Shailesh Vara MP was very pleased to co-host a cross party Diwali reception in the House of Commons this week along with Navendu Mishra MP and Virendra Sharma MP.

The event took place in the State Rooms of the Speaker’s House and Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, the Speaker, was the chief guest.

Diwali celebrates the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance, and is celebrated across the world by nearly a billion people.

The event was attended by a number of Parliamentarians from both the House of Commons and House of Lords along with members of the Hindu, Jain and Sikh communities from across the country.

Three of those attending were Peterborough residents, Mrs Rajni Reddy, Dr Subhash Kandikattu, and Mr Vishal Vichare, representing the local British Indian Hindu community.

The event was particularly welcome as the pandemic had prevented any such gatherings last year.

Following the reception Mr Vara said:

“I was very pleased to co-host this cross party Diwali function in the Speaker’s State Rooms in the House of Commons.

“Diwali is a very important celebration for the Hindu, Jain and Sikh communities as it celebrates the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.

“I was especially pleased that some local people were able to join me in the Commons for this very important celebration.”

Mrs Rajni Reddy commented:

“It was a privilege to attend the Diwali Reception at the State Rooms of the Speaker's House and I thank our local MP Mr Shailesh Vara for the invitation. It was a memorable evening imbued with the spirit of the Diwali Festival which is a time for rejoicing with family and friends.”

Dr Subhash Kandikattu added:

“It's amazing to see representation from various political parties coming together to celebrate Diwali to reiterate the common message of unity and working together to eliminate the evil of ignorance with the light of knowledge. The true essence of Diwali.”

Mr Vishal Vichare said:

“It was indeed a pleasure and a wonderful opportunity to be part of this Diwali reception hosted on a cross party basis. Diwali is the most celebrated festival amongst Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Newar Buddhists all around the world. Diwali depicts emerging from the shadows and being led back to the light. Good triumphs over evil, truth triumphs over lies, and light triumphs over darkness.”

Photo: Dr Subhash Kandikattu, Mr Shailesh Vara MP, Mrs Rajni Reddy, and Mr Vishal Vichare.

Shailesh Vara writes for The Telegraph.

The tragic passing of Sir David Amess, a much-loved member of Parliament, has again ignited a debate as to how MPs are treated by the public.

The verbal and physical threats are real and the free-flowing bile and poison on social media is easily available for everyone to see and contribute to.

One aspect of abuse and harassment against MPs that is less public however, is the correspondence that we receive from constituents, in the hundreds, on a weekly basis. Much of it is by email although some is still by letter. 

Regrettably, the tone in some of this correspondence in recent years has become increasingly hostile and aggressive. Swear words, including referring to MPs with the “c” word is not unusual. 

There has been a distinct difference in tone since the rise of social media, with many of the more abusive correspondence coming from individuals who have clearly taken a leaf from the book of the unpleasant side of online debate.

When challenged on their unacceptable language, some constituents come back, saying there is nothing unusual in the language they are using as it is “normal” as far as they are concerned. 

To be clear, the vast majority of constituents are respectful and, if they disagree, are able to do so in a constructivemanner. 

Before the advent of emails, MPs used to receive about 20-25 letters a week and it was not uncommon to have one secretary working for two or three MPs. Today however, MPs can easily receive more than 25 emails in an hour and they need to employ several staff to deal with their inbox. 

A direct consequence arising from the change in tone is that while the venom is intended to be directed at MPs, it is our staff who often have first sight of the emails or end up answering the telephone when an abusive constituent calls. 

Extraordinarily, when a member of my staff once told a constituent that they were simply doing their job and there was no need to be abusive, the constituent responded by saying that anyone working for an MP should not complain. If they didn’t like the way they were spoken to, then they shouldget a different job.

Our staff are not public figures. They are ordinary citizens simply doing a job, trying to put food on their tables and pay their rent or mortgage. Sadly, they have become innocent victims in the process. 

It is not acceptable to abuse or harass MPs, and certainly not their staff who are private citizens simply trying to earn a living. 

As we move forwards, the tone and quality of political dialogue must change. When there is disagreement, and there always will be, it must be done in a respectful manner.

If people dislike their MP, or what they stand for, the solution lies in making a change through the ballot box which is central to our democratic way of life.

The silent majority believes in civility and respect for others. It is time to get that message out to the minority who believe otherwise. 

Shailesh Vara MP

Former Northern Ireland Minister

Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Shailesh Vara highlights the work done by MPs’ staff who are often on the frontline in receiving abusive emails and correspondence, and taking hostile phone calls.

Shailesh Vara (North West Cambridgeshire) (Con)

Given the recent tragic circumstances, there has inevitably been a focus on the security of Members and their staff. One aspect that is often overlooked is the fact that it is our staff who are on the frontline in receiving the abusive emails and correspondence, and they take the hostile phone calls. They are private citizens, simply trying to earn a living, put food on the table and pay for their rent or their mortgage, yet they are caught up in this vicious cycle of venom and abuse that is directed towards us. Will my right hon. Friend take this opportunity to acknowledge the fantastic work that our staff do and give them the credit that they so rightly deserve?

The Prime Minister (Boris Johnson)

I think that my hon. Friend spoke there for the entire House of Commons, because we all know that it is our staff, our caseworkers and our office managers who are so often in the frontline, who have to deal with anger, with intemperate behaviour and with abuse, and they cope with it magnificently. We all know the risks that they run in their daily lives and, indeed, we have seen how some House of Commons staff have paid for their sacrifice even with their lives. I thoroughly echo, support and concur with what my hon. Friend said.

Hansard

Shailesh Vara MP was very pleased to open the new Royal HaskoningDHV UK Head Office in Lynch Wood, Peterborough.

Royal HaskoningDHV, a Dutch international engineering and project management consultancy, have had their principal UK office in Peterborough for a number of years. On 15th October 2021, the company which operates in over 140 countries and has a global workforce of 6,000, will be celebrating their 140 year anniversary and their move from Bretton to a new, greener, more sustainable office at Westpoint in Lynch Wood in Peterborough extends to those celebrations.

Mr Vara was joined at the opening ceremony by the company’s UK Resident Director and Business Unit Director for Industry & Buildings Europe, Jonathan Bull, as well as the Mayor of Peterborough Cllr Stephen Lane, Deputy Mayor of Peterborough Cllr Mohammed Jamil and City Councillor Kirsty Knight.

Following the visit Mr Vara said:

“It was a pleasure to formally open the new offices for Royal HaskoningDHV in my constituency. With over 140 years experience and operations in over 140 countries with a global workforce of 6,000, it is very encouraging to see an international consulting engineering company invest in the wider Peterborough area.

“I am also very pleased to see that the company has a decarbonising agenda and is pledged to net zero emissions. No doubt the company will continue to provide many sustainable solutions to its clients and help make a difference in the future to our environment and society.”

Jonathan Bull, Royal HaskoningDHV’s UK Resident Director and Business Unit Director for Industry & Buildings Europe added:

“We are all very excited about this new office. It’s a great example of how we want to create a modern, healthy working environment that supports collaboration and creativity for our business in the UK. This is essential for attracting and retaining our future talent.

“We’re sure this environment will inspire us as consultants and engineers to unlock our full potential in working together with our clients and partners in enhancing society together.”

Photo: Shailesh Vara MP along with the Mayor of Peterborough Cllr Stephen Lane, Deputy Mayor of Peterborough Cllr Mohammed Jamil, Cllr Kirsty Knight as well as Jonathan Bull and other employees from Royal HaskoningDHV.

Shailesh Vara attended the official reopening of Bainton Reading Room following a major refurbishment.

Shailesh said:

“It was great to join in the reopening of the Bainton Reading Room. Congratulations to all those who did so much work over a long period to make it such a lovely room for events and functions.”

North West Cambridgeshire MP Shailesh Vara meets with Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Dr Nik Johnson to discuss local issues.