Shailesh Vara MP has launched the Coronavirus Community Champion Awards for his constituency of North West Cambridgeshire.
The Awards will recognise the efforts of local individuals and organisations where they have supported their community during the pandemic.
During the period of Friday 10th September until Friday 1st October, members of the public are encouraged to nominate a local individual or organisation worthy of recognition by emailing Mr Vara at shailesh.vara.mp@parliament.uk with the following details:
- Name, address, and contact email of the Coronavirus Community Champion Award nominee
- In no more than one hundred words, please say why the nominee deserves recognition, outlining the actions they have taken to support the local community during the pandemic
- Name, address, and email of the nominator
Following the launch of the Awards, Mr Vara said:
“I am very pleased to launch the Coronavirus Community Champion Awards in my constituency of North West Cambridgeshire.
“Since the start of the pandemic I have seen incredible acts of selflessness and kindness across our area. Whether it is individuals volunteering with the local NHS, checking in on elderly neighbours, or community groups organising the delivery of groceries to those unable to travel, we have seen the very best shine through and I am keen to recognise those selfless individuals and groups.”
“The awards are publicly nominated and the winners will receive an official certificate to mark their contribution.”
For more information about the Awards please visit: www.shaileshvara.com or email shailesh.vara.mp@parliament.uk
Shailesh Vara questions the Prime Minister about what is being done to encourage countries previously involved in Afghanistan that have not yet offered help and support to do so?
Shailesh Vara (North West Cambridgeshire) (Con)
I am grateful to the Prime Minister for giving way; he is being very generous with his time. Over the past 20 years, some 50 NATO and partner nations have been involved in Afghanistan. I welcome the measures that have been proposed by the UK and other countries such as the US, Canada, France, Germany and so on, but there are still many countries that have been involved in Afghanistan in recent years which have still yet to step up to the plate and recognise their responsibility in helping these people at this desperate time. Will the Prime Minister inform the House what is being done to encourage these other countries to take up their responsibility and help these people in Afghanistan?
The Prime Minister (Boris Johnson)
My hon. Friend makes an excellent point, and that is why the UK has chaired the UN Security Council, and asked with our French friends to put a motion together to get the world to focus on the humanitarian needs of Afghanistan. We will do the same thing in NATO, the G7 and other bodies in which we have a leadership role. We want all these countries to step up, as he rightly said, and focus on the most vulnerable in what will be formidably difficult circumstances.
Shailesh Vara MP has welcomed the news of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s successful bid for the Home Office Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Fund.
Spearheaded by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and Respect, six local and two national partners have secured over £300,000 of funding to help prevent domestic abuse and stalking in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
The funding will be used to facilitate early intervention programmes to prevent perpetrators from re-offending. Victims will continue to receive support through Independent Domestic Violence Advocates.
Following the announcement, Mr Vara commented:
“I am very pleased to hear of the new funding to tackle domestic abuse and stalking in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
“These crimes have devastating impacts upon victims, and it is crucial that local authorities have the resources and tools to lead effective prevention and early intervention programmes.
“The Home Office funded nationwide programme to prevent perpetrators from re-offending will help to give confidence to the community that provisions are in place to support the prevention of domestic abuse and stalking.”
Shailesh Vara MP has welcomed the figures showing the large number of coronavirus business support loans delivered in his constituency of North West Cambridgeshire.
The most recent data, published this week by the British Business Bank, shows the distribution of loans offered under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS). These figures show that 3,378 loans worth £138,739,594 have been offered across both CBILS and BBLS in the constituency.
The CBILS and BBLS have played a crucial part in the government’s financial support schemes, backing businesses which have faced hardship during the pandemic. The schemes have enabled businesses across the UK to access the financial provision required when faced with losing revenue and seeing cashflow disrupted, due to the unprecedented interruption the pandemic brought.
Following publication of the data, Mr Vara commented:
“These figures show the reach and substance of the Government backed financial schemes and I am very pleased that so many businesses in my constituency sought the help on offer. The financial support provided has been a key part in the country’s fight against coronavirus and now, as we consider further lifting of restrictions, I look forward to businesses in our community start on the road to recovery.”
The email sent to Mr Vara by the British Business Bank highlighting the figures is attached here.
Shailesh Vara MP is delighted that Gidding Den, in Great Gidding, and Abbots Ripton Store and Post Office, in Abbots Ripton, have been Highly Commended after reaching the finals for the 2020 Countryside Alliance Annual Awards.
The annual awards, also known as the ‘Rural Oscars’, are now in their sixteenth year and have become the definitive rural business award to win. They are set apart from other award schemes as they are driven by public nomination, offering customers the chance to say in their own words why their favourite businesses are worthy of national acclaim.
Over 18,000 nominations were made and achieving such recognition is testament to both Huntingdonshire businesses for the quality of service they provide to their communities.
Following the announcement Mr Vara said:
“After an immensely difficult time for retailers, I am delighted the hard work of both of these small independent retailers has been recognised in the Countryside Alliance Awards. Providing continued service throughout the pandemic has shown them both to be cornerstones of their communities. These awards celebrate those businesses that go the extra mile and now more than ever rural communities depend on local businesses.”
Samantha Wardman, owner of Abbots Ripton store, commented:
“We are honoured to be recognised as a highly commended business by the Countryside Alliance ‘Rural Oscars’. Through what has been a very tough year, it has been a privilege to provide a safe and accessible service to our community. The past year has shown the strength and importance of small independent retailers in the present day.”
Katie Morgan, owner of Gidding Den, added:
“We are absolutely delighted to have been highly commended by the Countryside Alliance in the annual awards. The support we have received from the local rural community has been amazing over the last 18 months, in one of the most difficult times in living memory.”
Shailesh Vara MP has welcomed the news that Nene Park Trust has been awarded £1,965,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, for its ‘Your Community Greenspace project’ in Peterborough.
The 5 year project will include improved infrastructure, new events as well as community projects which will bring together the multi-cultural communities within Peterborough, and will make Ferry Meadows an inclusive community hub. Furthermore, it will also work on connecting people with nature and the outdoors which will help to improve people’s mental and physical health and well-being.
Included in the projects will be activities for 14-18 year olds, sensory walks and companion walks for the isolated, craft workshops and tree planting with the Sikh community.
Following the announcement, Mr Vara said:
“I am very pleased that Nene Park Trust has been awarded this generous amount by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to help empower and engage our communities and build on making Ferry Meadows an inclusive community hub.
“We are very fortunate to have such a diverse range of cultures within our community and the Community Greenspace project will help to bring those communities together and enhance the existing facilities that are already available at Ferry Meadows.”
Following the State Opening of Parliament, Shailesh Vara is given the honour of proposing the Loyal Address and, as is the tradition, takes the opportunity to promote his constituency.
Shailesh Vara (North West Cambridgeshire) (Con)
I beg to move,
That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, as follows:
Most Gracious Sovereign,
We, Your Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Majesty for the Gracious Speech which Your Majesty has addressed to both Houses of Parliament.
It is indeed a great honour and privilege for me and my constituents to move the Loyal Address, especially in this, Her Majesty’s 96th year. Her Majesty’s commitment and dedication to service of our nation is an example to all of us. Given Her Majesty’s age, may I say that by comparison the rest of us are no more than mid-career?
I also take this opportunity to welcome our new colleague to the House—my hon. Friend the Member for Hartlepool (Jill Mortimer), with whom I, for one, very much look forward to working.
We meet at a time unprecedented in our history—a time when there is a dark shadow over not only our country but across the globe as we deal with the covid-19 pandemic. Far too many lives have been lost and far too many people have suffered, both in the UK and across the world. When this is over—and it will be, at some point—the family of nations must work together so that if something similar happens again in the future we are better prepared. The heartbreaking scenes on our television screens from India are a constant reminder that no one is safe until we are all safe. Sadly, there are similar outbreaks in other countries too, such as Nepal, Thailand and Cambodia.
As we continue our fight against the virus, I am pleased that we have been able to offer help to others. We were the first country in the world to provide India with practical help, sending vital medical equipment to save precious lives. It is good that the UK has committed £548 million to the global COVAX initiative.
Over the past year, new speaking arrangements have meant that often when Members put in to speak, they do not get called, or if they are called, they have no more than about three minutes to say their piece. Mindful of the 17 speeches I was unable to give, and mindful of the broad nature of the Gracious Speech and the fact that there is no time limit on me today, I would like to put on the record those 17 speeches. On second thoughts, Mr Speaker, that look in your eye tells me that perhaps I had better save it for another day, when I very much hope I will be called.
Today marks the 11th anniversary of the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition being formed in 2010. Since then, the Conservatives have cemented their position as the party of Government, Labour as the party of protest, and the Lib Dems as a party that can all gather in this Chamber and still maintain social distancing.
When the Chief Whip asked me to propose the Gracious Speech, as well as being hugely honoured, I also felt a sense of humility. All of us have had our own individual journeys in being elected to this House. In my case, I was born in Uganda at a time when Uganda was still part of the British empire. My family came here in the early 60s, when I was still a young child, unable to speak a word of English. We settled in a deprived area in inner-city Birmingham, where I went to a local primary school. My father worked as a joiner on building sites. Those were tough times. It was legal to discriminate against people on grounds of race, and people did. Racial intolerance and prejudice were rife. The Prime Minister of the day was Harold Wilson, leading a Labour Government.
Getting elected to Parliament was not without incident. When I was a candidate in 2000 in Northampton South, the sitting Labour MP, Tony Clarke, tried to use my race and my Hindu faith against me in his efforts to get re-elected. Not surprisingly, he was roundly criticised in the national media. On the subject of my faith, there is a memorable moment that I have from when I was a Northern Ireland Minister, before I resigned over Brexit. I recall one particular visit in Belfast, when I was with a group of people, and we were discussing each other’s faiths. When I mentioned that I was a Hindu, a kindly looking gentleman smiled and asked me, “Mr Vara, would that be a Protestant Hindu or a Catholic Hindu?” Fortunately for me, we were distracted by the barman, who brought another round of drinks.
It has been a real privilege to serve the people of North West Cambridgeshire since 2005. It is because they selected me that I was able to be the Conservative party’s first non-white Minister in the House of Commons, and the party’s first non-white person to speak from the Dispatch Box. The point I am making is very simple: for someone with my background to be proposing the Loyal Address shows what a truly great and magnificent country we all live in.
North West Cambridgeshire is a relatively new constituency, and I am only its second Member of Parliament. As with all constituencies, it has its high and low points. In fact, on the low side, Holme fen is 7 metres below sea level and is the lowest point in Britain, and it is in my constituency. On the high side, it is wonderful that Peterborough United, otherwise known as Posh, have just been promoted to the championship. That being said, my other team, Arsenal, are clearly on a low point. Along with many others, we just live in hope.
My constituency is steeped in history. In 969 AD, Ramsey Abbey was founded, and it prospered for many centuries—that is, until news of its wealth reached King Henry VIII and his chief minister, Thomas Cromwell, who dissolved the monastery in 1539, and its possessions were claimed by the Treasury. I suppose that that was the 16th century precursor to nationalisation.
We also have the Bell Inn in Stilton, one of England’s oldest and most famous coaching inns. As well as its association with Stilton cheese, it is where the infamous highwayman Dick Turpin is believed to have hidden for nine weeks while on the run in the 18th century. I am reliably informed that his ghost still resides at the inn. He will doubtless be pleased with the Government’s pledge to give greater protection to tenants. His ghost, however, is not on the electoral roll, and getting an ID card will be a serious problem, but he certainly continues to bring in the tourists.
Moving to modern times, there is a strong military presence, with RAF Molesworth in the south and RAF Wittering in the north. The size of my constituency is some 300 square miles, with plenty of farms producing the finest food in the country. My constituents are good, decent, hard-working people, ambitious for themselves and their families. They want a society that has equality of opportunity and allows them to rise as high as their ability and talent will take them, irrespective of their background.
This Gracious Speech delivers for the people. It is in the tradition of Conservative Governments, who have always sought to better people’s lives, especially the working class and the underprivileged. In the 19th century, the Conservative Lord Shaftesbury was leading the way. He pushed through various pieces of legislation to improve conditions for the mentally ill and children who were forced to work under appalling conditions, as well as championing education for poor children. An interesting point is that, in Shaftesbury’s first three years in Parliament, he saw four Conservative Prime Ministers: Lord Liverpool, George Canning, Viscount Goderich and the Duke of Wellington. I suspect that the 2015 intake can sympathise with the frequent turnaround of Conservative Prime Ministers, although I should make it clear that this Prime Minister is not going anywhere for a very long time. Disraeli spoke passionately about one nation Conservatism, and Margaret Thatcher encouraged home ownership for people who would otherwise be paying rent all their lives.
This Gracious Speech is for all the four nations: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. After the massive financial support during the pandemic, I welcome the measures to create more jobs and drive economic growth, and the drive to build back better and level up opportunities across the country. On the health front, there will be additional funds for the NHS, tailored care for individual patients closer to home and improved mental health services, and the UK will lead the world in seeking new treatments for diseases such as cancer.
Education is for everyone at all stages of life. That means prioritising the early years and ensuring that the pupils who have missed out in the past year will be able to catch up during this parliamentary term, and 11 million adults will be able to benefit from the lifetime skills guarantee.
With COP26 in Glasgow later this year, it is great to see that the UK is leading the world in promoting new green initiatives to help to safeguard the environment. Protecting their citizens is a key role for any Government. I welcome the tough new measures that will be introduced, including the new draft victims bill, legislation for greater internet safety and a fairer immigration system, and tough measures to deal with people smugglers.
Speaking on the subject of law and order, I am reminded of the Chief Whip. Earlier today, he basically said to me that, if I were to cause a constitutional crisis today, it would be the Tower of London for me and execution. Actually, my constituency has form with the Tower of London and executions. In 1941, Josef Jakobs, a German spy, parachuted and landed near Dovehouse farm outside Ramsey in my constituency. Unfortunately for him, he broke an ankle and was unable to move. The following morning, he was found by two local farmers, who handed him over to the local Home Guard. Jakobs was tried and then executed at the Tower of London, but the significant point is that he was the last person to be executed at the Tower of London. I appreciate that it is the season of by-elections, but I have no intention of causing a constitutional crisis and adding to the Chief Whip’s woes.
Turning to the Gracious Speech again, I was also very pleased with the Government’s continued support for our armed forces and our strengthening of trade links with the rest of the world as we pursue our interests of global Britain. This Gracious Speech recognises the work required to deal with the pandemic. It respects our manifesto and the trust placed in my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and his Government by the public.
I have known the Prime Minister since well before we were elected to this House. I have shared debating platforms with him, campaigned with him and campaigned for him. In all those years, one thing has been clear: he stands out because he really gets it and, importantly, he delivers. He really understands the working people of this country, what drives them, what their aspirations are for themselves and what they want for their country. That is why the people trust him. They did so when he was elected twice as Mayor of London, and when he led the Brexit campaign and then delivered on Brexit. At the last election, they trusted him by giving him the largest Conservative majority since Margaret Thatcher’s victory in 1987. In the same election, the Conservative party received the largest number of votes ever received by a single British political party in history. Over the past few days, in various electoral contests, that trust in my right hon. Friend has been reinforced, including in the recent by-election in Hartlepool; I referred earlier to my new hon. Friend the Member for Hartlepool.
This House is at its best when we work together. All of us are in the business of improving the lives of our fellow citizens. We may differ in our approach, but the aim is the same. There are on both sides many Members who have experienced inequality, poverty, racism and much more. So let us recognise that fact, and direct our energies less in divisive arguments and less on personal attacks, and more on constructive engagement. That is not to say that we should not have robust and challenging debate in order to deliver the best for the people of our country, whom we are here to serve. As for personal attacks, let us remember what Margaret Thatcher said:
“if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left.”
At this critical time in our history, it is especially important that we work together to rebuild as the United Kingdom emerges from this dreadful pandemic. There is every reason for optimism, and with this ambitious legislative programme,, set out in the Gracious Speech, we have a bright and prosperous future. I commend the Gracious Speech to the House.
Shailesh Vara MP paid tribute to the life of HRH Prince Philip in a speech in the House of Commons yesterday.
Mr Vara opened his remarks by expressing condolences on behalf of himself and his constituents in North-West Cambridgeshire.
He spoke of the success of the Duke of Edinburgh scheme saying that it was perhaps the “most visible” of the Prince’s achievements which had “benefited generations of young people” including some in his constituency.
Mr Vara also recounted a personal memory of meeting with Prince Philip, when they discussed the 1972 expulsion of Asians from Uganda and how he was impressed with the Prince’s attention to detail, saying “here was a Prince who had a real depth of knowledge”
Mr Vara concluded his speech by referring to the Royal Family’s personal loss of “a husband, a father, a grand father, and a great-grandfather” and that the Prince’s “deeds and achievements and their impact will continue long after we are all gone.”
Following the debate Mr Vara said:
“Prince Philip was a towering figure who played a significant role in our nation and the Commonwealth for much of his life. I doubt we shall see the likes of him again and it is fitting that Parliament should pay tribute to his life and achievements.”
A link to Mr Vara’s full speech is available here.
Speaking in the House of Commons Shailesh Vara pays tribute to HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
Mr Shailesh Vara (North West Cambridgeshire) (Con)
May I start by conveying my condolences and those of my constituents to Her Majesty the Queen and the rest of the royal family? Of Prince Philip’s many achievements, perhaps most visible is the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, started in 1956. With nearly 7 million participants, including many in my constituency, it has benefited generations of young people, equipping them with skills and giving them confidence and a sense of independence for the rest of their lives.
I recently spoke to a lady in her 60s. The daughter of immigrants, brought up in a deprived area, she spoke fondly of her memories of the activities that she undertook as part of the scheme. One memory that she particularly cherished was the opportunity to walk up Mount Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales. It gave her enormous confidence for the rest of her life, but she made the point that, given her background and her circumstances, she would never have been able to do that were it not for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme.
On a personal note, like others I had the opportunity to meet Prince Philip on a number of occasions, and on one such occasion, he asked about my background. I told him that I was of Indian origin and born in Uganda. Then we had a conversation, which made it absolutely clear to me that here was a prince who had a real depth of knowledge. He spoke of the expulsion of the Asians from Uganda in 1972. He spoke of the individuals who came to this country with nothing but the clothes on their backs. He spoke of the success that they had made for themselves and their families. Importantly, he spoke of the contribution that these people had made to the UK generally. Here was a prince who made a point of understanding and knowing about all the citizens in the United Kingdom.
The royal family has lost a husband, a father, a grandfather and a great-grandfather. We as a nation, and the Commonwealth and the rest of the world, have lost an extraordinary individual who led an exceptional life. His deeds and achievements and their impact will continue long after we are all gone.
Following the announcement today of the sad passing of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, Shailesh Vara MP said;
“HRH The Duke of Edinburgh gave a life of service to our nation and the Commonwealth. He led an extraordinary life, and was one of the few people still with us who served in the Second World War.
“Of his many achievements, one of the most visible is the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme which has helped and inspired generations of young people.
“I was privileged to meet him on a few occasions, and always found him to be warm, witty, and humorous.
“He gave steadfast support to Her Majesty the Queen for over seventy years and the nation’s condolences go out to Her Majesty and the Royal Family. May he rest in peace.”