I recently attended a community event at Greengate Nursery in Plaistow. It was great to meet parents, staff and children and to cut the ribbon to celebrate the nursery joining the London Early Years Foundation.

I recently met with a delegation of Deputies and Senators from Poland on their visit to London. It was good opportunity to continue to build international connections especially as we have a large Polish community in West Ham and Beckton.

I was glad to see Star Primary School and Kingsford Community School receive an International School Award in Parliament. This is in recognition of their work with language learning and their partnerships with international schools.

Half of us will be diagnosed with cancer and nearly everyone has loved someone through their diagnosis, treatment, and in the best cases recovery. The National Cancer Plan launched this week aims for 320,000 people to recover from cancer by 2035. That’d be 320,000 lives saved.

My constituents are being regularly disrupted and there are concerns over cyclists’ safety by Thames Water road works. We need to know that these things are being properly planned and carried out efficiently. And when works are happening they bring benefits to residents.

Today is World Cancer Day and the launch of the Government’s National Cancer Plan. Research and the NHS working together for faster diagnoses, faster access to treatment and better health outcomes.

Today, I shared the news to a full Chamber that the LDE UTC received an outstanding Ofsted result. Students there get industry level training and are well prepared for their next steps. The Government is investing in training and education and the STEM sectors will see the benefit.

We are already seeing the benefit of breakfast clubs. Parents are saving money and kids are starting their day at school fed and focused. Four schools have now signed up for breakfast clubs, so from April even more kids in West Ham & Beckton will have a healthy start.

In December and January we resolved 903 cases. We have supported constituents facing homelessness, in temporary accommodation, council homes, and leasehold flats. Wherever you are in West Ham and Beckton if there is something that you need help with, get in touch.

February is LGBT+ History Month. A chance to celebrate the contributions of LGBT+ people locally and nationally and to reflect and learn about the heritage and history of the community.

Meeting residents and collecting casework door-to-door in North Woolwich this weekend with Cllr Ann Easter.

Out talking to the residents of Royal Wharf this afternoon with local councillors Cllr Steve Brayshaw and Cllr Caroline Adaja and Forhad Hussain.

I joined St Joachim’s Catholic Primary celebration assembly & gave out certificates and awards to students: pen licences, recognition awards. They had been learning about citizenship, how people contribute to their community. I was happy to answer students’ questions about my work & how I can help.

This week, @umakumaran.bsky.social hosted The Young Women’s Trust in Parliament. The Young Women’s Trust is campaigning for the enforcement Employment Rights Bill. So that young women are safer at work, employers are held to account, and those who speak up are protected.

The “Baltic Radiation: The Art of Inspiration and Friends” exhibition was organised by Albion Art Club CIC with contributions from Lithuanian, Latvian and Ukrainian artists from East London. I’m pleased to have sponsored the exhibition and to have met so many of the artists at the opening event.

Today, I welcomed the publication of the Leasehold Reform Bill which leaseholders have been waiting for. However, I asked the Minister to make sure that The Bill meets all of the challenges that my constituents are facing including excessive service charges.

Today is Holocaust Memorial Day, marking 81 years since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. I have joined colleagues in signing the book of commitment in Parliament to remember all those killed in the Holocaust and global genocides since.

This week, I had a trip down the Thames with the Port of London Authority. It was great to see the constituency from the river and to talk about our relationship with the river, past and present. I was grateful to have the opportunity to discuss water safety education and their work around this.

Schools kids are asking me why the water doesn’t work well in their homes. So, I asked if the new regulator would have sufficient power to force water companies to deal with these issues. My constituents are not receiving the service they deserve and are already paying for.

For this leasehold block in my constituency their broken door had been a problem for 3 years. I am pleased that after intervention from my office it has now been fixed, making their homes safer and holding the building management to account for repairs.

I’ve taken on the Duolingo challenge to improve my language skills. Duolingo shows that there is enthusiasm to learn but students opting to take languages at school and uni has declined. Let’s work on translating that enthusiasm into formal opportunities to learn.

Today, I visited Stratford Manor Primary School with Stratford & Bow MP Uma Kumaran and Minister Stephen Doughty. The school is linked with Lyceum 101 in Kyiv through the UK-Ukraine School Partnership programme. Today the students from both schools chatted on a video call.

Helen’s son Michael was 1 when he was diagnosed with high risk neuroblastoma. The lack of financial support for parents who suddenly have to drop everything to be at their child’s bedside for cancer treatment needs fixing.

I’ve been working for a number of years to make Newham’s roads safer. It’s important that our roads are safe for everyone including pedestrians, cyclists, public transport and drivers. It’s therefore good news to hear of the Government’s plan for a road safety strategy.

I was recently at The Foundry Night Shelter, which provided hot food, shelter and support to people sleeping rough. There are huge pressures around housing and homelessness so community action like this from West Ham players, the West Ham Foundation, Irons Supporting Food Banks and NEWway is vital.

Happy New Year!

Thank you to everyone for your support this year, here’s a few of my 2025 highlights. I’m looking forward to 2026 and another year serving West Ham and Beckton.

Merry Christmas to everyone in West Ham & Beckton.

It was a pleasure to take part in the 1987 Committee ‘In Conversation’ series earlier this year to discuss my constituency, activism, community and the next generation of political activists and leaders. Watch it on You Tube: youtu.be/TWWhDyQ0QUI

Great to join the West Ham United Foundation earlier this month for their gala dinner at the Mansion House, to celebrate and support their community and youth work at The Foundry in Beckton. ⚒️

My last Parliamentary task was a visit by St Helens Primary School. One of the joys this year has been visiting schools. The children’s enthusiasm & interest along with their thoughtful questions is inspiring. If anyone says kids don’t care, send them to East London and we’ll prove them wrong!

Parliament has now adjourned until January. Me and my team will still be working locally in the constituency over the next few days. But as the Parliamentary and school holidays begin I’d like to wish everyone in West Ham and Beckton a very Merry Christmas.🎄

The Employment Rights Act has received Royal Assent. That means: An end to unfair zero hour contracts and fire-and-rehire practices. Sick pay, parental and bereavement leave all from day 1 on the job. Stronger protections from harassment and for whistleblowers.

This week, I was a judge at a debate competition between Newham schools: Lister, Rokeby, Eastlea and Sarah Bonnell. It was also lovely for Plaistow and Selwyn primary schools to join. Students from all of the participating schools were outstanding.

I welcome the publication today of the Government’s Violence Against Women & Girls Strategy. I will always speak up for the women and girls of West Ham & Beckton.

I recently met with Stonewall Housing, an organisation that provides specialist support for LGBT+ people facing homelessness. LGBT+ people are disproportionately affected by homelessness and Stonewall Housing has seen a significant increase in demand for their services from 2024 to 2025.

Please read our joint statement as Newham MPs on the proposed closure of Richard House. As your MPs, we are working together with the parties involved to find a sustainable solution that puts the welfare of the children supported by Richard House first.

I caught up with Fuel Bank when they visited Parliament to discuss fuel poverty, the work they do supporting families in crisis who prepay for fuel who’ve run out of money and how we can work with them to support families across West Ham & Beckton.

I recently met apprentices and trainees from the Thames Skills Academy at a Port of London Authority Event. It was great to meet people working and training on the River in East London including on Uber Boats and the Woolwich Ferry.

The last full week before Christmas. I started it with a visit to a very busy Beckton sorting office to meet our local posties and say thanks for all their hard work this year and over Christmas. 📮

Wishing everyone in West Ham & Beckton a happy Chanukah. Time with loved ones will feel more important than ever after the horrific attack in Sydney. Chanukah is a festival of celebration but also hope and light. This season may we challenge darkness with hope and light.

Delighted we could connect TfL Lost Property Office in West Ham & Kevin Jenkins Christmas Toy Appeal I joined them as unclaimed toys were handed over. Toys that never made it home will now ensure lots of kids don’t miss out this Christmas Donations are accepted until Xmas Eve: tinyurl.com/yzr276bx

Thanks to St John’s Church Stratford for welcoming us to the carol service on Friday night alongside churches from across Newham. Superb singing of carols and Christmas songs by Brampton Primary School choir & the East Ham Church of South India choir.

Getting in the Christmas spirit tonight with a fun dockside lantern parade this evening round Royal Albert Wharf. Lovely to see so many local families out tonight with all the kids carrying their lanterns, singing carols and enjoying mince pies and roasted chestnuts. 🏮

A successful Newham Labour fundraiser for Medical Aid for Palestinians this week raising over £11,000 for MAP. Delighted to speak with my fellow Newham MPs; and great to be joined by Marwan Yaghi from the Palestinian Embassy alongside Forhad Hussain, Labour candidate for Mayor of Newham.

Please consider donating to The Kevin Jenkins Toy Appeal this Christmas. You can drop off toys at Arc in the Park in Canning Town or donate here: theaaazone.com/kevin-jenkins-… It’s good to work with Ambition Aspire Achieve again this year to give every child in Newham has a Happy Christmas.

Today is Save the Children's Christmas jumper day and here in West Ham and Beckton we've joined many other workplaces by getting festive to raise money and awareness for their work supporting children around the world. #ChrismasJumperDay www.savethechildren.org.uk/christmas-ju...

I recently attended an event where I met local uniformed youth organisations and cadets. These groups do good work building confidence, skills and opportunities for their members and many are expanding with growing membership numbers of local young people.

The Newham Chamber of Commerce Business Awards 2025 which celebrate the most innovative, sustainable and creative businesses in the borough. It was a fantastic night with lots of wins for businesses based in West Ham and Beckton.

I recently met with students from Curwen Primary School on their trip to Parliament. They had a tour, a session with the brilliant education team here and then I answered their questions about my job.