On Friday the 13th of March, I along with local Mile End activist, Siddik Rahman to observe the second reading of a Mike Amesbury MP’s Affordable School Uniform Bill.

On a Friday morning, I met up with local Mile End resident Siddik Rahman, to go to Parliament. We were going on the invitation of Redbridge mum and activist Ruba Amin, who has to lead the campaign for affordable school uniforms in Redbridge.

We waited for the House of Commons to be opened, and sat in the lobby, waiting for the procession of the speaker walking in with the mace. After getting our gallery tickets, we walked into the public gallery.

Waiting for the House of Commons to be opened

In the public gallery, we witnessed the debate. The Bill had support from MPs on both sides of the chamber. The debate was detailed and MPs made references to their own constituents or stakeholders in their constituencies experiences.

A record of the debate is in Hansard, Parliaments own record of the proceedings:

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2020-03-13/debates/5B43E213-2C7C-44F7-85BD-C275A27F8B14/Education(GuidanceAboutCostsOfSchoolUniforms)Bill

The debate on the Bill was concluded by a speech from the Schools Minister, Nick Gibb who stated that the Government supported the Bill. The Bill was then voted through unanimously onto the Committee Stage.

The stages of a passage of a Bill through the UK Parliament.

Afterwards, along with representatives from the Children Society, we went down to meet MP Mike Amesbury and our respective local MPs, who attended the debate, Apsana Begum MP (Poplar and Limehouse) and Sam Tarry MP (Ilford South).

We left Parliament fired up and enthused to carry forward our own respective campaigns in Tower Hamlets and Redbridge.

Watch this space…

“We carry inside us the wonders we seek outside us. “

Rumi

Order Paper of the day from the House of Commons