Hate has no place in our country or our communities. Everyone deserves to feel safe where they live. Those responsible will be found and face the full force of the law. We will stand together and we will not tolerate hate. www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midland...

This is a hateful, cowardly act with no place in our community. No one should feel fear because of who they are or their belief. Following racist vandalism at Jami Community & Education Centre, I called a meeting and am working with the council and police to ensure swift action.

Absolutely honoured to receive my Honorary Alderman and the Lord Mayor Shield, marking 18 years of service as a Birmingham City Council. I’ve devoted much of my life to public service, first as an NHS nurse, then as a councillor, and now as a voice for my community in Parliament.

🚨 BREAKING: 5-bed HMO planning application on Morar Close has been REFUSED by Birmingham City Council. Great news for Castle Vale, a huge thanks to everyone who backed my local campaign!

Honoured to present tributes at the annual UK Legends of Legends - 20th Anniversary of UK Legends of Lovers Rock. 🎶 20 years of the UK’s longest-running Lovers Rock celebration, and a brilliant legacy exhibition to match. Birmingham at its very best. ❤️

What an incredible afternoon at @wittonlodge.bsky.social’s Social Enterprise & Wow event. It was an honour to speak at and attend this celebration of our young people and social entrepreneurs. Our community is bursting with potential. Huge congratulations to all the achievers!

A busy day on Erdington High Street with Acting Chief Constable Scott Green, WM Police & Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster. Hearing firsthand from businesses about Operation Fearless and the challenges that remain. Good to see Erdington remain a key focus in the fight against crime and ASB.

Said my final goodbyes to Reverend Emma Sykes at St Barnabas Church today. She was someone who truly listened and cared deeply about our community. I’ll miss her guidance and our conversations. Wishing you every blessing in your next chapter, Emma. ♥️

The data is in - crime is down around Erdington High Street. 📉 Operation Fearless is delivering and the best part, it's being sustained. After securing nearly a million pounds, concentrated policing and intervention is making a real difference. 👮 We'll continue to build!

Great to attend the Pride in Place Reception with Martin, exploring how we can partner with the Impact Economy to shape Kingstanding South East’s plans. With £20 million for the area and working alongside local groups and the community, we will transform our neighbourhood.

I’ve written to @bhamcitycouncil.bsky.social asking them to set out how they plan to use the record £17.m+ Labour government funding for children with SEND to benefit families here in Birmingham Erdington. Brick by brick, Labour is building a system where every child can achieve and thrive.

Proud to sponsor & attend @dementiauk.bsky.social's landmark report, A Better Death: Fixing Palliative and End of Life Care for Dementia. A once-in-a-generation opportunity to recognise dementia as a life-limiting condition and guarantee access to specialist support like Admiral Nurses.

You can’t bomb your way to victory in the Middle East, this ends with a negotiated agreement, full stop!!! But if Farage and Badenoch had their way, Britain would be stuck in the middle of it, with British taxpayers footing the bill. We need diplomacy, not an endless war.

Good to sit down with Paul Bytheway, CEO of Birmingham Hospice, in Parliament. We’re keeping up the campaign for sustainable funding for hospices, so they can continue providing vital end-of-life care and support for families. Long overdue that this sector gets the focus it needs.

For years, areas like ours were overlooked, we saw it when Rishi Sunak admitted funnelling funding to leafier constituencies while neglecting communities like ours. Now, under Labour, we’re seeing real investment. That’s the difference a Labour government makes!

🚨 BREAKING: Two new Best Start School-Based Nurseries are coming to Castle Vale! I’m proud to share that Chivenor Primary and Pegasus Primary will receive investment for NEW Best Start School-Based Nurseries. I’ll continue fighting for the investment our communities deserve.

Fantastic morning in Kingstanding launching Paul Lilly and Anita Ward’s campaign! They’re dedicated to local issues & will be working with me to make sure the £20m Pride in Place fund delivers the priorities of Kingstanding residents. Big thanks to everyone who helped out!

The priority is always for more visible police officers and PCSOs on Erdington High Street to tackle crime and provide a reassuring presence. Local officers are also dedicating time at the Pod - pop by if you’d like a chat with the team. See the schedule below 👇🏿

It was a privilege to join many of you for Iftar during Ramadan. 🌙✨ As Eid begins, I am wishing everyone celebrating across Erdington, Kingstanding, Castle Vale, and South Oscott a joyful and peaceful few days. Eid Mubarak to you and your family.

Good discussion with the Prime Minister and BAME PLP colleagues about the real issues affecting our community and our work to tackle racism. While the Tories and Reform continue to fuel division, Labour is focused on standing up for all our communities.

📰 My April column for @ErdingtonLocal is online! ✅ Why putting country first means not being dragged into another Middle East war ✅ Met residents at my Gravelly Hill Coffee Morning ✅ Latest update on repairs to Erdington Library Read in full: www.erdingtonlocal.com/opinion-a-me...

At @commonshealth.bsky.social, we heard from Salford Council's DSO, Dr Dawn Fenton, on the policy changes needed so statutory bodies can meet their responsibilities for children with SEND. A clear push for a national framework to enable joint working that would secure positive outcomes.

At @commonshealth.bsky.social, we heard from the Chief Executive of @hctnhs.bsky.social regarding the health aspects of Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). He described a system that, in practice, nobody fully understands how to navigate, highlighting the urgent need for change.

Warwickshire County Council isn’t just a local story - it’s a warning. No experience in charge. Confidential information leaked. Behaviour towards statutory bodies. It’s just chaos, chaos, chaos with Reform. Don’t let them do to Britain what they’re doing to Warwickshire.

I’ve always said the only way to resolve the Birmingham bin dispute is by getting around the table and negotiating. We cannot continue with a system where women council workers are paid less than male colleagues, but nor should anyone lose pay. A year on, it needs a resolution.

Yesterday on BBC Politics Midlands I said the Government was reviewing the energy situation and would act when needed. Today the PM announced emergency support: action against firms exploiting the crisis, £53m for heating oil costs, and the energy price cap drop by £117 from April.

On Friday I visited EBN Academy 2 in Castle Vale to hear about the incredible support they provide to students. Now in its 11th year, the school offers a structured, nurturing environment. I heard powerful stories from students and toured the academy. Thank you for having me 👏🏿

Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing mums out there! 💐 Thank you for the endless love, support, and wisdom. And to my incredible mommy, thank you for everything you've done and continue to do. I wouldn't be who I am today without you. Love you always! 🌷

Great to attend the 74th Westminster Seminar on Effective Parliaments this week, and meet delegations from Cyprus, Trinidad & Tobago, and St Lucia. A valuable chance to work with Commonwealth colleagues and celebrate the official launch of the CPA UK strategy for 2026-31.

A productive International Women’s Day Roundtable with the Labour African Network. It focused on the progress of women’s equality, the specific experiences of the Black diaspora, and what’s required to drive meaningful change. The work continues... 🌹

It was great to catch up with my friend @nazshahbfd.bsky.social at the autobiography launch and receive her new book, Honoured: Survival, Strength and My Path to Politics. Her story of resilience, faith, and determination is truly inspiring. I'm really looking forward to reading it.

Corridor care isn’t just uncomfortable, it’s damaging. The stress, overcrowding, and exhaustion of waiting for hours in a hallway takes a heavy toll. At @commonshealth.bsky.social, RCEM's President Ian Higginson revealed worrying stats from a survey on the impact this is having on doctors.

At the @commonshealth.bsky.social, The RCN’s Nicola Ranger highlighted the toll corridor care is taking on nurses. As a former nurse, I know the pride we feel in caring for others. But with no beds and patients stuck in hallways, that pride is being crushed. This must be fixed, urgently!

I spoke on the Courts and Tribunals Bill about replacing juries with single judges. The Government's action to tackle the courts backlog is absolutely right, but as this Bill progresses, we must ensure it protects all our communities. Watch in full: youtu.be/xuMymw5OF8g

Harold Wilson refused to drag Britain into Vietnam, and history proved him right. Now Keir Starmer is doing the same. National interest first. Always. 🇬🇧

I'm with with Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Iran! Tony Blair’s government achieved great things, introducing the minimum wage, roll out of Sure Start, but Iraq left a dark shadow that can never be ignored. We must learn from the past to guide our present and future.

Always a pleasure meeting residents at my coffee mornings, hearing their concerns and priorities for the area. Last week we discussed litter, issues with HMOs and gas canisters left on the street. We're working together to tackle these problems and improve our community!

As #InternationalWomensDay draws to a close, I’m thinking about the incredible women across Birmingham Erdington who lead, support & uplift others every day. When women succeed, our whole community succeeds. Let’s keep pushing for equality, not just today but every day. #IWD2026

Honoured to host #InternationalWomensDay in Erdington and hear the powerful journeys of inspiring local women. This year’s theme Give to Gain reminds us that when we invest in women’s safety, rights and leadership, we build stronger communities for everyone.

Great to be out in Stockland Green this morning with our fantastic candidates Derek Douglas and Shabrana Hussain, delivering our latest leaflet. We've secured millions to boost services at Stockland Green Health Centre - getting real results for our community!

Great to be at @locality.org.uk' roundtable in Parliament on putting community anchor orgs at the heart of national policy. Heard from Afzal, CEO of @wittonlodge.bsky.social, a brilliant anchor in my constituency. If we’re serious about devolution, we have to be serious about partnerships.

Another great coffee morning, this time in Gravelly Hill. ☕ Great to hear from local people about the issues that matter to them, from the high street and housing to crime. Casework picked up and local priorities noted. Thanks to everyone who joined me and Cllr Mick Brown.

Spoke at the Future of Palliative Care debate, highlighting challenges facing hospices like John Taylor in Erdington. The truth is, relying on donations is unsustainable. We need a real strategy so everyone can live, and die, with dignity. Watch in full: youtu.be/pXDTHwbgXWM

Local councillors are the bedrock of our communities, local voices tackling local issues. Waseem Zaffar was one of the best, a tireless advocate for constituents, taken far too soon. A huge loss to Birmingham. I called for a debate to honour the work of councillors like Waseem.

Attended the APPG on Media & Public Interest News Foundation drop-in event exploring the state of local news provision across the UK. With 4.4 million people living in news deserts, it was eye-opening to see the data on where local journalism is thriving, and where it's vanishing.

This Saturday! Powerful women don't just climb. They motivate, guide, and lift their entire community. This #IWD2026, meet inspirational local women shaping Erdington, Kingstanding, Castle Vale & South Oscott. Be part of the conversation. Book here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/internatio...

☕️ Gravelly Hill: A Cuppa with Paulette Hamilton MP! Last chance to book your place! Join me and let me know what your priorities are for Gravelly Hill. Let’s chat over a cuppa! 🗓️ Friday 6 March ⏲️ 10am - 12noon Book your spot here: www.eventbrite.com/e/gravelly-h...

Dropped into the @neunion.bsky.social’s #BigTechsLittleVictims campaign in Parliament to show my support. Their experiment showed a 13-year-old’s feed being steered toward harmful, sexualised and extreme content. The government is consulting on wider measures to keep children safe online.

Today is #WorldBookDay, a chance to share a book close to my heart 📚 The Very Hungry Caterpillar has been a bedtime favourite as a mother & grandmother, first with my children, now my grandchildren 🐛 Books help us share imagination, dreams & stories. Happy World Book Day!

Pleased to continue as Chair of the APPG on Black Health at the AGM. During the session, we heard from leading professionals about the need to improve diversity in clinical trials. We will continue to campaign to tackle the health inequalities affecting the Black community.