Weekly Update
🎉 Fairer Funding for Enfield – At Last!
After 14 years of unfair funding decisions, change is finally happening - and Enfield is set to benefit in a BIG way.
Thanks to the new Fairer Funding Settlement, Enfield will receive a 58% increase in funding - a £203 million boost for our borough.
I have lobbied Ministers hard to make sure Enfield finally gets the funding it deserves after years of being short-changed and this settlement puts fairness back at the heart of council funding. It also means Enfield has secured the largest increase of any London borough.
For too long, communities like ours were hit hardest by Conservative austerity, with deep cuts to vital local services. Budgets for youth clubs, community hubs and clean streets were slashed, while money was diverted away from deprived areas and towards wealthier parts of the country.
Under a Labour Government, deprivation is back at the heart of council funding. This settlement is about fairness - making sure the places that were most affected by austerity get the support they need to rebuild and thrive.
This funding will help councils that faced the deepest cuts begin to restore essential services and invest back into their communities. It marks a clear break from the past Tory approach and a commitment to tackling deprivation head-on.
This is the difference a Labour Government makes: fairness, opportunity, and restoring pride.
⚒️ A New Deal for the Working People of Enfield North
The passing of the Employment Rights Act this week marks a defining moment for this Labour Government. It brings the UK’s outdated employment laws into the 21st century and turns the page on an economy that for too long was characterised by insecurity, low pay and poor productivity.
This landmark legislation introduces a series of important new rights for working people, including:
An end to exploitative zero-hours contracts and fire-and-rehire practices, giving workers greater security and dignity at work.
Day-one rights to paternity, parental and bereavement leave for millions of workers.
Stronger statutory sick pay, ensuring people are not forced to choose between their health and their income.
The creation of a new Fair Work Agency, helping to ensure that responsible employers are not undercut by bad practice and that workers’ rights are properly enforced.
Alongside strengthening protections for workers, these reforms will also benefit employers by helping to keep people in work, improving staff retention, reducing recruitment costs, and creating a level playing field through fair enforcement.
Despite attempts by the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Green Party and Reform to block these changes, the Employment Rights Act has now passed - delivering long-overdue upgrades to workplace rights for millions of people across the UK.
By forging a new partnership between trade unions, employers and government, this Labour Government is promoting greater cooperation and less disruption in the workplace.
This is about raising the floor on workplace rights and building a stronger, fairer and brighter future for the world of work in Enfield North and right across in the UK.
❌ Ending Violence Against Women and Girls
Violence against women and girls is a national emergency. This Labour Government will not accept it as a fact of life and is committed to halving it within a decade.
This week, I was pleased that the government published a plan for the largest crackdown on violence against women and girls in British history, focused on three priorities: prevention, tough action against perpetrators, and stronger support for victims.
Preventing harm
£20 million to strengthen education on healthy relationships and consent in schools
Early intervention for young people showing concerning behaviour
A new teenage relationship abuse helpline
Bans on nudification apps and non-consensual sexually explicit deepfakes
Tougher action on perpetrators
Dedicated rape and sexual offence investigation teams in every police force
Domestic Abuse Protection Orders, including curfews, tagging and exclusion zones
Specialist police squads to tackle online abuse and repeat offenders
Supporting victims
Over £1 billion to help victims access safety, justice and recovery
Expanded funding for refuges and safe accommodation
Stronger police, court and NHS responses, including improved helplines and therapeutic support
This is about preventing abuse, stopping perpetrators, and standing with victims - because everyone has the right to live free from fear.
🎅 Spreading Christmas Cheer at the Local Sorting Office
I visited the local post office sorting office today to thank staff for their hard work during this busiest time of the year.
With Christmas fast approaching, postal workers and CWU Union reps are working long hours to make sure cards, parcels and presents reach families on time. I met with the team on the sorting floor, saw first-hand the scale of the operation, and shared festive good wishes as they worked tirelessly to keep deliveries moving.
Postal workers play a vital role across Enfield in bringing people together at Christmas, whether it’s delivering a handwritten card or a much-anticipated gift. I thanked staff for their dedication, professionalism and commitment to serving the community, especially during the winter months when pressures are at their highest.
A huge thank you to everyone at the sorting office for all they do - at Christmas and throughout the year.
🌍 Erasmus+ Is Back: New Opportunities for Young People
I’m delighted that from 2027, the UK will rejoin the Erasmus+ programme, opening up new opportunities for young people from Enfield North to study, train and gain experience abroad, regardless of their background or where they live.
This is a major step forward in widening access to life-changing opportunities and investing in our young people, our workforce and our future.
What Erasmus+ offers
Erasmus+ provides a broader range of opportunities than previous schemes, with tens of thousands more people expected to benefit across Europe and beyond, including:
Further education students and apprentices taking up work placements with leading European employers
University students undertaking study or work placements abroad
School and youth groups participating in exchanges and visits
Teachers, education and youth staff gaining new skills through training and job-shadowing
Coaches and sports staff taking part in professional development and international partnerships
By rejoining Erasmus+, Labour is ensuring that young people can once again build skills, confidence and experience on the international stage - because opportunity should never depend on where you come from.
🎄 Christmas Foods Pets Should Avoid
🐕🐈 Enfield North is a constituency of animal lovers - and I know from my mailbox how much residents care about keeping their pets safe and well, especially at Christmas.
Blue Cross is reminding pet owners that some festive favourites can be dangerous for animals. Pets should never be given:
Chocolate
Grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants (found in mince pies and Christmas pudding)
Onions, garlic and leeks (often in stuffing and gravy)
Alcohol
Cooked bones, including turkey and chicken bones
Fatty or salty foods, such as sausages and gravy
Xylitol, an artificial sweetener found in some desserts
If you think your pet has eaten something harmful, contact your vet immediately. The best treat this Christmas is keeping our much-loved pets safe.
⚙️National Grid Apprenticeships Open
National Grid is now recruiting apprentices, offering local residents the chance to build a career while helping to shape the UK’s future energy system.
With more than £30 billion being invested in energy networks across England and Wales by 2029, apprentices will play a key role in connecting new energy sources, developing new technologies and supporting growing industries.
The scheme is open to school leavers, career changers and STEM returners, with opportunities to earn, learn and gain industry-leading skills. National Grid is the only UK apprenticeship provider rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted four times in a row.
This is a great opportunity to train with a leading employer and be part of the UK’s energy transformation.
My office will be closing for the Christmas break from 4pm on Friday 19th December, returning at 9:30am on Monday 5th January.
If you need emergency help over the Christmas period please see this page on the website.
🎅 Have a great Christmas and a peaceful new year 🎄
Best wishes
Feryal