David Burton-Sampson
MP for Southend West and Leigh · Labour · United Kingdom
“I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing this important debate. My constituents have similar concerns about the impact of fraud, especially on vulnerable people. I have spoken to the noble Lord Hanson, who has been developing the strategy, to outline those concerns. Does the hon.”
“I congratulate my hon. Friend on bringing forward the draft Bill and on all her work on it. Having grown up as a gay person in the early ’90s, I know what it is like to feel as if you are not normal and do not belong.”
“Q8. Happy birthday, Mr Speaker.Last summer, my constituent Ryan Long went to Ibiza on his first lads’ holiday. On his first night, he made what turned out to be a fatal decision when he took an ecstasy pill, and after falling into a coma, he sadly passed away at the age of 18.”
“We must stand together against those who are trying to divide us and sow division. In this great country, we all belong in our communities, no matter who we love or how we identify. Like so many others, I have been made to feel that I do not belong in my lifetime. I have been unable to walk along the street holding my husband’s hand.”
“I want to share it with the House today: “They came for the Socialists And I did not speak out Because I was not a Socialist Then they came for the trade unionists And I did not speak out Because I was not a trade unionist Then they came for the Jews And I did not speak out Because I was not a Jew Then they came for me And there was no on…”
“Alongside a number of my colleagues, I was meant to be at the Royal Navy airbase in Yeovilton, but as we all know, a Merlin helicopter crashed yesterday and, sadly, three members of the Royal Navy were killed. For those of us, including my hon.”
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“Members look at the shrinking violet I am now, to learn that I trained as an actor; I took a degree in performing arts at the world-renowned Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. The end of the acclaimed East 15 acting school in Southend, a casualty of this campus closure, is therefore a loss very close to my heart. I spoke to a course lecturer over the weekend who is devastated at the loss of this facility—not just the loss for her, as she will not be able to transfer to Colchester, but at the loss for the students, and for the city; it loses the Clifftown theatre, a much-loved cultural resource. Like the rest of my generation, I was lucky enough to get a grant for my degree. That experience changed my life. My degree gave me lifelong skills and abilities and expanded my horizons.”
“Friend and I, together with the leader of Southend city council, are pursuing the university’s leaders to create a workable plan at least to alleviate the worst effects of this deeply disappointing decision and find some resolution for the staff, the students and the city of Southend. I was so fortunate that my own university experiences told a very different story. It is said that education opens doors to worlds you never knew existed. I look around me now; when I started out as a child of a working-class single-parent family—the first to attend university—I could never have imagined standing here today. The opportunities afforded to me by attending university and completing my degree have helped to shape my career and make me the person I am, both personally and professionally. It might come as a surprise, when hon.”
“I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Southend East and Rochford (Mr Alaba) for securing the debate. He knows that we both care passionately about this matter, especially given the impact that the closure of the Southend campus of Essex University will have on both our constituencies and our constituents. It is a great shame for the students of today and the students of tomorrow, and a great loss for the city. Let me begin by expressing my backing for my hon. Friend’s positive moves to support students who have expressed concerns to both of us in recent weeks. I understand and share those fears, which is why my hon.”
“Friend has outlined the work that the Government are doing to bolster higher education after 14 years of Tory neglect. I am delighted to see that the Government will reintroduce targeted means-tested maintenance grants by the end of this Parliament for disadvantaged students on priority courses. These grants will provide financial support that does not need to be repaid, helping to remove barriers to opportunity and making sure that no one is left behind. I want to see opportunities retained locally for my constituents in Southend West and Leigh, so that even if the university campus is no longer with us, the crucible of the ideas that were forged there for so many futures is not lost.”
“The challenges that students in the middle of a course face are obvious and too numerous to expand on here; they range from the expense of commuting to the campus in Colchester, to being forced to abandon caring duties for their families. The future of this cohort is fundamentally at risk, and we are fighting hard to make sure that no one is forced to drop out. My hon. Friend the Member for Southend East and Rochford and I have heard terrible stories about students already quitting mid-course, despite being in deep debt. This must not happen. Can the Minister give me assurances that the Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care will do all they can to ensure that no one is forced to abandon their course because of this closure? My hon.”
“I agree with my hon. Friend’s analysis. We have been left in this situation by the last Government, and this Government have the job of getting our universities back on to a good footing. I hope that they will do all they can to address her concerns. I have grave concerns about the impact that the closure will have on the skills pipeline and much-needed jobs in south Essex, in particular for future generations. If the facility is no longer in existence, how will we attract people to train in these vital subjects? Will the Minister give me an assurance that promotion of, and attraction to, vital skills courses elsewhere in Essex for young people in my constituency and the wider south Essex area will be considered, as well as ease of access, now that the Southend campus will no longer be there?”
“In my constituency I have launched the We Love Westcliff campaign, which, as well as promoting greater civic pride, aims to drive down antisocial behaviour such as fly-tipping and drug dealing. What support will the new neighbourhood policing teams provide to help us to achieve that goal?”
“I await the outcome of the Levy review, but live in hope that it will focus on the safety, dignity and autonomy of trans and non-binary people. Time will tell.”
“I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for North Warwickshire and Bedworth (Rachel Taylor) on introducing the debate. I will be brief. A trans woman from my constituency told me: “Transgender healthcare. Even these words feel contentious… If I have a toothache, I understand that I can book an appointment to see a dentist. The pain I was feeling radiated through every aspect of my day, but for a long time it seemed impossible to name. Even when I finally found a way to begin to understand this pain, I was met with a second, greater barrier. Reaching out to the dentist doesn't make me feel ashamed and like a monster.” That is just one small snippet of many stories I have, and I could share many more today. Trans people are human beings, and we need to start treating them as such.”
“The shadow Chancellor wants to talk about fiction, so let us talk about the Liz Truss Budget. Before we do, though, imagine if the Chancellor had turned up to deliver her Budget with headroom of £4.2 billion—£2.2 billion below what is set out by the stability rules. That would have been fiction. But she did not do that; she took the fiscally responsible decision to create headroom of £21.7 billion, which covers us for future financial shocks. Does the shadow Chancellor not agree?”
“My hon. Friend is giving a very interesting speech. In my constituency, Chalkwell station has been waiting an age for further Access for All works to take place, and they are now taking place. Both of my train lines are now in public ownership and working closely with Network Rail. Does he agree that that integration will make this work so much easier moving forward? It will be quicker, slicker and easier for these projects to get going, to the benefit of the commuters.”
“The hon. Gentleman is giving a great speech, and I agree with his points. With spy ships through the channel and submarines off the coast of Scotland, does he agree that it is vital for not only Ukraine but the rest of Europe that we work closely with the coalition of the willing throughout this conflict?”
“The stealing of Ukrainian children by Putin is scandalous and equally devastating for the Ukrainian families impacted. Putin shows no desire to agree a ceasefire in Ukraine, with continued bombardments on the Ukrainian people day in, day out. Does the Minister agree with me that, until Putin demonstrates that he is committed to returning these children and committed to a ceasefire, we must continue to provide Ukraine with all the military, economic and diplomatic support that it needs?”
“At this time of year, the fireworks debate always rages. As a dog owner, I share my constituents’ view that we need legislation to make fireworks safer and more controlled, not just for the sake of animals, but for people too. I recently met the fireworks impact coalition, which is also calling for a review. Will the Leader of the House grant a debate in Government time to discuss this important issue further?”
“As I have just said, many men will reach out to primary care; an estimated 43% of men aged 40 to 54 who die by suicide saw their GP in the three months before their death. What men often do not do is talk about their feelings in environments where they are likely to get more peer support from their community. Some amazing work is being done in this space by organisations such as Movember, Men’s Shed and Andy’s Man Club.”
“The stats around male suicide are simply shocking. Three in every four suicides are male, and it is the leading cause of death among young men aged 20 to 34, with the highest rates of suicide among men aged 40 to 54. Many of these men have been in contact with either their GP or other primary care services prior to their death, but men account for only 33% of referrals to NHS talking therapy, which does not match with the fact that 75% of deaths by suicide are men. What is leading to this? It is often thought that men just do not talk about their feelings, similarly to how they ignore signs of ill health, and that much of this is because of cultural norms around masculinity that cannot be broken for fear of appearing weak—but is that really the case?”
“As I have said in this place before, I have been personally impacted by male suicide, having lost a good friend a year ago last week. A year on, I know that for me and all those who were part of his life the initial shock may have gone but the sense of loss and pain still lingers, as do the endless questions of “What if?”—for no one more so than my friend’s husband. We often forget that suicide has a profound effect on those left behind, especially partners. Suicide survivors, as they are known, will often go on to develop depression or post-traumatic stress disorder and need psychiatric care. Most worryingly, people bereaved by suicide are 65% more likely to take their own life than somebody bereaved by a natural loss. The story of my friend is sadly a story that is repeated time and again.”
“Madam Deputy Speaker, you may or may not have noticed the unusual growth appearing between my nose and top lip. Yes, it is Movember, and for the first time I have had the opportunity to prove to everyone that I can grow facial hair—if that is what you can call it. My Mo is becoming the subject of much contention, with many suggesting that this premiere of what I now affectionately call Bob should remain after 30 November, while I am gaining a growing respect for those whose sensible opinion is that Bob needs the chop—and that is exactly what will happen. Movember is one of many great organisations focusing on men’s health, including improving men’s mental health. I am growing this Mo to highlight a plight that many of us will have been touched by: not just poor mental health but male suicide.”
“I will continue to work hard through the all-party parliamentary group on male suicide to drive and promote better mental health for men. We must see suicide rates come down before we lose too many more of our sons, brothers, fathers and partners. To finish, in the spirit of the Dad Shift request for as many dad jokes as possible, here is mine. Why did the maths book look so sad? Because it had too many problems. On that note, if you feel that you have too many problems, do not hold them in—get talking.”
“I agree with everything that my hon. Friend just said. Domestic abuse is abhorrent, and although it does mainly affect women, we cannot deny that it also affects men. We need to look into and address it. I was delighted to see the first ever men’s health strategy launched yesterday, starting to address head on the issues that I have raised, with £3.6 million invested in suicide prevention projects for middle-aged men as well as expanding mental health teams in schools and a partnership with the Premier League’s “Together Against Suicide” initiative with the brilliant Samaritans. Moving forward, we absolutely need to keep the focus on supporting men’s health, and especially their mental health. We want to see more men’s spaces continue to evolve to be more supportive of men’s emotional needs.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for securing this important debate. In my constituency of Southend West and Leigh, nearly 30% of people who are financially vulnerable are in the “squeezed and sliding” group—people with mortgages and rent commitments but on a low income and, most importantly, with limited savings. Does he agree that more needs to be done to encourage saving for a rainy day, perhaps including an opt-out payroll savings scheme?”
“All of us who have visited Ukraine will know the stoicism of the people. Despite being bombarded night after night, they continue to rebuild, often supported by UK businesses and individuals, as well as others from across the European Union. Does the Foreign Secretary agree that we must do more to continue to encourage businesses and individuals to support Ukraine in any way that they can, but that ultimately it is Putin’s responsibility—and his alone—to pay for the damage that he is causing to the country?”
“I am becoming increasingly concerned about the level of fraud facing individuals and businesses in the UK. Fraud accounts for over 40% of all crime, from online and push payment fraud, to phishing, vishing and smishing, to name just a few schemes. I have even seen examples of businesses in my constituency being hit by various Companies House scams. Will the Leader of the House grant a debate in Government time to discuss how we can tackle these challenges moving forward?”
“The right hon. Gentleman has just listed a load of things that the Tories did with devolution. He cannot deny that the reason we need devolution and local government reorganisation is because his Government significantly underfunded local government, which is now on its knees. We therefore have to take action to get local government back in a good place, and devolution and local government reform is one of those actions.”
“In Southend West and Leigh, I will soon host a youth day, featuring local star of “The Apprentice” Chisola Chitambala, who is now an apprenticeship coach, among other things. Does the Minister agree that early interventions, like this youth day, are really important to prevent young people from becoming another NEET statistic?”
“I thank the Foreign Secretary for his statement and his work on this very important matter. Over the summer I received messages from Fossie, Joseph and Alice, three children from Eastwood Baptist church, among many other messages. They expressed their sadness at the situation in Gaza and wanted my assurance that we are doing all that we can as a Government to bring an end to this horrendous conflict, so I ask him today on their behalf: can he give me that assurance, and is he continuing to use all tools and sanctions at his disposal?”
“On Sunday 13 July, we had the plane crash at Southend airport; again, I send my thoughts to the families of the four people who were killed. I sincerely thank the emergency services, Southend-on-Sea city council and its leader Councillor Daniel Cowan, the airport staff and the airport’s CEO, Jude Winstanley, for everything they have done on both of these tragedies over the last couple of weeks. Most importantly, I thank the amazing Southend community, who have come out, laid flowers and paid tributes to the family. It has been absolutely heartbreaking to see what has happened over the last couple of weeks. This is the end of my first year as an MP, and it has been an absolute privilege and honour to serve the people of Southend West and Leigh. We have achieved a lot, and there is plenty more to come.”
“I want quickly to recognise the charity Trust Links, based in my constituency, which turned 25 years old a couple of week ago. Its chief executive officer Matt King and its founder Cheryl Higgins have done absolutely fantastic work in transforming a derelict plot of land in Westcliff into an outstanding project, which tackles loneliness and social isolation through a range of different activities. The staff there work on mental health as well—it is a true example of what the Government want to do in moving from hospital to the community. We have been struck by two tragedies in Southend over the last couple of weeks. I want to recognise the death of seven-year-old Leonna Ruka, who was killed by a falling tree in Chalkwell park on 28 June. I send my sympathy to her family.”
“It was a fantastic temporary display, and I am delighted that over the last couple of months I have been able to work with Lady Julia and some of Sir David’s team to put in place a permanent display on the wall of the lifeguards station. I thank everybody who has been involved in that project. Of course, one of Sir David’s legacies is that his death led to Southend becoming a city. Every city needs a cathedral, and I have been trying to get one, but it is proving difficult, because Chelmsford has one and there can only be one per diocese. However, I am working with the Bishop of Bradwell to see what we can do about giving special recognition to the historic St Mary’s church, where Sir David had his Southend funeral. I hope that we can get this over the line and that I will get the support of the Church Commissioners in making it happen.”
“It is not lost on me that I have huge shoes to fill in this place, as I stand here representing the constituency that was Sir David Amess’s. I send my thoughts to his wife Lady Julia and all the family, and I hope that we can find a way to give them the answers that they need. This is my second year of contributing to the Sir David Amess summer Adjournment debate, and the last year has gone so quickly, but the passage of time has not eroded the memory of Sir David Amess. Many Members on both sides of the House, and many people in my constituency, will never forget him. He is very much missed. In my constituency, Tony Martin, who runs the Chalkwell lifeguards station, set up a temporary memorial to Sir David, with lots of pictures from his life and his time in Parliament.”
“I congratulate the Secretary of State and his team on their steadfast commitment to cleaning up our waterways, and on today’s welcome announcements. My constituents care greatly about cleaning up the scourge of sewage being pumped into our waters—our beautiful estuary—after years of neglect by the Conservative party. I also note the Government’s commitment to banning wet wipes that contain plastic, which we discussed at our recent water summit in Southend. Will the Secretary of State meet me to discuss the concerns that were raised about the actual flush-ability of some wipes that are marked as being flushable?”
“My hon. Friend will know that my football club, Southend United, nearly disappeared because of mismanagement. Does he agree that the Bill will make sure that we keep these football clubs at the heart of our communities, because, ultimately, that is where they belong?”
“I thank the Secretary of State for his statement and the 10-year plan, which I welcome. I am already seeing the benefits of this Government’s commitment to reforming the NHS in my constituency, with a second linear accelerator radiotherapy machine coming to Southend hospital and investment in four of my GP surgeries, with new space being developed for more appointments. As he knows, however, I care greatly about men’s mental health. How does this 10-year plan begin to address the challenges we face in that area?”
“Member for Winchester and outlined by the hon. Member for Guildford, have good intentions, but we need to reflect on whether they fit in the Bill. I would suggest not. The drivers of disparity here are much deeper than the scope of the Bill, and it would be wrong to attempt to wrap up the solution to this issue within it. That does not mean that action should not be taken. I am hopeful that this Government are doing wider work to drive down racial inequalities, including with the challenge we can see here with mental health. Perhaps the Minister will outline more about the Government’s work, and therefore why the new clauses are not needed. I support the intent of the hon. Member for Winchester, but I cannot support the new clauses as an addition to the Bill.”
“We need to rebuild trust and recognise that mental health cannot be separated from the broader social and political context. Austerity, Brexit, the Windrush scandal and covid-19 have all disproportionately affected the black, Asian and minority ethnic community. That has led to a decrease in trust towards the establishment, and that bleeds into general distrust of organisations and officials working in healthcare settings and mental health. People from BAME communities have shared many examples of direct and indirect discrimination they have experienced within mental health services. Those negative lived experiences further erode trust in the system and often deter people from seeking help. Racial disparities in mental health are a pressing issue that requires immediate and sustained action. New clauses 1 and 3, tabled by the hon.”
“I have witnessed at first hand the racial disparities at a visit to my local in-patient mental health care at Rochford community hospital, where I could see a visibly disproportionate number of black men on the ward, compared with the percentage of black men I know live in my community. People from ethnic minority communities are more likely to come into contact with mental health services through crisis pathways, the police, accident and emergency, and detention. They are more likely to be restrained, isolated and subjected to coercive treatment. We must listen to what these communities are telling us. Research by Mind identified nine key barriers to accessing care, from stigma and discrimination to Eurocentric models of treatment, language and cultural barriers. People feel othered by a system that was not built with them in mind.”
“Black British people suffer a 6% higher rate of common mental health problems than white British people, and black adults are twice as likely to show symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder—at 8%, compared with 4% of the white British population. Black men are over 10 times more likely to be placed under community treatment orders, and black women are more likely than any other group of women to experience common mental health problems. Studies have shown that experiences of racism link to depression, psychosis and post-traumatic stress. When people are assaulted—not just physically, but emotionally and psychologically—by the structures around them, it leaves a lasting impact.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Vickers. Sadly, there are clear racial inequalities within the mental health system, as in other areas of health, and this must change. People from ethnic minority communities are more likely to experience a mental health problem, are less likely to receive support, and have poorer outcomes from services. It is very concerning that black and ethnic minority people are over-represented in detentions in our mental health system, and there are well-documented worries over disparities in the quality of care that they receive. Decades of evidence and lived experience testimony point to systemic injustice.”
“I am proud to still be chair of trustees for that Pride, and thank all its members and the volunteers who contribute to its work.”
“I draw Members to my declarations of interest. As many of us know, the Pride movement started with the Stonewall riots in 1969, but some people now see Pride as a party. It certainly did not start that way, and for many of us it is still a protest and will continue to be so until we genuinely do not need Pride anymore. My Pride journey started as a bystander, until I became a councillor in 2018, when somebody decided to post literature all around the town of Basildon, telling the LGBT community to repent. Instead of getting angry, we organised Basildon mini-Pride within two weeks and showed that we were here to stay. It turned into a full-on Pride that is still going strong, with a programme of events throughout the year as part of the Basildon Pride Everyday programme.”
“I encourage Prides across the movement to keep engaging with us and challenging us, but do not shut us out. Challenge us, and we are here to help. They have our commitment that we will make sure that trans people and the LGBTQ+ community are going to be treated as equals in this country.”
“Friend the Member for North Warwickshire and Bedworth (Rachel Taylor) has brought forward measures to make LGBT hate crime an aggravated offence. We have heard all about the impact that the Supreme Court ruling has had on trans people, who need our allyship more than ever. They need guidance issued that truly supports the fact that they, too, are covered by the protections in the Equality Act 2010. In recent years I have been working closely with an organisation called TransLucent, whose chief executive officer, Steph, is in the Gallery today. It is a great organisation that positively advocates for the trans community, and it is trying to take the heat out of the debate and make sure that trans people are looked after and respected. I will continue to stand as a trans ally, and I know many of my Labour colleagues will, too.”
“Prides around the country are folding and cancelling this year, and many are struggling to get the funding that they usually have, from big events like Liverpool Pride to those in Southampton and Plymouth. The challenges around diversity, equity and inclusion, and the changing attitudes of companies—especially those with American parents—do not help. The attitude that “Prides are no longer needed, because it’s all sorted” also does not help. I can tell the House that Prides are needed now more than ever. Personally, I know that I am not equal: I cannot comfortably walk along the street holding my partner’s hand or giving my partner a kiss. In the best case, I will get stares; in the worst case, I will get verbal or physical abuse. That is a fact—it is how it is today—so I am pleased that my hon.”
“Absolutely. I celebrate York Pride, and I thank its organisers for what they contribute. We stand up against discrimination at Pride events and outside; it is unacceptable. I have to mention my team at Southend Pride, which came into being the year before Basildon Pride. They, too, put on an annual festival and events throughout the year, including a winter Pride. I try to work closely with Southend Pride, and today I recommit my dedication to supporting it and the LGBTQ+ community in Southend and Leigh-on-Sea. I thank the whole team for their dedication: Cath, Sam, Louis, Yvonne, Amber and everyone else involved. We have to face some uncomfortable truths.”
“I agree with what my hon. Friend is saying; these are normal people in our communities. Does she agree that it is really important that we are allies of these people and that we stand with them?”
“Emma was against assisted dying at the time and wanted to do everything to keep her mum with her for as long as possible. Cheryl sadly died last year. Emma told me: “I think if something like this was legal it would stop people having to go through what mam went through on those last few weeks of her life. She could have had a dignified, pain free death. Instead, all her dignity was stripped from her and she was in so much pain, despite the strong pain meds. I will never be able to forget the screams. I hope this does get passed to give people like mam the choice and to be in control.” Like, I am sure, everyone else, I have received similar comments from constituents about watching relatives fade away in pain and agony, suffering a lingering death and begging for it to stop.”
“But, like all of us, I have received a significant amount of communication on this matter, so I, too, decided to launch my own local survey, in which I asked my constituents for their stance on the Bill: for, against or undecided. What became increasingly clear is that people are split on this issue. Fifty-five per cent of people were against, 42% were for and the remainder were unsure. That “for” figure is not insignificant. I promised my very close friend Emma that I would share the story of her mum Cheryl, who was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 cancer just over two and a half years ago. Emma wanted to cherish every last minute of her mum’s life, and she was outstanding at creating those special memories with her in the last year or so.”
“This is my first time speaking to the Bill, so I want to start by thanking my hon. Friend the Member for Spen Valley (Kim Leadbeater) for having the courage to bring forward such a significant piece of legislation. I thank all hon. and right hon. Members who have been part of the debate and who have worked on the Bill so far for their thoughtful contributions. Until this week, I have remained open-minded and undecided on this Bill. My starting point in the debate was my own personal views. I am personally against assisted dying, because of my Christian faith, and for selfish reasons also, as I am a little bit scared of losing people and being there at the end of people’s lives.”
“They should be able to make this deeply personal choice, just as they can make choices about so many other elements of their life, such as whether to follow a religion, marry, have children or get divorced. These are life choices, usually made by somebody of sound mind and with considerable thought. We should be able to make the same choices about our death. After much consideration, I am minded to support the Bill on Third Reading. I will listen to the rest of the debate, but I must say that if Third Reading is not agreed to, we cannot allow the debate to disappear for another decade. The country needs this option. My constituents tell me that we need to find an acceptable way to legislate as soon as is practicable.”
“In my view, the Bill now has more controls than when we looked at it on Second Reading, not fewer. I also reject the suggestion that the Bill has not received sufficient scrutiny. The debate on assisted dying has been ongoing for many years. A significant amount of analysis, reports and information is available. The Bill has gone through hours of scrutiny in Committee and on Report, and it will, of course, go through the same in the other place. I have spent time looking at all the information, and I am sure other Members have, too. I believe in choice. Although at this stage in my life, I believe that assisted dying is not for me, there are many who feel otherwise.”