Matthew Patrick has today (16th October) spoken in Parliament about carers “pushed to breaking point” by the Carer’s Allowance overpayment scandal.
The MP for Wirral West shared the experiences of Wirral carers in the House of Commons, many of whom have faced anxiety over the potential financial impact of repayments and the pressures of balancing care work with day-to-day life.
Under the previous Conservative government, a large number of carers were made to pay back thousands of pounds over minor or inadvertent breaches of the Carer’s Allowance earnings threshold.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Liz Kendall today announced an independent review into this situation, to be led by former Disability Rights UK chief executive Liz Sayce.
The review will investigate how overpayments of Carer’s Allowance have occurred, what can best be done to support those who have accrued them, and how to reduce the risk of these problems occurring in future.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Matthew paid tribute to carers in the community and the “selflessness and dedication” they embody.
He said: “At times of immense need, they step in. Day after day, supporting family members, making such an important contribution to their loved ones and our community.
“Our country would simply not function without them, without their contribution.”
He also criticised the approach of the previous government, saying the crisis was “left to grow” and “totally ignored” while carers suffered.
Matthew said the review announced would deliver long-overdue stability to carers who have faced anxiety over the scandal.
Closing his speech, Matthew expressed hope that carers would “feel valued and listened to” and that “the issues they feel are important are brought to light”. He said: “I welcome today’s announcement and hope that with it, our brilliant carers know that this is a government that is on their side.”
Matthew Patrick MP has today (Monday 7th October) paid tribute to the families of hostages for “the dignity, the courage and the love” they’ve shown.
The Member for Wirral West asked a question of the Prime Minister following his statement in the House of Commons marking the one-year anniversary of the 7th October attacks.
Matthew spoke of the collective grief felt across the Jewish community on the anniversary of Hamas’ attacks, and paid tribute to the loved ones of Israeli hostages for their efforts to bring them home.
He said: “Today, as with so many times in the history of the Jewish people, we are bound in grief and in mourning. Would the Prime Minister assure the Jewish community that we are not alone in that grief?
“And would he take this opportunity to join me in praising the dignity, the courage and the love shown by the families and friends of the hostages in their efforts to bring them home?”
In his response, Prime Minister Keir Starmer immediately made assurances to the Jewish community that they are not alone. He also paid tribute to the families and friends of hostages for sharing their stories.
Keir Starmer said: “It is incredibly moving to spend any time with [the families of the hostages] and to hear firsthand what they are going through. As I’ve said to them every time I’ve met them, the impact it has I think on anyone listening – the impact it has on me – is profound.”
Matthew Patrick MP has questioned the Secretary of State for Wales on transport links between Wales and the Wirral.
He spoke in the House of Commons during Welsh oral questions on Wednesday 11 September to raise concerns that transport connections are “lagging behind” despite the strong links between Wales and Merseyside. Matthew asked for details on the conversations she’s having across government and with external organisations to deliver better connections for people on both sides of the border.
Speaking in the Commons, Matthew said: “Connections between my constituency of Wirral West and Wales are many, they’re deep and they’re valued on both sides of the border. Our transport connections, however, are sadly lagging behind.
“Could she please set out what conversations she’s having with ministers and stakeholders to improve those connections?”
In her response, Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens MP shared that she has discussed improving connections between Wales and Merseyside with Transport Secretary Louise Haigh MP.
Stevens said: “I recognise the importance of cross-border travel for people across the region. The UK and Welsh governments are committed to strengthening these connections, which are vital to unlocking economic growth and employment opportunities for people and businesses.”
She also recognised the need for enhancements on the Wrexham to Bidston line and committed to working across government to deliver them.
Thank you for the opportunity to deliver my maiden speech in this important debate, Madam Deputy Speaker. The matter of budget responsibility is important to my constituents in Wirral West, because they know the cost of getting it wrong—the cost to public finances, public services and public trust. I know they will support the measures we are introducing.
May I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Kettering (Rosie Wrighting), my many hon. Friends and hon. Members on making their maiden speeches today? They have been beautiful, telling stories of constituencies and personal journeys. I think there is a theme to many of them—a theme about civility in public life, about ambition for everybody, and about the number of hours of sunshine that each of the various constituencies receives. I will no doubt look that one up.
I will focus my remarks today on the place and the people who have brought me here. In so doing, I hope to explain why I believe in the power of argument, disagreement and nuance. Hon. Members will know that my constituency is in the Wirral peninsula. What the House might not have realised is that we are quite particular about how you refer to the Wirral—it is never “Wirral” but “the Wirral”, and you are rarely “in it” but, rather, “on it”.
The rich history of Wirral West—one of Vikings, James Bond and a Prime Minister—would not be out of place in a Hollywood blockbuster. The Vikings came to the Wirral in 900 AD, and they brought with them their own Parliament, which they called “Things”. That is how one of the most beautiful villages we enjoy, Thingwall, was named. Hon. Members will probably be grateful that I am going to skip forward a few centuries of history to bring us closer to the present day. Daniel Craig—the most recent James Bond and, in my view, the best 007—was brought up, played rugby and went to school in West Kirby and Hoylake, and former Prime Minister Harold Wilson, who did so much for lifelong learning with the Open University and introduced important social reforms, lived in Spital.
Our past may be worthy of Hollywood, but our present and beautiful natural environment would not be out of place in a David Attenborough documentary. Its physical beauty has been captured by many of the finest photographers, but even they will tell you that there is no substitute for seeing it for yourself—from walking to Hilbre Island and watching as the seals swim through the River Dee, to admiring our golf courses, which are famous for hosting the Open.
Those people lucky enough to call Wirral West their home are part of what makes it so special. They bring passion to everything they do, and they carry that passion with a warm welcome and great dignity. That passion runs through each of the towns and villages. It is passion for one another and for our area, helping to expand opportunities to everyone. I cannot imagine another place with as many community groups, churches and businesses that work so hard to do such good, including scouts and guides groups, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, our schools and hospitals, and community hubs such as the Hoole Road hub—so many groups that support all people, whatever the difficulties they face. It is community spirit that has powered us through some difficult times, and I hope that this new Government can help to bring back some hope so that we can look forward to better days.
Wirral West, with its expanded boundaries, has been most recently served by two people: Margaret Greenwood and my hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead the Member for Birkenhead (Alison McGovern).
Margaret Greenwood is deeply passionate about our NHS and our environment, and those are two passions that I share. As an MP, Margaret knew that getting our NHS back on its feet is vital so that it can deliver world-leading care. We are fortunate in Wirral West to have two hospitals: Arrowe Park and Clatterbridge. I know the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care is particularly fond of the latter, given the support it gave to his family. I think back to the conversations I had in the election campaign, to the people waiting sometimes years for crucial operations and the stress that that waiting added to their daily lives. I will be thinking of those people as we do the work to turn the NHS around.
As Margaret often reminded us, there is no escaping the threat that is climate change. It came up often on the doorstep. People on the Wirral, from teachers to scientists and from environmentalists to parents are worried, like so many, about the threat of climate change. They know that it does not respond to strong rhetoric, borders or weapons. It is only action, joined up with our partners around the world, that will help us to tackle climate change and save the environment. When I see the wind farms off our Wirral shores, I am proud that we can be a home of green energy and green jobs, delivering the bold action that is desperately needed.
My other predecessor, who now serves Birkenhead, had a deep impact on my own journey—ambitious for me personally and many people like me, from working-class communities; ambitious for all of us, encouraging us, believing that we too can stand tall in places, even ones as grand as this. I grew up in Birkenhead. It is a wonderful place, but it is not without its struggles. Standing here now is a testament to my hon. Friend and to her encouragement and ambition for people like me. She will know that, as proud as we rightly are, some people from ordinary backgrounds can fulfil their ambitions, but it is still only some people, and there is much more that we must do. I will not rest until some people having opportunity becomes everybody having opportunity. The enormity of that task is matched only by its importance. It would be daunting, but for the fact that I know I am not alone in that mission. I am proud to stand alongside my hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead and all of my hon. Friends in this great task.
The Wirral has had many politicians who have made an important contribution to public life. They include my hon. Friend the Member for Wallasey (Dame Angela Eagle) and her championing of women and the LGBT community, and Baron Hunt of Wirral, although Members will realise that I think it should be Baron Hunt of the Wirral, but I will come back to that. He comes from a different tradition from me but he has served people in this country with bravery and distinction. And of course, there was Frank Field, who we sadly lost earlier this year.
Frank was a dear friend of mine, and I miss him terribly. He was the first MP I met. He was interested in what everyone had to say, and as hon. Members across the House may know from personal experience, he was quite interested in disagreement, too. He was fascinated when what you had to say differed from his own views, and it was Frank who taught me that disagreement did not need to be tolerated in politics but rather to be sought out and embraced. He taught me that, if you believe in something, you should feel free to say it, and that as long as you do so with reason, respect and humility, you should enjoy the consideration of others. Because we cannot reward the absolutists. Those who know everything with total certainty are, I think, the people we should most fear.
I am conscious, standing here, of the responsibility placed on me to represent the interests and people of Wirral West, and I will do that fiercely. I am deeply aware that representation is as much about listening as it is about speaking. The most interesting and informative conversations that I had on the election campaign were with people who disagreed with me. I learned much from them. In this House, while I bring from my career expertise in local government and economic policy, which I hope will benefit others, I intend to tap into the accumulated knowledge of hon. Members from all sides of the House. There has not been enough listening in our politics of late, and I believe that, if we are to restore faith in this House, which I believe we must, listening to our constituents and to one another is a vital step.
Frank and I spoke often about a whole range of issues and, even towards the end of his extraordinary life, he maintained a fascination with politics, with what it could do for people and with the disagreements that lay at its heart. A small part of his enormous legacy will be these three commitments that I make to this House. My commitment is to listen in good faith to arguments made in good faith. My commitment is to change my mind when it is right to do so. And my commitment is to stand up for the things that I believe in, so that others might do the same. That is what Frank would have expected, it is what the people of Wirral West rightly expect and it is what this House and our politics deserve.
Matthew Patrick MP 