It may be the last full week before Christmas but it’s still been a busy one! In Parliament, I presented an e-petition debate on behalf of all those who signed it on the vital issue of pay and conditions of key workers and public sector employees. This built on my previous work campaigning for decent pay for those who have given us so much throughout the Coronavirus pandemic. But what is so important about these Westminster Hall debates is the chance make these points straight to the minister responsible and call for action now, not later.

This has been a tough year for many of us; there is no escaping that. As 2020 comes to a close we have the chance to reflect on the year, but most importantly it gives us an opportunity to think about how we can make the next year better. For too long the UK Government has squeezed the wages of those in the public sector. When given the chance to give a real term pay increase, they have decided to take little to no action. This has been disastrous for communities like ours and has helped towards the horrific site of in work poverty soaring under this Conservative UK Government.

When we consider everything that is amazing about our country, we would be hard pressed not to mention our teachers, nurses, doctors, police officers and care workers. They are the lifeblood of our nation. Keeping things going in some of the most challenging situations and I think we can all agree that 2020 has been one of the hardest in memory. That is why the Welsh Labour Government wanted to give thanks to our care home workers with a £500 bonus earlier on in the year. But the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer taxed them on it, with those on Universal Credit suffering a double whammy.

But not to be outdone by his own uncompassionate response to our care workers, the Chancellor has announced a pay freeze for public sector workers. I made it very clear in my speech in Parliament that this is completely wrong, and I will continue to do so until this is put right.

This week I also wanted to remind constituents across Gower what they can do to keep an eye out for the signs of cancer. Sadly, cancer hasn’t gone away during this pandemic - and it’s not going away over Christmas. It now affects one in two of us in our lifetimes and that is why it is so crucial to break down stigma and talk about how we can keep ourselves healthy.
​
It’s really important that if you noticed any unexplained changes to your body, like blood in your pee or poo, changes in your bowel habits, a new lump or persistent bloating or pain that doesn’t go away you should seek support from your GP. People sometimes think a change in their body is not worth bothering their GP about, or you may be a bit embarrassed to talk about it. But no, that’s wrong. It’s crucial that you get all your lumps and bumps checked. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. So, if you are experiencing any changes do contact your GP as soon as you can. You can find out more by visiting the NHS’s website.

You can keep up to date with Welsh Government announcements and information on their dedicated coronavirus page. If you have any issues or concerns to raise with me as your local MP, please get in touch by emailing [email protected] or calling 01792 899025. My office is not open, my staff and I are working from home, but my email and phone are still being monitored and responded to. You may experience a slight delay in receiving a response from us as the demand has increased, but we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Stay safe, keep well, and have a good Christmas. Here’s to a brighter 2021.

Tonia Antoniazzi MP has joined a national campaign to help tackle loneliness this winter.
 
Tonia is undertaking 12 days of action to counter loneliness this Christmas as part of a push by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Loneliness and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
 
The MPs and peers are helping to spread the message that it’s OK to feel lonely and it’s OK to talk about it.
 
Tonia is backing the campaign at a time when British Red Cross research shows 39% of adults haven’t had a meaningful conversation in a fortnight and around a third (32%) worry something will happen to them and no one will notice.
 
Tonia is taking part in the campaign alongside members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Loneliness to show the sorts of simple things people can do to help those who are feeling lonely and cut off from others as Christmas approaches.
 
Starting on Sunday, December 13, MPs and peers will make a small but crucial contribution each day – including promoting the Government’s #LetsTalkLoneliness campaign online, talking about the issue with colleagues over a cup of tea, finding out more about local services, activities and groups and sharing their own experiences of loneliness or isolation with others.

The British Red Cross is the co-secretariat, along with the Co-op, of the APPG on Loneliness.
 
Head of health and resilience policy for the charity Olivia Field said: “As the holiday season approaches, it’s crucial that we all stay in touch and remind others that we are there for them and thinking about them at a time when Covid-19 is keeping us apart.
 
“MPs and peers are uniquely placed in their community to reach out to those who may need a little extra support – they know is most vulnerable in their communities and what can be done locally to help them.
 
“Everyone can make a contribution in their community, family and workplace this winter by being there to talk, listen and help where we can.”
 
The APPG on Loneliness is asking people to support the Government’s #LetsTalkLoneliness by sharing information about ways in which people can access support during the winter months.
 
The Let’s Talk Loneliness campaign aims to reduce the stigma associated with loneliness and to remind people that there’s no shame in asking for help.

Throughout December, the Let's Talk Loneliness advent calendar is sharing practical advice, inspiring stories, and support routes to encourage people to take the first steps to alleviate loneliness in themselves and others. The website has lots of useful advice on how to help yourself and others safely.
 
Anyone can contact the British Red Cross coronavirus support line on 0808 196 3651 (10am-6pm seven days a week) or access a great toolkit of resources for adults and young people, including online group sessions and digital classrooms, as well as thought-provoking podcasts where others share their experiences of tackling loneliness.
 
If you are feeling lonely and would like to reach out call the British Red Cross coronavirus support line on 0808 196 3651 or access the charity’s online loneliness resources at www.redcross.org.uk/loneliness-resources

I was pleased to speak this week in the House of Commons of the issue of support for Welsh farming. The Secretary of State George Eustice continues to say that he has maintained the budget for the devolved nations. However, farmers in Wales will be £95 million short compared to if they were still in the EU. I find it extremely tedious that the Welsh Conservatives and the UK Government continue to point the finger at the Welsh Government for the lack of funding, when they are rightly acting in accordance with the EU rules for agricultural funding until 2023, which the National Farmers’ Union of Wales have confirmed. The UK Government promised the devolved nations that they would not lose any funding from our exit from the EU and they must keep that promise. We did not vote to be made poorer by this UK Government.

I was in Westminster Hall this week as part of my role as chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cancer, in a debate on the backlog facing NHS cancer services. Despite the amazing efforts of clinicians working in the NHS and the additional support by the Government, the backlog for cancer treatment is big, and it is real, caused by the impact of addressing the first wave of the pandemic. But it’s not just about the backlog of people within the cancer system; the real backlog is of undiagnosed people yet to come forward and present their symptoms to the NHS. In the Forgotten ‘C’ report by Macmillan, using the Government’s own data, they’ve projected that there are currently 50,000 missing diagnoses and this means that around 50,000 fewer people have been diagnosed, compared to a similar timeframe last year in 2019 – that is a huge number of people that we just cannot ignore.

I know that it can be a lot easier to bury one’s head in the sand instead of getting worrying symptoms checked out, and the Covid pandemic has almost given us all an excuse to avoid the doctors with concerns about catching the virus or not wanting to burden the NHS. But cancer is serious. And it has not gone away because Covid has taken over. Please, if you are concerned about any symptoms – GPs are still there. We need to make sure that cancer referrals are in the system, that the NHS are aware of patients, and that the UK Government know that they need to put more funding in to deal with the backlog.

I was also pleased to discuss the rollout of superfast broadband across Wales during a question session of the Welsh Affairs Committee with Richard Wainer from the BT Group, Mike Dugine from Wrexham and Flintshire Council, and Kim Mears from Openreach. The Welsh Government’s Superfast Cymru programme has already rolled out superfast broadband access to many homes and businesses across Wales and they have plans to extend the reach of fast broadband even further. Openreach are delivering this work using a mixture of public and private funding in order to provide fast, reliable broadband to those still left without. Connectivity is so important these days – we’ve seen that during this pandemic – not only for keeping in contact with friends and family, but also adapting and expanding our businesses and ensuring that the connection between business and customer is as strong as ever.

This week it’s Electrical Safety Week Wales and it’s really important in the run-up to Christmas that we raise awareness of the dangers of buying electrical products online. Electrical products must meet a high standard of regulations to be sold in UK shops, but unfortunately, many products sold by third-party sellers online do not meet those standards and can therefore pose a risk to the health of your family and friends. If you’re buying electrical goods this Christmas, remember to buy from a trusted seller – even online! Saving money isn’t worth the risk to friends and family from faulty electrics.

Finally, this Saturday is Small Business Saturday. There are around 2,995 micro and small businesses here in Gower. This year's campaign has had to change, so I will be promoting some of the amazing small businesses we have here in Gower on my social media over the weekend.  Small businesses have faced an unprecedented challenge in Coronavirus. Please get involved and give them the help and support they deserve.

You can keep up to date with Welsh Government announcements and information on their dedicated coronavirus page. If you have any issues or concerns to raise with me as your local MP, please get in touch by emailing [email protected] or calling 01792 899025. My office is not open, my staff and I are working from home, but my email and phone are still being monitored and responded to. You may experience a slight delay in receiving a response from us as the demand has increased, but we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Keep well and remember – and remember - observe social distancing, wash your hands regularly and keep Wales safe!