I’m Kerry McCarthy
It has been my privilege to serve Bristol East as its Labour Member of Parliament since 2005. I’m here to help constituents, fight for our communities, and help build a fairer, greener, more prosperous country, delivered by a Labour Government.
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Kerry McCarthy
From the Sugababes to the Hu… and now to Cabaret Voltaire, on what's billed as their final UK tour.
There are few more innovative bands than the Cabs, mixing visuals and music in a way that was far ahead of its time in the 70s and 80s, but still sounds exciting and futuristic now. I was with two Gen Zs, who agreed! Nag Nag Nag was magnificent, as you'd expect, but they also did great versions of Yashar, I Want You, Do Right, Sensoria, Just Fascination, Crackdown…
They were spawned in Sheffield, and their sound encapsulates that city's post-industrial decline, as Joy Division did for Manchester (and as Lone Lady does now). Stephen Mallinder came to Parliament in 2018 for the launch of a book, Mad Dogs and Englishness: Popular Music and English Identities, which included quintessentially English bands like the Kinks, but also a chapter on "Productive boredom and unproductive labour: Cabaret Voltaire in the People's Republic of South Yorkshire". While this might sound a bit pretentious, I think the idea of psychogeography – how place subliminally influences the art you produce – is fascinating. … See MoreSee Less
A couple of hours ago the Chancellor finished giving his first Budget speech, and, like everyone, I’ve been trying to digest the blizzard of measures -98! – it contained.
Over the last year the economy has faced huge external challenges: tariff shocks, war and natural disasters have pushed up prices and made doing business more difficult. Despite this the economy has proved remarkably resilient. As the Chancellor confirmed, we have the fastest growth in the G7, rising productivity, and our financial plans have been praised by the IMF. The OBR again raised its growth forecast.
But there is still huge pressure on household finances – and today the Chancellor acted to provide a little breathing space:
• Extending the 5p cut to Fuel Duty to July
• Giving households in Council Tax Bands A-D a £100 Household Energy Payment, paid directly into their accounts
• Extending the VAT cut on electricity bills
• Scrapping standing charges on gas bills from next year
• Removing tariffs on over 100 imported supermarket items
• Raising the National Minimum Wage by 3.9%
Taken together these measures will be worth hundreds of pounds for the average household – giving that little bit of help while the storm passes. … See MoreSee Less
Good news for young people in our area.
AWP’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) has been upgraded to ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission after being rated as requiring improvement in 2021.
This is welcome progress, but we cannot ignore the fact that too many children and young people are still waiting far too long for mental health support. We know that childhood trauma can have a lifelong impact and that around half of all mental health conditions develop before the age of 14. When a young person is struggling, getting help quickly can make all the difference.
We also know that there's a considerable overlap between children with SEND, who need specialist support at school, and children who need help from CAMHS. This Government has made improving mental health support in schools a priority, but when children do need specialist support from CAMHS, they should be able to get it.
So while this is an encouraging milestone, there is still much more to do. As always, my team and I are here to help if we can. … See MoreSee Less
Today I’ll be in the House of Commons to hear the Chancellor present his Budget. Here’s a preview as he promises breathing space for today, and fresh hope for the future. … See MoreSee Less