I’m heading down to London this morning expecting Rishi Sunak to be installed as Prime Minister following Boris Johnson’s failed bid to return after being booted out in disgrace so recently. It won’t resolve the deep conflict in the Conservative Party that has given us five Prime Ministers in six years and left the country in such a mess – so I’ll be continuing to press for a General Election.

Those Tory divisions also led  to the Brexit debacle which tore the country apart, and are continuing in Tuesday’s second reading of the EU Retained Law Bill, which applies a ‘sunset’ case to all UK laws derived from our membership of the EU, which had been retained to provide stability. I’ll be speaking against the Bill which means hundreds of laws will expire at the end of the next year, unless specifically kept, in a reckless move led by Jacob Rees-Mogg threatening safeguards on workers’ rights, environmental protections and certainty for businesses.

Later I’ll be joining Universities UK for an event on discussing international students, the cost of living crisis and mental health – then on Wednesday I’m re-launching the All-Party Group for Students which I’ve chaired since its formation several years ago. I’m also serving on the Delegated Legislation Committee for the Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003 (Designation of Participating Countries) (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) Order 2022  and attending a report on a recent Inquiry into Immigration Detention, to hear from people with lived experience of detention.

On Thursday I’ll be joining colleagues on the UK Trade and Business Commission for an evidence session on the cost-of-living crisis, before hosting a visit of German trade unionists from IG Metal with Unite. I’ll then be heading back to Sheffield for a meeting with local Labour members in the evening.

On Friday I’m meeting with the South Yorkshire Community Foundation and visiting Victoria Quays with the Regional Director of the Canal and River Trust. Then over the weekend I’ll be delivering leaflets in Manor and Kelham Island, with teams of volunteers, seeking people’s views as part of this year’s Big Conversation.