Uncategorised - Afzal Khan

Statement: Black History Month Debate

Today, Labour has secured a debate on Black History Month for the first time in five years. Unfortunately I am unable to speak in this momentous debate due to restrictions on virtual participation, so I wanted to share some of my thoughts here. Black History Month has been celebrated every…

Afzal Encourages BAME People to Sign Up for Vaccine Study Campaign

Manchester MP Afzal Khan is backing an NHS campaign which allows people to receive information on COVID-19 vaccine studies they could take part in, and is encouraging Black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) people to join him. The NHS COVID-19 vaccine research registry will help recruit thousands of people to…

The Domestic Abuse Bill and Amendments

Content warning: this post contains discussion of: domestic abuse, misogyny, homicide and sexual violence, which some readers may find distressing. If you have been affected by any of these issues and are in need of support, please contact www.manchesterrapecrisis.co.uk Thank you to everyone who wrote to me about a…

Trade Bill 2019-21: The impact of trade agreements on the NHS

Thank you to those who have been in contact with me about trade agreements and the NHS. I appreciate the concerns raised about the Trade Bill as it goes through Parliament. I am not opposed in principle to free trade agreements, including with the US. Trade brings prosperity to the…

Mini budget July 2020: We were promised a new deal – all we got was a meal deal

Last week the Chancellor made a statement that was supposed to kick-start the economy. There simply was not enough in there for our region. Manchester is facing a looming jobs crisis, as the furlough scheme unwinds and businesses operate with severe restrictions. In the North West of England: · 828,900…

Support for creative industries is vital to the UK economy

I have recently received many messages of concern from constituents about the impact of COVID-19 on theatres and the wider creative industries in the UK. This has been particularly concerning in light of the Royal Exchange announcing that 65% of their permanent roles could be made redundant without Government support.…

Reflections on the 25th Anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide

In July 1995, Srebrenica experienced a genocide on a scale not seen in Europe since the Second World War. 8,000 Muslim men and boys were murdered; women were raped; children were slain in front of their parents; and bodies were pushed into mass graves using bulldozers. The scale of the…

Why Afzal is opposed to the DfID/FCO merger

To those constituents who contacted me about the Prime Minister’s announcement on 17th June that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) will take over the Department for International Development (DfID)… I share your concerns. DfID is a world leader in providing life-changing and life-saving support to millions of people around…

Supporting Mutual Aid Groups and Local Foodbanks

Over the past couple of months, I have been amazed at the number of mutual aid groups across Manchester Gorton who have been working to support their neighbours during the Covid-19 lockdown. I had the chance to visit a handful of these groups including the Levenshulme Inspire Centre, Qadria Jilani…

We Must Teach Black British History in the National Curriculum

Thank you to all the constituents who have been contacting me about Black British history in the national curriculum. Understanding the breadth of Britain’s history is crucial to tackling the injustices and racism in our society and around the world that persist today. I wholly agree that schools need to…