkinson) for securing the debate, which is incredibly important to me and my constituency of Southend East and Rochford. When we talk about high streets and city centre regeneration, we are talking about so much more than just the retail industry. The ripple effect is clear: declining footfall also threatens hospitality, cultural amenities, tourism and employment. The list is actually endless. One reason why I stood to be the MP for Southend East and Rochford is that I can see how much potential the area has to offer. For a coastal community in the commuter belt of London, regenerating the city centre and high streets, such as Hamlet Court Road, will be key to unlocking a prosperous local economy.”
“It is an honour to pay tribute to the success of Team GB and to highlight the importance of local grassroots organisations, such as ATF, that use sport to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour by offering young people a second chance.”
“It can dramatically improve young people’s wellbeing, and it is an opportunity to bring them back into the fold. I saw this for myself as an amateur football manager. I was part of the leadership team of a large amateur football club—one of the largest in Europe, in fact. At Old Parmiterians football club, we often supported and nurtured young people from within the community. We ensured that they joined a football team, and we supported them. Some of these young players had troubled pasts or were in the wrong networks, so football gave them a network. Being in a team with positive people, and different types of people, helped to shape their lives through grassroots sport.”
“I also pay tribute to ATF, a grassroots organisation that works across south Essex, including Southend East and Rochford. ATF is doing fantastic work, using sport to bring people together, to heal community divides and to work with people at risk of exclusion. It is testament to the power of sport in transforming people’s lives, particularly those who have had run-ins with the criminal justice system. Since my election, there have been multiple incidents of knife crime and machete crime on my community’s high streets. It is scary for many of us and, if left unaddressed, it can have detrimental, if not fatal, consequences. Sport is often the point of intervention for young people, equipping them with life skills such as determination and teamwork.”
“I commend and thank hon. Members for all their brilliant maiden speeches. It would be remiss of me not to draw on the speech of my hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich (Sarah Coombes); this month is Black History Month, and those, like me, of a certain vintage, will remember that West Bromwich Albion in the ’70s produced an amazing barnstorming football team, with three brilliant, graceful and very talented footballers at its pinnacle: the late Laurie Cunningham, the late Cyrille Regis, and Brendon Batson. I too congratulate our Olympians and Paralympians. They have done our country proud, as other Members have said. Having been a community ambassador for the London 2012 Olympics, I understand the Olympic message and the vision it brings to people and communities. It inspires and uplifts communities and, indeed, nations.”
“It is my absolute honour to represent my constituency in Parliament, to debate SEND in the east of England and to be part of Labour’s mission-driven Government. I welcome the fact that inclusion will be at the centre of SEND policy moving forward. Does the Minister agree that more needs to be done to support families, parents and organisations such as Raw Learning, which so often fill the gap where local authorities are stretched, where mainstream schools do not have the resources to sufficiently support children with SEND in the classroom and where the previous Government failed?”
“Raw Learning provides a fantastic service for young people who are not able to conform to traditional learning environments, transforming the lives of young people and their families. Families should not have to wait more than a year to receive an education, health and care plan. In Southend East and Rochford and across the nation, we have seen a huge increase in demand for EHCPs. It is up to our local authorities to administer EHCPs; by law, the process is supposed to take a maximum of 20 weeks. However, in Southend East and Rochford, 90.4% of decisions took six months or longer. So often it is the children who are most in need who are left out of school while they wait. There are many factors that can exacerbate issues, such as catchment areas, income and social capital.”
“I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Lowestoft (Jess Asato) for arranging this debate. It is great to see so many MPs from the east of England present to discuss such an important issue. It is something that has come up time and again during my time as a youth mentor, school governor and behavioural mentor. My hon. Friend the Member for Ipswich (Jack Abbott) referenced school attendance and the issues around punctuality, which is something that is close to my heart, as I also chair a disciplinary board for a local school. First, I pay tribute to Raw Learning. I had the pleasure of attending the launch event of a new forest school with Raw Learning last week, which was my second time visiting a forest school. The first time, I did not take the right shoes—I recommend that all Members bring a pair of wellies if they visit a forest school.”
“Coastal areas such as mine have been on the economic sharp end for 30 or 40 years. The root cause of that, most notably, is budget air travel, and that is not going away. Recent years have brought fresh challenges. Southend’s economy was at the sharp end during the covid pandemic. The city is still in its recovery phase. Many of the jewels in Southend’s crown—the Kursaal venue on the seafront or the Freight House in Rochford—remain unused or underused. I am determined that these buildings will come back to life again, as part of our future.”
“One of my great pleasures when canvassing is running into old Army friends still living in the seat—if they are prepared to open the door to me. For me, as someone who left school with no qualifications, got into a lot of trouble as a young boy and needed a second chance, night school and the military provided a lifeline. I quite simply would not be here today in the mother of all Parliaments without the opportunities that gave me and the ethos of service that it instilled in me. To properly understand Southend, we need to understand its proud military history. The city is built on a unique blend. The discipline and the dignity of the armed forces is combined with the creativity and the freedom of the arts—a place for both the soldier and the singer, if you like. But there is a risk of getting too misty-eyed.”
“That was a lofty lyrical ambition indeed, and it was always going to be a hard ask, but speaking as someone who grew up in the east end of London in that era, I can confirm that the idea of Southend always carried a certain magic. That is one reason why I feel so privileged to represent the area today. Another reason is the constituency’s military heritage. At the eastern part of my seat we find Shoebury garrison, an area steeped in military history, and in the north is Southend airport, which now serves holidaymakers but in a past life was Rochford airfield, a fighter base that helped to fend off fascism during the second world war. As a former soldier, I was stationed in the Southend area for a short while.”
“Southend is a city that allows people to meet a sea turtle, admire a vintage car, win a large teddy bear and even have their palm read, often during the course of a single day. It is a place where past generations have gone in search of freedom and pleasure, and it is hard in today’s world to think of a calling more important than that. Indeed, the musician Billy Bragg immortalised one of the roads that takes people to Southend in his 1985 song “A13 Trunk Road to the Sea”. The chorus name-checks Shoeburyness, and Bragg later said that he hoped his song would imbue the A13—I know this is a bit of a reach—with the same romance as route 66 in America, “The Road to Your Dreams,” which runs from Chicago to Los Angeles.”
“As a Southender, I am contractually obliged to mention that Southend is the site of the longest pier in the world, at 2,158 metres, with the option to walk or take a purpose-built train. I made the mistake some years ago of walking it with my son—he is a little bit older now, and he is up in the Gallery. My calves were struggling by the end of it. From watching the maiden speeches of Labour colleagues past and present, I have been struck by the nature of the local industry that is so often name-checked. Tin, pottery, steel, textiles and coal are among the staple products in historical Labour seats. Those are noble and important goods—they are Labour goods—but they are not the stock-in-trade of my own seat. Southend’s primary industry and expertise has always been tourism: good times, escapism and happy memories. Those are our exports.”
“Throughout many boundary iterations, from Southend East and Rochford to Rochford and Southend East and back again—you can see the creativity in renaming the constituency—the area has always been Tory-held, until now. I am particularly proud to speak here today as the seat’s first ever Labour representative. The constituency consists of not just the city of Southend but the villages of Great Wakering, Canewdon, Barling, Paglesham, Stambridge and Shoeburyness, the suburbs of Southchurch and Thorpe Bay, and Rochford itself. It is a beautiful constituency, rich in culture, where you should bring your walking boots as well as your swimming costume. It is the place where Dame Helen Mirren went to primary school and home to the Cliffs Pavilion, which hosted Oasis in 1995—that might be tricky next time round depending on who can get tickets.”
“I commend the hon. Member for Chelmsford (Marie Goldman) for a great speech. I know Chelmsford well—it is a beautiful town—and I commend her passion for supporting young people in schools and their journey, which is very important and something that we need to protect. Thank you, Ms Ghani, for allowing me today to make my first contribution in this House. I think it is right to start off by thanking my predecessor as MP, Sir James Duddridge, for 19 years of dedicated service. He became MP in 2005 when Southend East and Rochford was newly redrawn. The rural areas to the north of Southend have been brought back within the constituency for the first time in many years.”