Latest news with #AnnelieseMidgley
BBC News
18-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Labour government committed to Hillsborough Law
The government "remains fully committed" to introducing a Hillsborough Law and is working "at pace" to get it right, the Deputy Prime Minister has said. Angela Rayner said it would be brought forward as soon the government was confident it would "deliver the justice victims deserve", she said in reply to Labour MP for Knowsley Anneliese Midgley at Prime Minister's said the "state had failed victims... too many times in the past". Campaigners said earlier this year that they were disappointed that the law had not been made in time for the 36th anniversary of the 15 April, 1989 disaster, in which 97 Liverpool fans lost their lives. Speaking in the Commons, Midgley said: "Last Saturday marked eight years since Grenfell, eight years fighting for justice. The Hillsborough families, including Margaret Aspinall, from Huyton, have campaigned for 36 years for the Hillsborough law - decades."She asked will the government, "honour promises made to victims of state cover-ups and will it finally deliver justice for the 97?"Ms Raynor responded: "The state has failed victims and their families too many times in the past and that is precisely why our focus is on getting the legislation right. "I can assure her measures will be brought forward as soon as we're confident they will deliver the justice victims deserve and we want to do this at pace." Campaigners' disappointment The legislation was not made in time for April's anniversary, despite being trailed at the Labour conference last autumn by Prime Minister Keir week, MPs demanded that the government did not weaken the proposed Hillsborough Law. A draft bill has been criticised by campaigners, including the Hillsborough Law Now group, for not containing pledges previously made, including a "duty of candour".It would obligate public officials to co-operate truthfully with March it was reported that a meeting between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and campaigners was cancelled, with claims officials attempted to water down the bill. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
14-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
MP proposes ban on low letterbox law to protect postal workers
An MP has called for a ban on low letterboxes to protect postal workers from the risk of injury. Labour's Anneliese Midgley raised the issue in Parliament after workers told her about the risks around delivering mail to "low-level letterboxes" when she visited a delivery office in her said Royal Mail had recorded more than 18,000 back injuries in a year and more than 1,000 workers had fingers "partly or fully bitten off" by dogs in the past five a bill, the Knowsley MP said she wanted the current advice on letterboxes being at least 27in (70cm) from the ground in all new-build residential and commercial properties to become a mandatory requirement. She told the Commons that the government has committed to "raise standards and focus on delivery". "I have got a perfect bill for them - it's the Letterbox Positioning Bill," she said she had visited postal workers in Huyton and was urged to "sort out those low-level letterboxes"."They're worried that one of these days, one of them could get a life-changing injury," she said."I watched our posties working flat out, and it really hit home how hard they work, whatever the weather, whatever the conditions, and I asked 'what could I do to help?'" Speaking as she proposed the bill under the 10-minute rule, which allows backbenchers to make a short speech to propose new legislation, Midgley said one worker in Lancaster had lost the tip of a finger when it was bitten off by a dog. She told MPs and a number of postal workers who were in the chamber to hear her speech that political campaigners had also suffered injuries while said her "heart sank" when she was faced with a low letterbox while campaigning."The only thing lower than the letterbox is the mood of anyone who has to use one," she Speaker Nusrat Ghani said that as a "frequent leafleteer in Sussex Weald, I am particularly invested in this piece of legislation". At present, there are no planning regulations around the placing of letterboxes in doors and British Standards Agency previously agreed they should not be installed close to the ground, but that has never been written into building standards bill would make the standard height mandatory for all new residential and commercial said several other countries had already adopted such Ireland, the law was changed in 2000 to require all letterboxes to be at least 30in (76cm) above ground level, while Portugal and Belgium have similar height added that she wanted MPs to "give this bill the stamp of approval and get it signed, sealed and delivered".Her bill will be added to private members' bills that could be debated on 11 July. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
The Independent
11-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
MP asks Government to deliver ban on low-level letterboxes in new Bill
The Government has been urged to raise its standards and deliver by banning low-level letterboxes. Labour MP Anneliese Midgley said she had spoken to postal workers in her Knowsley constituency who had lost parts of fingers, and suffered back problems from stooping to post mail through foot-level flaps. She said the Government could halt the danger to postal workers by changing existing British Standards – required technical regulations on products and services in the UK – to ensure manufacturers and housebuilders install the features at least 70cm off the ground. Introducing a 10-minute rule Bill in the Commons, Ms Midgley told MPs: 'This Government says it wants to raise standards and focus on delivery. So I have got a perfect Bill for them. It's the Letterbox Positioning Bill. 'Last Christmas, I visited the Royal Mail delivery office in my constituency in Huyton. I watched our posties working flat out, and it really hit home how hard they work, whatever the weather, whatever the conditions, and I asked, what could I do to help? 'They said 'sort out those low-level letterboxes', because they're worried that one of these days, one of them could get a life-changing injury.' She said one postal worker in Lancaster lost the top of a finger when it was bitten off by a dog when he was posting a letter. Another in south London suffered damage to a finger when a dog 'locked on' to his hand, she added. 'Around 1,000 of our posties have had their fingers partly or fully bitten off through a letterbox in the past five years. It is clear to me that letterboxes have reached a new low, and it's time we in this House raise them,' she said. MPs also heard political party campaigners had suffered injuries while leafletting. Deputy Speaker Nusrat Ghani responded to the end of Ms Midgley's speech and said: 'As a frequent leafletter in Sussex Weald I am particularly invested in this piece of legislation.' In addition, the Commons heard that Royal Mail had recorded more than 18,000 back injuries in one year. Ms Midgley said Ireland, Portugal and Belgium had already adopted measures similar to those she proposed. 'Let's catch up with our neighbours on this,' she said. 'Let's raise the bar, or height, literally on letterboxes. It will save pain, prevent injury and cut costs. 'It's the right thing to do for the people who deliver our post, a part of our community who look after us day in, day out.' She added: 'So I ask this House to give this Bill the stamp of approval and get it signed, sealed and delivered.' Her Bill will be added to private members' Bills that could be debated on July 11.
South Wales Guardian
11-06-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Guardian
MP asks Government to deliver ban on low-level letterboxes in new Bill
Labour MP Anneliese Midgley said she had spoken to postal workers in her Knowsley constituency who had lost parts of fingers, and suffered back problems from stooping to post mail through foot-level flaps. She said the Government could halt the danger to postal workers by changing existing British Standards – required technical regulations on products and services in the UK – to ensure manufacturers and housebuilders install the features at least 70cm off the ground. Introducing a 10-minute rule Bill in the Commons, Ms Midgley told MPs: 'This Government says it wants to raise standards and focus on delivery. So I have got a perfect Bill for them. It's the Letterbox Positioning Bill. 'Last Christmas, I visited the Royal Mail delivery office in my constituency in Huyton. I watched our posties working flat out, and it really hit home how hard they work, whatever the weather, whatever the conditions, and I asked, what could I do to help? 'They said 'sort out those low-level letterboxes', because they're worried that one of these days, one of them could get a life-changing injury.' She said one postal worker in Lancaster lost the top of a finger when it was bitten off by a dog when he was posting a letter. Another in south London suffered damage to a finger when a dog 'locked on' to his hand, she added. 'Around 1,000 of our posties have had their fingers partly or fully bitten off through a letterbox in the past five years. It is clear to me that letterboxes have reached a new low, and it's time we in this House raise them,' she said. MPs also heard political party campaigners had suffered injuries while leafletting. Deputy Speaker Nusrat Ghani responded to the end of Ms Midgley's speech and said: 'As a frequent leafletter in Sussex Weald I am particularly invested in this piece of legislation.' In addition, the Commons heard that Royal Mail had recorded more than 18,000 back injuries in one year. Ms Midgley said Ireland, Portugal and Belgium had already adopted measures similar to those she proposed. 'Let's catch up with our neighbours on this,' she said. 'Let's raise the bar, or height, literally on letterboxes. It will save pain, prevent injury and cut costs. 'It's the right thing to do for the people who deliver our post, a part of our community who look after us day in, day out.' She added: 'So I ask this House to give this Bill the stamp of approval and get it signed, sealed and delivered.' Her Bill will be added to private members' Bills that could be debated on July 11.
North Wales Chronicle
11-06-2025
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
MP asks Government to deliver ban on low-level letterboxes in new Bill
Labour MP Anneliese Midgley said she had spoken to postal workers in her Knowsley constituency who had lost parts of fingers, and suffered back problems from stooping to post mail through foot-level flaps. She said the Government could halt the danger to postal workers by changing existing British Standards – required technical regulations on products and services in the UK – to ensure manufacturers and housebuilders install the features at least 70cm off the ground. Introducing a 10-minute rule Bill in the Commons, Ms Midgley told MPs: 'This Government says it wants to raise standards and focus on delivery. So I have got a perfect Bill for them. It's the Letterbox Positioning Bill. 'Last Christmas, I visited the Royal Mail delivery office in my constituency in Huyton. I watched our posties working flat out, and it really hit home how hard they work, whatever the weather, whatever the conditions, and I asked, what could I do to help? 'They said 'sort out those low-level letterboxes', because they're worried that one of these days, one of them could get a life-changing injury.' She said one postal worker in Lancaster lost the top of a finger when it was bitten off by a dog when he was posting a letter. Another in south London suffered damage to a finger when a dog 'locked on' to his hand, she added. 'Around 1,000 of our posties have had their fingers partly or fully bitten off through a letterbox in the past five years. It is clear to me that letterboxes have reached a new low, and it's time we in this House raise them,' she said. MPs also heard political party campaigners had suffered injuries while leafletting. Deputy Speaker Nusrat Ghani responded to the end of Ms Midgley's speech and said: 'As a frequent leafletter in Sussex Weald I am particularly invested in this piece of legislation.' In addition, the Commons heard that Royal Mail had recorded more than 18,000 back injuries in one year. Ms Midgley said Ireland, Portugal and Belgium had already adopted measures similar to those she proposed. 'Let's catch up with our neighbours on this,' she said. 'Let's raise the bar, or height, literally on letterboxes. It will save pain, prevent injury and cut costs. 'It's the right thing to do for the people who deliver our post, a part of our community who look after us day in, day out.' She added: 'So I ask this House to give this Bill the stamp of approval and get it signed, sealed and delivered.' Her Bill will be added to private members' Bills that could be debated on July 11.
