We finally have confirmation that June will be the end of May! The Prime Minister announced that she will be resigning as leader of the Conservative party on 7th June, and the Tories are now preparing to choose their new leader. I am not optimistic about any of the candidates that have announced they will be running, and I am calling on them, along with the entire Labour Party, to call a General Election immediately. There is no mandate in Parliament for the current deal that the Prime Minister negotiated, nor is there one for a "no deal" Brexit. We need to break this Parliamentary Deadlock, and a General Election or a Public Vote are the only ways to do so.

The European Elections were quite difficult for the Labour Party, but I was extremely delighted to see that Labour was well ahead here in Manchester, and that the North West rejected the fascism of Tommy Robinson.

In Manchester, I joined the young people of the city at the Youth Climate Strike on 24th May, and I was inspired by the amount of young people at the event, and the passion with which they spoke about the Climate Emergency we are facing. I then followed this event up by attending the Envirolution festival at Platt Fields Park, where I spoke to people about the importance of a Labour Government in tackling environmental issues, including through a Green Industrial Revolution to bring the UK to the forefront of tackling this global issue.

Applications have now closed for my Young Leadership Programme. The programme will take place between the 10th and 14th June, and I am looking forward to sharing what we do in my next newsletter.

I'd like to wish all of my constituents a very happy Eid Mubarak, and I hope you enjoy your celebrations.

Remember you can stay up to date with everything that I've been up to by following me on Facebook and on Twitter. And as always if I, or my office, can be of any assistance please don’t hesitate to contact me at afzal.khan.mp@parliament.uk or on 0161 226 5546.

I hope to see you soon.

Best wishes,

Afzal

Afzal Khan MP for Manchester Gorton

Islamophobia This month, Parliament debated the APPG on British Muslims' definition of Islamophobia, which I led for the Labour Party. This definition has been adopted by the Liberal Democrats, SNP, Green Party, Plaid Cymru,  Scottish Conservatives, National bodies such as the NUS, councils up and down the country and by the Mayors of both London and Manchester. This definition is necessary: 52% of religious hate crimes recorded by the police were against Muslims, and referrals of extreme right-wing ideology to Prevent, the government's anti-terrorism strategy, has increased by 36%.  The Government have continued to drag their feet on this issue, claiming that the definition is not fit for purpose, and even suggesting they might come up with their own definition! Whilst nearly 50 members of the Tory party have been suspended for Islamophobic comments and one of the front runners for the leadership of the party has made islamophobic remarks’, an independent definition is needed more than ever.  I am also pleased that in light of the above, the Muslim Council of Britain has referred the Conservative Party to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission to investigate systematic Islamophobia within the party.

Citizens Languages  During May, I hosted staff and students from the University of Manchester to support their Multi-lingual Manchester Unit, which was in Parliament to call on policymakers to develop a comprehensive policy that recognises the UK as a multilingual society. As Manchester Gorton is one of the most linguistically diverse constituencies in the country, I understand the importance of providing services in multiple languages to make life more accessible for those who do not have English as their first language. As someone who is currently studying another language, I have the utmost respect for multi-linguals. The work being done in Manchester to cater for everyone, no matter their language needs, is leading the way for other cities. Having multiple languages and cultures strengthens our society, and I am proud that the University of Manchester is leading the way on this.

A number of constituents have raised issues with the Home Office's use of a private company, Sopra Steria, with me, so I have written to the Immigration Minister to get to the bottom of the arrangement the Home Office has with this company. It is unacceptable that the Home Office is using a private company which is charging exhorbitant fees and not catering for applicants outside of London, and I have reqested that the Immigration Minister reviews the Home Office's relationship with this company. 

I have also written to the Immigration Minister about the worrying reports that the Home Office is scrapping it's 6 month target for Asylum Claims. This is outrageous as it will lead to more Asylum Seekers with delayed applications, which prevents many from accessing work and it is likely to have an impact on the health of asylum seekers who are already faced with an uphill struggle to be successful in their claim.
 

Visit to Cedar Mount and St Mary's Primary School

I was delighted to speak to the students at Cedar Mount Academy and St Mary's Primary School this month. At Cedar Mount, I spoke to the students as part of their 'Asian History Month', and I had a chat with them about my story and my journey to become an MP. My advice to the students there was that hard work and resilience are two of the most important qualities you can have as a young person looking to succeed.

At St Mary's, I spoke to students as part of their 'British Values' day, where we discussed what the role of an MP is, how democracy and laws work, and what it means to be free. It was impressive to see young minds engaging with such important topics such as this. I truly believe that the young people of today have wonderful potential, and will change the world with their huge ambitions.

 

I hold weekly advice surgeries across the constituency for local residents. My surgery venues are below, but the times can vary from week to week depending on availability. Please book an appointment to ensure that you get to see me by either calling my office on 0161 226 5546 or emailing me on afzal.khan.mp@parliament.uk.

Please include your full name, address, post code, contact phone number and some details about your case. 
 

1st Friday of the month - Gorton Library, Garratt Way, Gorton, M18 8HE

2nd Friday of the month - Tenants Association House, 38 Meldon Road, Rusholme, M13 0TR

3rd Friday of the month - The Place, Platt Lane, Fallowfield, M14 7FZ

4th Friday of the month – The Inspire Centre, 747 Stockport Road, Levenshulme, M19 3AR

In line with new GDPR regulations, I have updated my privacy policy which you can read here: