In recent weeks, we have seen a serious escalation of conflict in the Gulf, following the action taken against Iran by the USA and Israel. In response there have been strikes from the Iranian regime targeting Gulf allies, including attacks on bases, airports and hotels, which directly put British lives at risk, and more recently on energy infrastructure, with the Strait of Hormuz virtually closed.
The Prime Minister made it clear that the UK did not – and does not – support the US and Israeli offensive, and we have consistently pushed for de-escalation and a negotiated solution in the face of Iran’s unacceptable nuclear ambitions. We have also been very clear that the Iranian regime poses a significant threat not just across the region but also on British soil.
When the conflict began, British nationals, including holiday makers and transit passengers, were our main concern and thankfully many British citizens have now made it home.
Our armed forces have been helping to shoot down incoming drones and missiles to protect ourselves and our allies. That is why we have also given the US permission to use joint bases for the specific defensive purpose of destroying Iranian missiles targeting Gulf allies, and posing a risk to British nationals in the region and to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. We do not, however, want to see a protracted regional conflict spiral into long-term regional instability.
Events in the Middle East have pushed up oil and gas prices significantly, and this will of course, affect families and businesses. We are taking action to stop profiteering, and contingency planning is preparing for every eventuality so that we can provide support for those who need it most. An example of this was the £53m support package announced recently for vulnerable households who have been hit by the sharp increase in the price of heating oil. And households will benefit from money off their energy bills thanks to the action taken in the Budget, with the price cap giving households certainty on their bills until July,
The Chancellor has been very open about what this could all mean when she said recently “it is a war that will have an impact on our country. The challenges may be significant.”
The other lesson of the Iran conflict is that if we want to avoid being impacted time and again by oil and gas shocks then we need to get on with increasing our supplies of renewable energy.
Two bits of good news for south Leeds.
Firstly, is an exciting opportunity to provide more much-needed affordable homes. The South Bank development is already well underway, and now there is the potential for over 10,000 additional homes as part of the New Towns programme.
The exact size of the development area has not yet been defined, but it seems that it will extend beyond Aire Park. Leeds City Council says it is likely to include land to the east and west of the main South Bank area, extending along Kirkstall Road towards its junction with Canal Road and wrapping around the eastern edge of the city centre.
One of the attractions of the South Bank will be the mass transit system that the Government has promised to fund. For years, Leeds has been the largest city in Western Europe without such a system, but the proposed West Yorkshire Mass Transit will finally give Leeds the connections its residents and businesses need, and the South Bank new town is designed to make the most of that investment.
The second bit of good news is that Beeston Hill Health Centre has been included in the first group of health centres that will be upgraded or expanded under the 10 Year Health Plan, which aims to shift more care into communities as part of the Neighbourhood Health Centre programme.
This investment will increase primary care provision, co-locate sexual health services, and bring the former victim support unit back into use, developing the building as a neighbourhood hub. The first 27 centres across England – including Beeston Hill – will be open by 2027, backed by up to £50 million of investment in this wave.
I recently visited Westwood Primary School in Middleton to learn more about the Children’s Book Project.
This great scheme was started by a mum who wanted to help every child to own a book and learn to love to read. It started with taking pre-loved and publisher donated books and finding new homes for them with school children to encourage them to love stories and become proud readers. In the current year, the project hopes to distribute over 1 million books.
Asda, which has its headquarters in Leeds, has become a partner of the project. It encourages shoppers to donate their pre-loved books at various stores around the country, which can then be donated to the Children’s Book Project.
The children at Westwood Primary were delighted to see the range of books on offer. Very quickly they picked out the ones they thought they would find most enjoyable and interesting, and they were only too willing to explain to me the thinking behind their choices. And, what’s more, they all read beautifully.
It was truly inspirational to see, and as the great Leeds-born writer Alan Bennett said:
”The best moments in reading are when you come across something – a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things – which you had thought special and particular to you. Now here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met, someone even who is long dead. And it is as if a hand has come out and taken yours.”
Hilary Benn is our Member of Parliament. He represents the Leeds South constituency.
Email: hilary.benn.mp@parliament.uk | Website: www.hilarybennmp.com
Constituency office:
Unity Business Centre, 26 Roundhay Road, Leeds, LS7 1AB
Tel: 0113 244 1097
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