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Last Sunday, we saw the end to a brilliant Olympic Games.  Team GB did us proud, winning 65 medals in total, 14 of those gold.  Representing the UK at the highest level is a remarkable achievement and is the result of years of hard work, perseverance and dedication. All our athletes should be incredibly proud.  I'd like to wish a special congratulations to Team GB gymnast Joe Fraser, who is one of my constituents. Young people at schools across the constituency will be inspired that a local lad just like them made it to the Paris Olympics. I’m sure many aspiring athletes across the country have been looking up to this Team GB as role models and will for years to come.   See my letter to Joe below.  Me in Baaz News Last week, I wrote a piece for Baaz News on the significance of 12 Sikh heritage MPs being elected to UK Parliament last month.  In 2017, I was honoured to make history as the first Sikh woman to ever be elected to Parliament in this country, alongside my great colleague Tan Dhesi, the first turbaned Sikh MP. This year, we welcomed no less than nine new colleagues of Sikh descent to Westminster.  Only a month ago, communities as diverse as Huddersfield to Loughborough voted for a Sikh to be their voice in Parliament for the first time. This is a powerful symbol of progress, which gives me confidence that the forces that seek to divide us won't win. Bins Many of my constituents have been writing to me each week complaining about missed bin collections.   This is an issue that must urgently be resolved. I look forward to working with the council to address the problems of missed waste collections and flytipping in this constituency.  You can see my letter to the council below.  Train strikes This week, the Transport Secretary announced that following positive talks led by this Labour Government, ASLEF union has agreed to a new pay proposal for its members, marking a significant step to ending the two yearlong industrial strike action.    The Tories deliberately inflicted two years of misery on rail passengers and damaged our economy. It’s great to see Labour is getting Britain moving again.  Results Day I’d like to congratulate everyone who received their A- Level , T- Level and BTEC results this wee k! I know you’ve worked hard, and now nothing should hold you back from achieving your ambition. I wish you the best of luck with your next steps.  My thank you leaflet Whether you voted for me or not in the last election, my priority has always been to serve the wonderful people of Birmingham Edgbaston.   This area is my home. I was born and raised here.   Thank you so much for putting your trust in me again. I will be out all year round and look forward to seeing you soon. You can see my latest leaflet below.   Advice surgeries There have been some updates to my advice surgeries. Please consult the new list below. Best wishes, Preet Kaur Gill MP Member of Parliament for Birmingham Edgbaston, covering Bartley Green, Edgbaston, Harborne, North Edgbaston and Quinton

Over the last few days, we’ve seen violent disorder erupting across our towns and cities, including in Birmingham.  This disorder is very disturbing. I know many of our communities are worried and concerned – people have been telling me that they’re afraid to leave the house or send their children into the city centre.  These rioters are a small minority, and they do not represent the values held by our nation. Birmingham is a multicultural city, and we are proud of our diversity. We are people of different colours, faiths, cultures and backgrounds, united against hate.   The vast majority of people in our country who always respect the rule of law must be protected against the tiny minority who do not, and that is why we cannot let this violence stand.   It is important that people do not engage in any actions that could escalate tensions. The police are prepared to manage these situations and the best thing we can do is leave them to do their job properly.  I support the Prime Minister’s commitment to using the full force of the law against those engaging in this violent thuggery.  I spoke to BBC WM:  And Politics Home:  My statement:  Harborne Day Centre Harborne Day Centre is a lifeline for so many people in my constituency and beyond. That’s why I’ve been campaigning over the last few weeks to save it from being closed.   This week, Cllr Jayne Francis and I met with Cabinet Member Rob Pocock to explore some different options for keeping the centre open.  You can read the letter I wrote to Cllr Pocock below:  M5 trees I’m glad that after years of campaigning, residents and I have managed to get the ombudsman to carry out a full detailed investigation into the removal of over 100 trees along the M5 in Quinton.  In 2021, Highways England ordered over 100 trees which protected 157 homes from the direct noise and air pollution of the M5 motorway to be cut down. It’s disgraceful that despite residents complaining of the “horrendous” noise and pollution in their homes for nearly 3 years, and sustained promises of improvements from Highways, next to nothing has been done to improve the situation facing residents.   I look forward to seeing the recommendations from the PHSO once the report is published  Read more in the Birmingham Mail:   Edgbaston development Edgbaston Cricket Stadium is consulting on plans to develop the Raglan and Family Stands and build a new 4-star hotel. There will be a public consultation drop-in event at Edgbaston reception on Thursday 22 August between 1-7pm where planners and Club staff will be available to discuss the proposals and answer any questions.  MHWC Next Friday, 16th August, the MHWC will be visiting Meadow Road in Harborne, B17 8BU. The centre will be open from 7:30am to 1pm, so please come along if you have any bulky household waste to dispose of.  Here’s some more useful information about the service from the council:  Advice surgeries There have been some updates to my advice surgeries. Please consult the new list below. Best wishes, Preet Kaur Gill MP Member of Parliament for Birmingham Edgbaston, covering Bartley Green, Edgbaston, Harborne, North Edgbaston and Quinton

This week, in Parliament, I voted to bring our railways back into public ownership. The Conservatives oversaw disastrous rail privatisation which saw customers paying more for less. As a long-suffering passenger of Avanti West Coast, I know this all too well. The rail operator has been deemed the worst performing in the whole country, with less than half of Avanti trains arriving on time.   I’m proud to have voted for the Passenger Rail Services (Public Ownership) alongside my Labour colleagues. The bill will mean that rail services will be brought back into public control when their contracts expire.  In our manifesto, we promised to put passengers first: this is proof that Labour is delivering early on the change the country voted for last month.  Dangerous driving After submitting an FOI to West Midlands Police, I was shocked to discover that less than 1% of proceeds of crime money was being used for road harm reduction.  From 2017-2023, £14,438,393 was recovered from the proceeds of crime, yet just £62,346 from that budget was dedicated to bringing in more road safety initiatives.  It’s clear that road safety is not getting the attention it demands. Since June last year, 23 people have tragically died on Birmingham’s roads as a result of dangerous driving. In just the last two months, two people have died in my constituency.  We need stakeholders to come together to improve safety on our roads. I'm glad to be working with local leaders and the police to make sure improving road safety is a priority.  More on the story here: Saif Lodge This week, I raised my concerns with the council after it became clear that a property in North Edgbaston had been turned into a cannabis farm. The property in question is formerly exempt accommodation Saif Lodge. In 2021, I worked with police to close down the site after discovering the appalling state of the facilities inside, no support for occupants and the impact of antisocial behaviour on residents nearby.  Given the history of this property, it almost certainly shows that the owners are incapable of managing this site and have ignored the concerns of local residents for far too long.  I’ve written to the council, asking them to consider making a compulsory purchase or confiscation order on the property for the benefit of North Edgbaston residents.  Harborne Day Centre   Many of my constituents have written to me concerned about the council’s proposed plans to close Harborne Day Centre.  Closing Harborne Day Centre would be a great detriment to its users and the carers who rely on the support it provides.   I believe that the council could assess measures to run the centre more cost-effectively, as the council reports that annual running costs are a whopping £1,501,748 each year.   I will be working with the council to explore alternative solutions to ensure Harborne Day Centre can remain open. I will be meeting with the council next week to discuss this further.   M5 trees It’s good news that after my sustained campaigning alongside residents, the Parliamentary Health and Standards Ombudsman is carrying out a full detailed investigation into the removal of over 100 trees along the M5 in Quinton. In 2021, Highways England ordered over 100 trees which protected 157 homes from the direct noise and air pollution of the M5 motorway to be cut down. It’s disgraceful that despite residents complaining of the “horrendous” noise and pollution in their homes for nearly 3 years, and sustained promises of improvements from Highways, next to nothing has been done to improve the situation facing residents.  I look forward to seeing the recommendations from the PHSO once the report is published.  Labour Growth Group I was pleased to join the Labour Growth Group last week. The purpose of the group is to ensure that this Parliament is able to deliver on the homes, infrastructure and public services our country so desperately needs.  Labour’s number one mission is growth of the economy. It’s time to go for it.  I'm hiring I am currently recruiting for a new Personal Assistant to join my team in my office in London.     If you have the skills and experience, and want to work in Parliament at an exciting juncture for the Labour Party and the country, please consider applying by clicking the button below.  Advice surgeries There have been some updates to my advice surgeries. Please consult the new list below. Punjab Outlook It’s a pleasure to feature on the cover of the latest edition of Punjab Outlook!   You can read my full feature by following the link below:  Best wishes, Preet Kaur Gill MP Member of Parliament for Birmingham Edgbaston, covering Bartley Green, Edgbaston, Harborne, North Edgbaston and Quinton

Preet Kaur Gill MP at St Mary's Catholic Primary School in Harborne Edgbaston MP has been standing up for residents who have called the noise and pollution in their home “horrendous”  The Parliamentary Health and Standards Ombudsman is carrying out a “full detailed investigation” into the actions of Highways England following the removal of over 100 trees along the M5 in Quinton.  Preet Kaur Gill, MP for Birmingham Edgbaston, and Quinton residents have been campaigning for a review into the decision made by Highways. In 2021, over a hundred trees which protected 157 homes from the direct noise and air pollution of the M5 motorway were unexpectedly removed.  The trees that were cut down were originally planted when the housing estate was first built in the 1960’s. As traffic on the motorway got busier, the trees matured to provide a natural noise barrier for the residents living on Clay Drive and Chichester Drive in Quinton.     Local resident Melanie Davis has said that the noise from the motorway is so bad that she’s been forced to sleep on her sofa as the sound is now too disruptive in her bedroom. She’s also stated that exposure to the motorway has meant that “it smells like I live in a gas station”. After the trees were felled, highways assured residents that replanting would take place, noise barriers would be installed, and air quality and noise would be monitored. Some of this has happened like the air testing but there is as yet no noise barrier, and residents say replanting has not met expectations.   Preet Kaur Gill, MP for Birmingham Edgbaston, said: “I’m glad to see that the PHSO is conducting a full detailed investigation into the reckless actions of Highways England.   “After thoughtlessly cutting down trees without consulting residents, Highways made promises to residents that they simply have not kept.    “Residents have suffered long enough without proper compensation. The sound and air pollution that my constituents are experiencing must be rectified. I look forward to reading the PHSO’s findings once they are published.”

Preet at a morning briefing with police Edgbaston MP to gather city leaders to discuss joint plan for tackling dangerous driving, citing lack of resources currently being spent on road safety Preet Kaur Gill, MP for Edgbaston, has called for an urgent meeting with the city’s leaders to combat dangerous driving in the city.  Since June last year, at least 23 people have died in fatal collisions in Birmingham. In the last two months alone, two of Gill’s constituents have tragically died in road accidents, one of them who was just 20 years old.  An FOI Gill submitted to West Midlands Police found that despite the force recovering £3,786,232 from the proceeds from crime in 2022/3, less than 1% of that money (£34,591) was invested into road harms initiatives.  From 2017 to 2023, out of £14,438,393 recovered, just £62,346 was allocated to road harms initiatives.  Preet Kaur Gill MP has emphasised that improving road safety should be a top priority in the city. She has called for a coherent road safety strategy from the police and is asking local agencies to look at pooling resources to increase city-wide investment into reducing road harms. She has urged an immediate meeting with West Midlands Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner and Birmingham City Council to discuss emergency actions that must be taken to improve safety on our roads.   Gill has also called for establishing a Road Safety Steering Group with MPs from across Birmingham, the relevant ministers in DfT and representatives from Birmingham City Council to discuss the longer-term solutions.  Preet Kaur Gill, MP for Edgbaston, says:   “It’s heartbreaking that so many people in this city have lost loved ones as a result of dangerous driving. Everyone should feel safe on our roads.  “Improving road safety is an emergency in this city. West Midlands Police along with Birmingham’s leaders must look at how we can work together to ensure that no one else tragically dies on our region’s roads.”  ENDS Notes At least 23 people have died on dangerous roads in Birmingham since June last year

Edgbaston MP Preet Kaur Gill worked with police to close Saif Lodge in 2021, which has since become a cannabis farm Preet Kaur Gill MP has urged the council to make a compulsory purchase order on a troublesome property on Sandon Road after reports that the site has now been turned into a cannabis farm. In 2021, Preet Kaur Gill worked with the police to close down the North Edgbaston exempt accommodation known as Saif Lodge, as a result of poor conditions and reports of antisocial behaviour. After its closure, the property was boarded up and has since been used for growing cannabis. Last weekend, police raided the building along with another drug farm in Nechells and found that the electricity supply at the Sandon Road site had been illegally bypassed. Bypassing electricity can lead to a variety of problems, such as house fires. Preet Kaur Gill has requested that the council make a compulsory purchase order on the property and transform it into private accommodation. She is reiterating her call knowing the impact this will have on local residents who have had to put up with antisocial behaviour linked to the property in the past. Preet Kaur Gill, MP for Birmingham Edgbaston, said: “Since we managed to get Saif Lodge closed down in 2021, I have been urging the council to make a compulsory purchase of the property so that the site could be repurposed into housing for families. “It’s devastating that this neglected property has now been occupied by criminals and neighbours have once again been put at risk.” “After this raid, the council must now seriously consider repurposing the property for the benefit of residents in North Edgbaston.”

Dear all,   I began this week by speaking at event organised by 50:50 Parliament and Chamber UK, on the subject of women’s health.   One thing I have always sought to do with the privilege of my platform is highlight the stories and voices of remarkable women who have changed our country for the better. Through history they often do not get the credit they deserve, so where I can, I always try to pay tribute to those women and other forgotten figures who blazed a trail before us.   One such local hero, who you might not have heard about before, is Dame Hilda Lloyd.   Dame Hilda Nora Lloyd was the first woman to be elected president of a UK medical royal college, becoming President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in 1949. In 2022, I was honoured to join the opening of the Dame Hilda Lloyd Network in Women’s Health Research in our constituency.   In the 1930s, Dame Hilda became famed for the so-called “flying squads,” where groups of midwives used then new gas and air technology to provide emergency care and transfusions at the scene to women giving birth. Back then, our country was facing an epidemic of maternal deaths. Backstreet abortions were rife, with countless women dying of complications like sepsis. On the frontline in Birmingham, Dame Hilda saw first-hand the relationship between poverty, women’s rights and maternal health, and dedicated her life to improving outcomes for women.   It was a pleasure to speak about Dame Hilda’s work to transform maternal healthcare in the last century this week, because at the beginning of this new parliament and government, her pioneering work still holds lessons for us now.   In 2024, women’s health is too often an afterthought. The UK has one of the largest female health gaps in the world, and the largest in the G20. Women are underrepresented in clinical trials; surveys show we often feel like we are not listened to properly by medical professionals; and the national state of maternity care is still, too often, poor.   I’m pleased that Labour has set an ambition to improve the state of maternity care by training thousands more midwives and health visitors, and incentivising continuity of care for women across their pregnancy. In particular, it is welcome that the Health Secretary has set an explicit target to end the black maternal mortality gap, which means black mothers in the UK are 4x more likely to die than white women.   But with nearly 600,000 women on a waiting lists for hospital-based gynaecological services, the new government has a lot of work to do!   I’m looking forward to working with women and organisations like 50:50 Parliament to raise the profile of these issues in the new Parliament, so we can take new strides forward to improve women’s health. Birmingham will host the Invictus Games I was thrilled to see the announcement this week that Birmingham will be the host city of the 2027 Invictus Games.   The Invictus Games are an inspiring sports event f or wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women, both serving and veterans. It is a great sign of our city’s strong reputation as the host of major sporting events, following the Commonwealth Games the other year.   The Games will offer an opportunity to promote skills, training, and encouragement for young people in the city, including through volunteering opportunities and a schools engagement programme. The Games will also be an opportunity to show Birmingham as an exciting and vibrant place to visit, to support our tourism and visitor economy.   Birmingham has proudly played a leading role in treating Armed Forces personnel and Veterans at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine in my constituency. With our proud links with the Armed Forces, and nearly 2,000 servicemen and women in our constituency, I’m very proud that Birmingham will be hosting the Invictus Games in three years' time. The Olympic Games begin Today is the opening ceremony of the Olympics in Paris. I and everyone is wishing everyone in Team GB the best of luck as they go for gold in this year’s contest.   In particular, I want to give special mention to Joe Fraser, from our constituency. He will be competing for Team GB in gymnastics, after he managed to bring home a stunning three gold medals in the team, pommel horse and parallel bars events at the Commonwealth Games.   Joe’s first event is on Monday, and I’m sure you will join me in wishing him the very best of luck. Visiting Birmingham and Solihull Women's Aid It was great to have the opportunity this week to visit Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid to see the brilliant work they are doing at the new Theresa Stewart Women's Centre.   As a former children’s services manager in the city, I worked with victims and families affected by domestic violence day in and day out.   I look forward to working with them to support survivors of domestic violence and abuse. Their helpline is 0808 800 0028. National crime spree under the Conservatives This week, in a local Co-op, a shopfloor assistant told my team that they were quitting their job because of having to constantly deal with shoplifters.   New data released by the ONS this week shows that shoplifting is at its highest level in 20 years. Far too often, it is shop workers who pay the price, with hassle, abuse, lost margins, and even violence the result.   This wasn’t inevitable. It is a result of the Conservatives stripping back community policing and weakening efforts to tackle so-called “low value” crime, which has meant police forces effectively ignore thefts valued at under £200.   The new statistics released this week also reveal ed r obbery up 8% year-on-year, and a staggering 40% increase in theft from the person in just a year.   Under the Tories, criminals have never had it so good. Labour has pledged to recruit 13,000 new community police officers and PCSOs and to pass a law to make assaults and abuse against shop workers a specific offence. I'm hiring I am currently recruiting for a new Personal Assistant to join my team in my office in London.   If you have the skills and experience, and want to work in Parliament at an exciting juncture for the Labour Party and the country, please consider applying by clicking the button below. Meeting the Board of Deputies This week it was wonderful to catch up with Philip Rosenberg, the President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. We discussed opportunities for the BOD to work with Sikhs to see both communities included under ethnicity as well as under religion in the Census and other monitoring frameworks. Better Streets for Birmingham As part of my ongoing campaign to address the spate of road collisions, dangerous driving and speeding incidents in our constituency, it was great to sit down with Better Streets for Birmingham to discuss next steps today. I know this is a huge issue for many residents, and I look forward to working with you and other stakeholders to bring the change we need. Best wishes, Preet Kaur Gill MP Member of Parliament for Birmingham Edgbaston, covering Bartley Green, Edgbaston, Harborne, North Edgbaston and Quinton

Dear all,   This week saw the state opening of Parliament, and the delivery of the King’s Speech. This is where the government sets out its legislative agenda for the new Parliament, and where for the first time we get to see the gamut of Bills that the government wants to introduce to the statute book.   As usual, I was in Parliament to witness proceedings, and what a difference this was to the thin gruel of the last Kings Speech I witnessed in November. This was a packed programme for government, including over 40 Bills, ranging from a Bill to set up Great British Energy, to a Bill to put sewage-dumping water companies in special measures, to a Bill to abolish hereditary peers. There’s lots in there, and it will certainly be keeping me busy over the next few years as your MP!   There were a couple of Bills that I was especially pleased to see announced. One was the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which is something I worked on through the last Parliament as shadow public health minister until all progress was lost when the election was called in May. This will include measures to phase out smoking from our society over time, and provide the Government new powers to crack down on youth vaping. The government has also committed to implement policies I worked on, such as a ban on the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under-16s.   Another was the Renter’s Rights Bill. Successive Conservative governments have been promising reform for renter’s rights, including a ban on no-fault evictions, for the best part of 10 years. Finally now, we will have a government that will put those changes into law. It’s also great news for some of my constituents that leasehold reform is back on the table, which over recent years has been exposed as the feudal system it is, especially in the wake of the cladding scandal and the Grenfell Tower tragedy.   Lastly, I am delighted to see a real commitment from the new Government to a new wave of devolution, transferring power from Westminster to the West Midlands. The Railways Bill and Better Buses Bill will pave the way to bring our public transport back into public ownership, and I hope spell an era of more flexible, affordable and accountable services, under local communities’ control.   This is an exciting new era, where after years of chaos we can finally begin to renew and rebuild our country. If you’d like to find out more about what was in the King’s Speech, you can find more information here and here . The most representative Parliament ever This week it was lovely to catch up with Labour women colleagues, new and old. The new Parliament is the most representative of the country ever, with 263 (40%) female MPs out of 650 (190 of them from Labour alone!). More than 13% of MPs now come from an ethnic minority background, including ten new Sikh MPs. I was delighted to be the first ever Sikh woman elected to Parliament in 2017, and it is such a pleasure to see a new generation joining me now. Whatever your background, it is important that Parliament is slowly coming to look more like the people it serves. My new job I am delighted to announce that this week I have been appointed as the PPS to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds.   I will be joining a brilliant team of Ministers with a key role in delivering the Labour government’s number one mission to unlock investment and grow our economy, after 14 years of stagnation.   From Labour’s agenda to make work pay, to decarbonise our economy, to bring the voic e of small business into the heart of government, and to bring economic growth to every part of the country, it’s a wide-ranging and important portfolio and one I’m looking forward to playing my part. Me on Politics Live On Tuesday, I appeared on the BBC’s daytime politics show, Politics Live. On a panel of two Conservatives and one Green MP, I was quizzed about Labour’s new strategic defence review to what the new government will do to tackle child poverty. In particular, we talked about Labour's plans to set up Great British Energy, a new public owned renewable energy generation company to motor our drive for clean power by 2030. It emerged this week the Green Party's co-leader has objected to infrastructure to carry clean energy from offshore wind through his constituency. I was surprised to hear the Green Party leader defend a decision to slow down our progress to hit our 2030 goals. Labour will back the builders not the blockers for energy security, cheaper bills and good jobs. You can find a clip of my appearance below, and the full show on iPlayer . UNRWA I am delighted and relieved that after six months, the new Government has finally lifted the suspension on support to the Palestinian relief and works agency UNRWA.   UNRWA play s a vital role providing food aid, shelter & medical care to the almost 2 million internally displaced Palestinians in Gaza, and I have long been a supporter of its work.   Following allegations that some of its staff had been involved in the appalling 7 October massacre, the previous government suspended funding to the UN agency while an investigation took place. That investigation concluded months ago, yet the UK remained one of only a few countries left to withhold its support. I had been pressing the government to get on with reinstating support for months.   UNRWA is the only aid agency with the on the ground capacity to deliver the humanitarian support so desperately needed in Gaza. This decision will undoubtedly save lives. Speeding As I said in my update last week, dangerous driving in our area has become a huge safety concern. I’ve been campaigning on this for years, and I have now called for an urgent multi-agency meeting with PCC Simon Foster and Transport Cabinet Member Cllr Majid Mahmood. Do read my letter below. Contacting my office Now that I am back with my feet under my desk in Parliament, I want to remind people that if you need any help you can get back in touch using my parliamentary email or through this website. I am no longer using my campaign gmail account now I have been re-elected as your MP. Have a lovely weekend. Best wishes, Preet Kaur Gill MP Birmingham Edgbaston, covering Bartley Green, Edgbaston, Harborne, North Edgbaston and Quinton

Dear all, Last week, Labour achieved an outstanding victory, winning 411 seats in the 2024 General Election and forming a government with a strong majority. After 14 years of chaos under the Conservatives, the country has voted for change and chosen the Labour Party to deliver it. It’s an honour and a privilege to have been re-elected as the Member of Parliament for Birmingham, Edgbaston. Whether you voted for me or not, I am here to serve every single one of my constituents. Since 2017, I have helped tens of thousands of people, and I will continue to do so in the new term. Already, in just our first week in office, the new government has hit the ground running in its mission of national renewal. Already: We have lifted the ban on onshore wind power so Britain can get building the renewable energy infrastructure we need. We have brought talented expert ministers into government, such as James Timpson, known for employing and helping to rehabilitate ex-offenders, as our Prisons Minister. Our Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, spoke to Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli PM, and Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, to set out his call for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza. Our Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has announced plans to bring back mandatory housing targets to get Britain building again. Our Home Secretary scrapped the Rwanda scheme and set about opening applications for a new Border Security Commander to take down the people smuggling gangs. Our Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, has started negotiations with junior doctors to bring an end to the strikes and met with the British Dental Association about reforming the outdated NHS dental contract. This is the difference a Labour government can make. And we’re just getting started. Swearing in It was an honour to be sworn in as the MP for Birmingham, Edgbaston. I was born and raised here, so it’s a privilege to serve the wonderful people of this constituency again. I will continue to stand up for the issues that matter most to you. University Hospitals Birmingham I was deeply alarmed to read the latest report into University Hospitals Birmingham Trust by the Royal College of Physicians which revealed major failings in the transfusion group. Patient safety should be the top priority for every NHS trust. I’ve been assured that the trust are acting swiftly to improve culture and patient safety. I will hold them to account. Dangerous driving Dangerous driving is a serious issue across our constituency. Just days ago, a cyclist was killed in Edgbaston. Two weeks ago, a young woman tragically died after beings struck by a car while walking her dog in Quinton. In May a young boy was knocked down on his way to school in Bartley Green. And on Wednesday night, another serious speeding incident occurred in Harborne. This has got to stop. People deserve to feel safe on our streets. I have long campaigned for measures to improve the safety on our roads, and I am urgently seeking a meeting with the Council, the Police and the Crime Commissioner to see what more can be done. Quinton Police Station After years of campaigning, I’m thrilled to announce that Quinton Police Station has reopened as a base for neighbourhood teams. The Quinton station is now back up and running as a fully operational base for 40 officers, after closing in 2019. One of the top issues raised with me during the past election was crime. People deserve to feel safe and secure in their homes and communities, and I know many of you were concerned about the closure of our local police stations. As your MP, I have listened and delivered. Volunteers I’d like to thank all of the people who campaigned with me over the last six weeks. This result wouldn’t have happened without you. Thanks to your dedication and hard work, we have been able to deliver the biggest Labour victory Birmingham Edgbaston has ever seen and have helped elect a Labour government. I will be out all year round and look forward to seeing you soon. Best wishes, Preet Kaur Gill MP Birmingham Edgbaston, covering Bartley Green, Edgbaston, Harborne, North Edgbaston and Quinton

Preet at a morning briefing with West Midlands Police The Labour Party has pledged to put bobbies back on the beat to combat the soaring levels of crime in every community. In Birmingham, street crime has steadily been on the rise under the Conservatives. In 2021, Birmingham was named the “gun capital” of the UK, and last month it was reported that the West Midlands Police force has highest knife crime rate in England and Wales.  Labour is promising to put 13,000 neighbourhood police and PCSOs back on the beat in communities across the country, visible and present in local areas, deterring crime and catching criminals, with guaranteed neighbourhood patrols.  Labour says the damage done to policing and the criminal justice system over the last fourteen years means that policing has been unable to respond to the new surge in street crime driven by serious and organised criminals. The decimation of neighbourhood policing, the collapse in charges, and the lack of focus on local community crime have all had devastating consequences for communities, the Party says. In the West Midlands, 2,200 officers were cut by the Conservatives. The region still has 800 fewer officers than in 2010. Across the UK, enforcement action has collapsed, with arrests having halved since 2010, including sharp drops for thefts, and as the proportion of thieves being punished for their crimes has plummeted.  Earlier this month, Preet Kaur Gill raised the issue of crime in Birmingham, Edgbaston in an adjournment debate in Parliament on the back of deep concern about rising levels of crime in her community. Preet Kaur Gill, Labour Candidate for Birmingham Edgbaston, said: “It’s disgraceful that 90 per cent of crimes are going unsolved. Everyone should be confident that if something goes wrong, that laws will be respected and enforced. Residents in Edgbaston deserve to feel safe and secure in their homes and communities. This Conservative government has let them down. “Labour will put an end to Tory chaos and be a government of law and order, putting 13,000 more neighbourhood police and PCSOs back on the beat in our communities, introducing tough new powers to crackdown on those who cause havoc on our high streets, and a mission to reverse the collapse in the number of crimes being solved.” ENDS Notes: Birmingham overtakes London as 'gun capital' of Britain with huge surge in gang violence - Mirror Online   West Midlands Police force area has highest knife crime rate - BBC News Home Office arrest statistics show that total arrests have fallen by 50% compared to 2010, with falls in theft arrests since 2018 - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65ef2d375b6524100bf21b08/arrests-data-tables-summary-mar23-second-edition.xlsx

Preet Kaur Gill MP outside Queen Elizabeth Hospital Today Labour has set out its plan to bring down waiting lists in five years, as Shadow Minister Preet Kaur Gill accuses the Tories of squandering “a golden inheritance” on waiting lists in Birmingham. Official NHS waiting time statistics for referrals to treatment show that University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHBFT), which includes Queen Elizabeth Hospital, was treating 98.3% of patients on time when the Conservatives took office in 2010. Today that figure is 48.2%.   The NHS target for the percentage of patients to start treatment within 18 weeks is 92%, and has not been met by UHBFT since May 2018. It means that over 126,000 patients are waiting to start treatment in Birmingham, according to the latest month’s data. Nationally, the figure stands at 7.5 million. Despite Rishi Sunak’s promise to cut waiting lists, they are hundreds of thousands higher today, and are rising according to last month’s NHS figures. Labour’s plan to clear the Tories’ NHS waiting list backlog in five years includes:   As a first step, 40,000 extra appointments, scans, and operations a week, during evenings and weekends Double the number of scanners to diagnose patients earlier Deliver the biggest expansion of NHS staff in history Use spare capacity in the private sector, free of charge to patients Reform the NHS to get more out of the service for what we put in   The extra appointments and scanners will cost £1.3 billion and will be paid for by clamping down on tax dodgers and closing non-dom tax loopholes. Shadow Health Minister and Labour candidate for Birmingham, Edgbaston Preet Kaur Gill MP, commented: “Over 14 years, the Conservatives have taken the golden inheritance left by the last Labour government and wrecked it. Their neglect, incompetence, and underinvestment in the NHS has left millions of people waiting in pain and agony. “If the Conservatives get another five years then nothing will change, the crisis in the NHS will get worse, and waiting lists will hit 10 million. The longer the Conservatives are in charge, the longer patients will wait. “Labour will deliver an extra 40,000 appointments a week at evenings and weekends, the first step on our mission to beat the Tory backlog. We will pay for it by clamping down on tax dodgers.” Ends   Notes Incomplete RTT pathway data from end of April 2010: [ARCHIVED CONTENT] Referral To Treatment Waiting Times Archive (Provider Data 2010) : Department of Health - Publications ( nationalarchives.gov.uk ) Latest incomplete RTT pathway data from end of March 2024: Statistics » Consultant-led Referral to Treatment Waiting Times Data 2023-24 ( england.nhs.uk )

There is only one place to start this week, and it is the news that finally, after months of speculation, on the soaked steps of Downing Street, Rishi Sunak has named the date of the general election. Thursday 4th July 2024. A chance to change for the better. Your future. Your community. Your country. A chance to turn the page on 14 years of Tory failure. I will be standing again as your Labour and Co-operative candidate for the Birmingham, Edgbaston constituency. It has been the privilege of my life to serve as your MP over the past seven years, and over the coming weeks I will be humbly asking you to put your faith in me again. It will be a long campaign, but I for one cannot wait. This patch is my home – I was born in North Edgbaston, growing up on Shenstone Road and then Rotton Park Road. I went to City Road Primary School and later Lordswood School for Girls. My dad was a local bus driver on the number 11 route. Since being elected, I’ve stood up for my constituents in Birmingham Edgbaston locally, regionally and in Parliament. I have campaigned for measures to tackle speeding, which has led to a Council scheme to reduce the speed limit on dangerous roads. I have worked with West Midlands Police to oversee rapid improvements in their 101, 999 and Live Chat response time. I have worked with the police to tackle burglary and crack down on anti-social behaviour. Together, in North Edgbaston we closed the first exempt accommodation in the country. I have successfully fought to keep our ticket offices open at University Station and Five Ways. I have continued to challenge the Government on the cladding scandal and secure funding for leaseholders that are stuck in unsafe and unsellable homes. After four years of tireless campaigning, I am thrilled that Quinton Police Station is now set to be retained as a base for neighbourhood police teams. I have never lost focus on what matters to local people. I have been a strong voice in Parliament, holding the Government to account on your behalf. In the past 12 months alone, I have spoken in Parliament nearly 200 times, tabled over 150 written questions, sent dozens of letters to Ministers, and secured debates on issues ranging from the state of NHS dentistry to crime in our area. If elected again on Thursday 4th July, I will continue to be your hardworking local champion and your strong voice in Westminster. However, this election will not be like the last one five years ago. This election is a real change election, an opportunity to not just elect me as your local MP, but deliver a change in Government. It is time for change. Time and again the Tories have pursued their own interests rather than tackling the issues that affect your family. They’ve left the country worse off than when they started. Living standards are down. Crime goes unpunished. Ambulances never come. Schools crumble over our children’s heads. Sewage floods our waters. Mortgages and food prices are through the roof. And if the Tories get five more years, nothing will change. There’s a clear choice at this election. More chaos with the Tories, or stability with Labour. More decline and division. Or hope and unity with a changed Labour Party. Labour has a long term, serious plan to change Britain.  No more gimmicks. No more sticking plasters. We’ve set out the first steps that we would take in government. 1.       Deliver economic stability 2.       Cut NHS waiting times 3.       Launch a new Border Security Command 4.       Set up Great British Energy 5.       Crack down on antisocial behaviour 6.       Recruit 6,500 new teachers The choice is in your hands.  You have the power of your vote to make that choice and to vote for change. Healthy Start This week in Parliament I spoke in a debate about Healthy Start, a scheme to provide families with young children vouchers that they can exchange for healthy food. Adequate nutrition in the first months and years of a child’s life is critical to support their healthy development. But in recent years, the health of children under five has stalled or declined across various measures, including infant mortality, childhood obesity, tooth decay and mental health. During the cost of living crisis, young families have been particularly hard hit. During the debate I asked the Minister if she would introduce a national take-up campaign to get support to more young mums. And I set out my commitment to change regulations that stop mums from using vouchers for infant formula, which has risen in price by 25% in the past two years. All families should be able to feed their children. It is also why Labour will introduce free breakfast clubs for all primary school children in England, so every child is able to start the day with a healthy breakfast and parents are able to get to work. "Wash Up" A phrase you may have heard for the first time in the news this week is “wash-up”. Believe it or not, this doesn’t have anything to do with the Prime Minister standing in a puddle in the rain outside Downing Street. What it refers to, is all the legislation that the Government has promised to pass in this Parliament before it dissolves for the election, and a last minute rush to try and get some of those Bills over the line and into law. What has happened since Wednesday has been a complete mess. First the Prime Minister claimed that he had delivered his flagship smoking bill, before crumbling to pressure from his backbenchers and killing it, despite Labour telling the Government we would help them get it over the line. Next, we learned that the Government had scrapped its Renters Reform Bill. After promising private tenants in their manifesto five years ago that they would abolish no fault evictions, once again this Government has caved to vested interests and the landlords in their own ranks. Today, we have also learned that Bill on leasehold reform also hangs in the balance. Once again, it shows that whether it is on public health or rights for renters, this Government cannot be trusted to keep its promises to voters and get legislation over the line. How to contact me during the campaign During the election, from the date that Parliament dissolves on Thursday 30th May, I will no longer be your MP. At this point, I will become a parliamentary candidate again, and I will no longer be able to update you through this website for the duration of the campaign. During the election, please contact me on preetkaurgill4edgbaston@gmail.com or call me on 0121 429 6722. You can also keep in touch at www.edgbastonlabour.co.uk. Finally, remember to register to vote, and better yet, apply for a postal vote too. The deadline is 11.59pm on Tuesday 18th June to register, and 5pm on Wednesday 19th June to apply for a postal vote. Local News MHWC Next Tuesday, 28th May, the Mobile Household Waste Centre will be visiting Cuthbert Road, B18 4AG. The centre will be open between 07:30 and 13:00 so please come along if you have bulky household waste to dispose of. Campaigning If you would like to support me campaigning and join me doorknocking, please contact: preetkaurgill4edgbaston@gmail.com. Best wishes, Preet Kaur Gill MP Birmingham Edgbaston covering Bartley Green, Edgbaston, Harborne and Quinton