Michael Payne
MP for Gedling · Labour · United Kingdom
“The Secretary of State and I have known each other a long time—we served in local government together—and he knows that I am as passionate as he is about bringing power back closer to people, but I have to say to him, in all honesty, that the decision to split my home community of Gedling borough in half and force communities in Gedling i…”
“Will he explain to my constituents why the Government have backed the option that did not adhere to the strict criteria set out by the Government at the start of this process?”
“—Michael Payne. I simply seek to correct the record. I should have, when I made a contribution in the statement, drawn attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests as a serving Gedling borough councillor. I seek through this point of order to correct the record.”
“I thank the Minister for her statement and for her clear passion for this work. I welcome the reforms to ensure that the Flood Re scheme remains sustainable and financially viable in the medium term, and the £25 cap on flood excess for contents insurance for band A and band B properties will be particularly important to those who can leas…”
“My thoughts are first and foremost with the families whose lives have been changed forever by the loss of their babies, and the mothers who should have received safe care but were harmed. Behind every page of this report are families who have endured unimaginable grief and who have spent years fighting simply to have their voices heard.”
“Today’s publication of Donna Ockenden’s report into maternity services in Nottinghamshire is a difficult and deeply emotional moment for families across our county and city.”
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“Will he explain to my constituents why the Government have backed the option that did not adhere to the strict criteria set out by the Government at the start of this process? Finally—thank you for your forbearance, Madam Deputy Speaker—given his announcement that he will hold off on making a decision on Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, will he re-think on Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, and hold off on making a decision until an agreement can be made in my part of the world?”
“The Secretary of State and I have known each other a long time—we served in local government together—and he knows that I am as passionate as he is about bringing power back closer to people, but I have to say to him, in all honesty, that the decision to split my home community of Gedling borough in half and force communities in Gedling into an expanded new Nottingham city council area against their will is bad for my constituents and bad policymaking. I have to tell the Secretary of State that this is a decision that I cannot and will not support. Will the Secretary of State tell me what on earth makes sense about creating two councils for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, when official figures show that from day one, one of them will be £147 million better off than the other?”
“—Michael Payne. I simply seek to correct the record. I should have, when I made a contribution in the statement, drawn attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests as a serving Gedling borough councillor. I seek through this point of order to correct the record.”
“Will she also join me in paying tribute to the Woodborough Flood Action Group, which does outstanding work in protecting Woodborough village in my constituency?”
“I thank the Minister for her statement and for her clear passion for this work. I welcome the reforms to ensure that the Flood Re scheme remains sustainable and financially viable in the medium term, and the £25 cap on flood excess for contents insurance for band A and band B properties will be particularly important to those who can least afford to be affected by flooding. However, the Minister knows that investment in flood defences is the only way to transition to a fully resilient system by 2039. Residents in Woodborough in my constituency will welcome the reforms, but what they really want to see is investment in a Woodborough flood alleviation scheme, which is long overdue. Will the Minister commit to working with me to ensure that Woodborough receives its fair share of the £1.4 billion investment in flood defences next year?”
“Will he assure me and the whole House that the lessons identified in the report will be fully implemented and embedded throughout maternity services in Nottinghamshire and around the United Kingdom, so that no family has to endure what far too many families have already endured?”
“My thoughts are first and foremost with the families whose lives have been changed forever by the loss of their babies, and the mothers who should have received safe care but were harmed. Behind every page of this report are families who have endured unimaginable grief and who have spent years fighting simply to have their voices heard. I pay tribute to their courage, dignity and determination. In the face of heartbreak, they refused to be silenced. They fought not only for answers about their loved ones, but to ensure that other families would not suffer the same pain. Can my right hon. Friend confirm that he will consider all options available to deliver justice and accountability for those families who have waited far too long for answers?”
“Today’s publication of Donna Ockenden’s report into maternity services in Nottinghamshire is a difficult and deeply emotional moment for families across our county and city. I want to place on the record my thanks to Donna Ockenden and her outstanding team for the care, compassion and thoroughness with which they have exposed the devastating cases of these families. Let me also place on the record my thanks to my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood Forest (Michelle Welsh). She is a fearless and formidable campaigner for justice and has walked this journey with the families every step of the way, and I know just how proud her son Billy will be watching her from home today.”
“My hon. Friend is making an excellent speech. Does he agree that wherever people stand on assisted dying, the country is reasonably entitled to expect that after 16 days—more than 75 hours—of debate, the House of Lords should have come to a decision on one of the most profound issues that has been debated in this parliamentary Session?”
“I thank my hon. Friend for securing the debate. Does he agree that one way to redress the historical imbalance in transport spending is for a green light to be given to the fourth Trent crossing, which would link my constituency to his beautiful constituency of Rushcliffe? It would unlock economic growth and bring forward new jobs, crucially it would help with emergency planning in one of the biggest cities in the country, and it would be great for our region.”
“Does the shadow Minister also regret the fact that between 2010-11 and 2019-20 local authority spending in the east midlands dropped by 22.6%, on the previous Government’s watch?”
“In just 18 months this Government have ended the disastrous 1996 Tory privatisation of military housing, which cost the taxpayer billions of pounds. We have repaired 1,000 military homes in the poorest condition ahead of schedule, and we have kick-started a landmark £9 billion repair and renewal of 36,000 forces homes. Does the Minister agree that this is more action in 18 months than the last lot managed in 14 years?”
“The Minister will be aware that alongside the escalation of closing the strait, the repressive regime in Iran continues to target female activists relentlessly. Will he ensure that the work being spearheaded by the Foreign Secretary in the Foreign Office to tackle violence against women and girls globally includes specific initiatives to support the brave women and girls of Iran?”
“I recently met those from Stenhouse medical practice in Arnold. They talked to me about the need to invest in primary care to alleviate pressure on our hospitals. May I take this opportunity to thank all GPs and GP staff across Gedling? Will the Minister explain to me what actions the Government are taking and how they will improve GP services for my constituents in Gedling?”
“My thanks go to the Lambley historical society, the Burton Joyce and Bulcote local history society, the Gedling Village local history and preservation society, and the Arnold local history group for their outstanding work in preserving our rich and interesting local history. I give a special thanks to my good friend Bob Massey for all he does to champion and celebrate our proud history in and around Arnold. Tourism rooted in history and heritage strengthens local pride, supports local businesses and tells the world that Gedling’s story is inseparable from the story of Sherwood Forest. I look forward to seeing Sherwood Forest Day go from strength to strength and to playing my part in ensuring that Gedling’s place in that story is rightly recognised.”
“I am especially pleased that two such plaques will be erected on excellent local pubs owned by the Lincoln Green brewery: the Brickyard in Carlton and one of my own locals, the much loved and aptly named Robin Hood and Little John, which is in Arnold. I place on record my thanks to Anthony Hughes, the founder and owner of Lincoln Green brewery—which is in the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood Forest—for his generous support of the Sherwood Forest Day initiative, and his commitment to celebrating local heritage. Remembering and preserving our local history and heritage is vital. In Gedling, we are blessed to have brilliant local history groups that do just that.”
“From medieval woodland rights to the enduring legend of Robin Hood, such communities help to shape the folklore and identity of our great county of Nottinghamshire. The tales of Robin Hood and his band are not just stories for tourists; they speak to ideas of fairness, justice and standing up for the common good. Those are values that still resonate strongly with the people who I represent in Gedling. That is why I am delighted that on Sherwood Forest Day I will join the Mayor of Gedling—my husband, Councillor Kyle Robinson-Payne—to unveil plaques to recognise the communities that were once part of the historic forest.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Murrison. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood Forest (Michelle Welsh) on securing this important debate and the phenomenal leadership that she has shown in establishing Sherwood Forest Day. It is a brilliant initiative that celebrates not just a place but a shared history that continues to shape our communities. Sherwood Forest is rightly famous around the world but it is sometimes forgotten how many of our towns and villages once formed part of the great forest. In Gedling, communities such as Arnold and Carlton, and those beyond, were historically within the bounds of Sherwood Forest. They are places with deep roots in that story, and places where history is not locked in the past but woven into everyday life.”
“The Secretary of State’s Department issued very clear guidance on 6 February last year, which said that “we expect local leaders to engage their Members of Parliament, and to ensure there is wide engagement with local partners and stakeholders, residents, workforce and their representatives, and businesses on a proposal.” My constituents are concerned that the proposal by Nottingham city council for reorganisation in Nottinghamshire fails to meet that test. Can the Secretary of State give me and my constituents in Gedling an assurance that his Department will firmly apply the guidance that he set on 6 February 2025?”
“In communities such as Netherfield and Daybrook in my constituency, there has been an unchecked rise in the number of houses in multiple occupation, which is undermining community cohesion and local services, and affecting housing availability. Will the Leader of the House urge the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to reverse the last Conservative Government’s change to legislation that allowed HMOs to be established without any local planning process and control?”
“T5. I recently visited Boutique Flowers on Carlton Hill in Gedling, which is a brilliant local business owned by Sally and Tina. They told me that they are losing thousands of pounds as a result of fraudulent chargebacks, and many small businesses are facing the same issue across the country. Will the Minister work with small businesses, banks, and payment providers to reform the chargeback system and put an end to this growing fraud scandal that is hitting small businesses across the country?”
“T3. Luxfer Gas Cylinders in my constituency employs more than 200 people and is a key supplier to hydrogen allocation round 1 projects. It wants to expand to become the UK’s only manufacturer of high pressure hydrogen cylinders for hydrogen tube trailers and hydrogen vehicle fuel systems, which are currently imported. Will the Minister meet me and other MPs who have significant hydrogen and fuel cell manufacturers in their constituencies to discuss how existing Government support for hydrogen can best drive UK growth and jobs?”
“I recently had the pleasure of visiting Arnold u3a, which is brilliantly chaired by Hazel Ward and provides excellent activities for more than 500 members. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating all the u3a groups across Gedling, and will he make time for a debate on tackling social isolation and loneliness through lifelong learning?”
“They bring comfort where it is needed most, and we all owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude. In speaking of courage and compassion, I also want to take a moment to thank my friend and neighbour, the Member of Parliament for Sherwood Forest, Michelle Welsh. Long before she entered this place, Michelle walked side by side with Nottinghamshire families through years of anguish and struggle, standing shoulder to shoulder with them when few others would. Just 37 days ago, she suffered her own loss with the passing of her beloved dad, who taught her to fight always against injustice, wherever she found it. Just days after losing her dad, she was back in Parliament, meeting bereaved maternity families. In thanking Michelle for her leadership today—”
“The mothers and fathers who have come forward in Gedling and Nottinghamshire have shown extraordinary dignity, courage and perseverance in the face of heartbreak that most of us can barely begin to comprehend. Yet even in the face of unspeakable loss, each and every family I have met in Gedling and Nottinghamshire who have lost a child or suffered harm during birth have reminded me that light always shines brightest in the darkest places. In the depths of their grief, their pursuit of truth and change honours their children’s memory and stands as a beacon of tremendous humanity and hope. I want to take a moment to pay a special tribute to the incredible charities, volunteers and support organisations who walk alongside bereaved families day in, day out.”
“I rise, in Baby Loss Awareness Week, to pay tribute to the far too many families in Gedling and Nottinghamshire who have suffered the devastating loss of their babies in circumstances that were entirely avoidable. They placed their trust in a system that should have protected them, and that system failed them. The Ockenden review of maternity services in Nottingham is now supporting 2,500 families who have been affected by neonatal deaths, injuries, stillbirths and maternity deaths. Many of them were failed by the NMC, failed by the GMC, failed by the CQC and failed by our NHS. Regulation must be overhauled, and accountability must improve.”
“My apologies, Madam Deputy Speaker. In thanking my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood Forest (Michelle Welsh) for her leadership today, I want to say that her dad would have been so incredibly proud to sit in the Gallery today to see his little girl in this Chamber using the privilege of her platform to fight for those who have been failed and suffered the most unimaginable loss. I also pay tribute to the families who have campaigned for years for change and justice. We owe them far more than sympathy. We owe them justice, and we owe them truth.”
“I welcome my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House to his place. I recently had the privilege of visiting Lambley reed pond. Will my right hon. Friend join me in thanking and paying tribute to Bonnie Bramwell and all those on the Lambley reed pond committee, who have worked tirelessly to protect and enhance one of the most beautiful hidden gems in my constituency?”
“Will my right hon. Friend join me in thanking Tina Simpson and her team at the Loco Centre in Netherfield, as well as Nathan Kenney and Mapperley All Stars, for their brilliant work this summer in delivering the holiday activities and food programme in Gedling? Will she also welcome its very much-needed extension for three years by this Labour Government?”
“Our amazing schools play a central role in giving every child the best possible start in life. Will the Minister join me in congratulating Mrs Toner and her entire team at the Good Shepherd Catholic primary academy on their recent and incredibly well-deserved outstanding Ofsted report?”
“Over the summer, I had the brilliant opportunity to enjoy a pint at the Abdication in Daybrook, the Four Bells Inn in Woodborough, the Waggon and Horses in Redhill—my local—and the Bread and Bitter at Mapperley Top, among the many other brilliant pubs in Gedling. I will always fight the corner of Gedling’s many amazing small businesses. That is why, last year, I launched my own annual small business awards to celebrate small businesses throughout Gedling. With so many amazing businesses across Carlton, Netherfield, Burton Joyce and beyond in the wider Gedling area, our door is always open to Government Ministers who wish to come and listen and support our local small business community.”
“At Mapperley Top, we held a roundtable in La Zenia, a tapas restaurant that opened a year ago—I send huge congratulations to Lucy and her brilliant team on their first year of business. My right hon. Friend also heard directly from Copper, Steve’s Bar, Deli-icious and Coosh bakery. In Arnold, we met the passionate teams at Cleo’s deli, Taste First, the Empress, Chambers butchers and Paradise café. I thank my right hon. Friend for visiting and listening to Gedling’s fantastic small businesses, and congratulate him on his new role as Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister. May I also take this opportunity to congratulate the Woodlark Inn in Lambley, and its landlady, Emma, on recently being named one of the best 500 pubs in England by The Telegraph ?”
“The hospitality businesses across Gedling are more than just places to eat and drink; they are the backbone of our community and the beating heart of our high streets. From Carlton to Arnold, Mapperley to Netherfield and Burton Joyce to Bestwood Village, those businesses make Gedling a great place to live, work and socialise. To every café owner, chef, pub landlord and staff member, and to all our small businesses, I say thank you. Their hard work keeps our towns and villages alive and our local economy moving. Just last week, I was proud to welcome the then Chief Secretary to the Treasury, my right hon. Friend the Member for Bristol North West (Darren Jones), to Gedling to meet some of our fantastic small businesses—many of them in hospitality.”
“By contrast, this Labour Government are acting: permanent business rate cuts from 2026; high-street rental auctions; and a ban on unfair rent clauses—real measures to make our high streets revive and thrive. The Conservative motion mentions “catastrophic choices”, but Conservative Members should take a long, hard look in the mirror. On their watch, inflation peaked at 11.1% in October 2022, and food inflation hit 19% by March 2023. [ Interruption. ] I can hear chuntering on the Opposition Benches, but those inflation levels did not just hit household budgets; they scarred small businesses in Gedling and across the country.”
“I congratulate the Golden Smog on its initiative. I look forward to having a pint there with my hon. Friend next time I am in his constituency. Gedling has nearly 3,000 businesses, 98% of which are small or micro. Retail and hospitality alone support over a quarter of the jobs in my constituency. Those are not just numbers; they represent livelihoods, families and futures. That is why I welcome the Labour Government stepping in where the last Conservative Government left a cliff edge. Instead of pulling the rug out from under small businesses, we are providing a lifeline: a 40% business rate relief, targeted where it is needed most. Labour does not turn its back on small businesses; we back them. More than 10,000 pubs and bars shut under the Conservatives.”
“That is what we get with a Labour Government, and by gosh, after 14 years of Conservative neglect, it cannot come fast enough for my constituents, and for businesses in Gedling.”
“The previous Conservative Government wrecked the economy, left inflation spiralling and turned their back on the high street. In Gedling, the damage is clear for my constituents to see: vacant units on the high street; council cuts that have left our town centres less clean; and, yes, crumbling pavements and roads in and around our high streets. In just over a year, under this Prime Minister and the Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade, the hon. Member for Harrow West (Gareth Thomas), Labour is turning things around. It is backing small businesses, especially in hospitality; getting people back into work; delivering a new deal for working people; and, yes—although the Conservatives do not like the facts—growing the economy faster than any other G7 nation.”
“With the greatest respect to the hon. Gentleman, the businesses did a grand job of telling the Minister their views directly. I do not think that they need any lectures from him on how to run their businesses. While café, pubs and shops fought to stay open, the Conservatives were too busy fighting among themselves to help small businesses. This Labour Government are turning the page. Through our plan for small and medium-sized businesses, Gedling employers are getting the support that they need to recover, grow and thrive, and we are already seeing the results. The Opposition talk about job losses, but the facts is that employment has risen by more than 625,000, and economic inactivity has fallen by 338,000. That is not rhetoric; it is progress under this Labour Government.”
“I agreed to become the co-chair of the APPG, alongside a brilliant team of cross-party parliamentarians, some of whom are present, because this fight matters and we must win it. AIDS is no longer an unrelenting reality that we have to endure, but a consequence of our collective failure to share the necessary knowledge, protection and medication with everyone who needs it. I am delighted with the leadership shown by the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary in co-hosting the replenishment this year. As Nelson Mandela said, “AIDS is no longer just a disease; it is a human rights issue.” Let us heed Mandela’s words and do all we can to secure a successful replenishment of the Global Fund this year.”
“Friend the Member for Hornsey and Friern Barnet (Catherine West). That was a demonstration of the UK’s commitment to this cause. We were also joined by deputy high commissioner Dineo Mathlako from the South African high commission, which likewise demonstrated South Africa’s resolve. As was said earlier, since its inception in 2002, the Global Fund has helped to save 65 million lives around the world, and if we are to continue to save lives from treatable diseases, the Global Fund must be replenished with critically needed funds this year. The Global Fund represents a coalition of the willing, and that coalition needs us all to play our part. Constant action is required, or we can and will fall back in our battle against HIV and AIDS.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Jardine. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Milton Keynes Central (Emily Darlington) for securing this crucial debate. I am proud to be the co-chair of the APPG on HIV, AIDS and sexual health, a role the Minister held and carried out with distinction for more than six years. Through the APPG, we are fighting to keep the Global Fund at the top of the agenda in the Foreign Office and the Government. At a reception in this place a few weeks ago, I was inspired by the fact that we were joined by so many people who have spent so much of their time fighting for the Global Fund and the critical work it does. I was particularly delighted that we were joined by the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, my hon.”
“We are the region that is most connected to the entire UK, with a distinctive mix of engineering, manufacturing, construction and sciences, but we now struggle to find the jobs, transport and opportunity that we had before. A lot of that comes from lack of investment, including a lack of investment in our local councils. The east midlands receives the lowest level of spending per person across the United Kingdom. We receive the lowest level of capital spending and total spending. The facts speak for themselves: over the past 14 years, the east midlands was levelled down by the Conservative party. That inequity leaves our local government, our public services and our infrastructure investment billions of pounds short.”
“Growth, income and opportunity were flat, and the east midlands suffered as a result. The gap between where we should have been on growth and where we are represents billions of pounds that could have been spent on essential public services. The east midlands has been at the forefront of that decline, as a result of Conservative mismanagement. Our economy in the east midlands used to be strong, but deindustrialisation, a lack of investment and regional disparities in public spending have left us lagging behind other parts of the United Kingdom. The midlands was the industrial heartland of this nation. We have so much potential.”
“Thank you for the opportunity to speak in this evening’s debate, Madam Deputy Speaker. I thank my hon. Friend the Minister for being here to respond to the debate. As my constituency neighbour, I know he is as passionate about Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and the east midlands as I am. I refer hon. Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests regarding my unpaid membership of two local authorities. Ahead of important local elections across the east midlands, I am grateful to have this opportunity to lay out the importance of councils to our economy. Growth is this Government’s No. 1 priority. It will pay for our local services, our social security, from state pensions to universal credit, and our national defence. The Government are right to focus on growth. Under the last Government, we suffered a lost decade.”
“Our Labour mayor, Claire Ward, has started working with the Government to find areas to grow the local economy. In the past year, she secured £200 million of transport investment that will grow our economy by allowing people to get about our region more easily; she secured £160 million for the east midlands investment zone, to attract new investment and create jobs; and she secured the brownfield housing fund, which will build 1,400 new homes. However, she is held back by the previous Government’s piecemeal approach to devolution.”
“The hon. Gentleman is right to pay testament to the Chancellor and the Labour Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, for unlocking nearly £1 billion in growth and investment from the freeport at East Midlands airport. He knows Northern Ireland politics far better than I do, but I think my hon. Friend on the Treasury Bench will have been listening closely to his powerful argument on behalf of his constituents. I wish him well with his campaign. Under the previous Conservative Government, we heard a lot of talk about levelling up, but certain local areas were favoured over others, while the rest of us wondered when it would be our turn at the table. I welcome this Labour Government’s change to that approach: less selective, no longer pitting area against area, and with a genuine desire to grow every part of the United Kingdom.”
“The Government are rightly reforming the planning system to allow council planners to do their job, but every single one of the 1.5 million houses built under this Government will have been approved by a council planner. Local authority workers will be instrumental in the roll-out of free breakfast clubs across schools. We have seen the impact on growth and economic confidence if simple things such as our bin collections go wrong. Our local government workers keep our communities and this country ticking. They are all heroes. My plea to the Government is simple: do not ignore local government, local government finances or local government staff, and continue to invest in those areas.”
“Borough, county and unitary councils often do the overlooked, often-ignored hard yards that provide growth in our communities. The Government recognise that to grow the economy, they must work hand in hand with business, but they also have to work hand in hand with local government. Public services are essential for social and economic security. Vital services such as education, housing, healthcare and transport contribute to the economic productivity of the region, and local authorities provide the best investment in local areas. The Local Government Association found that councils in the east midlands contribute directly to 20% of local GDP through projects that promote business growth, job creation and regional investment. Local authorities are key enablers for the Government’s promises around transport, housing, skills and growth.”
“My hon. Friend is a good friend and a powerful advocate for his constituents. He is right that devolution in the east midlands needs to go further and faster, because areas such as Greater Manchester and the west midlands are much further ahead on their journey. Giving the East Midlands mayoral authority trailblazer status would see a turbocharged approach to skills, investment and growth in our area. Giving Mayor Claire Ward an integrated funding settlement across local growth, place, transport, skills, housing and more to work with local authorities such as mine in Gedling would really get our economy moving. That approach has been proven elsewhere. We should not need to wait any longer in the east midlands for power over our own future, but mayors and combined authorities are only one part of local government across the east midlands.”
“Navigating the pothole-ridden roads of Nottinghamshire has gone beyond a joke. It is a daily misery for the people of Gedling, who I serve, but it also impacts our economy.”