Chuka Umunna MP

Recently Chuka took part in an event organised by a local group raising money for relief in Japan following the March tsunami. The group has folded more than 1,000 origami cranes – a symbol of world peace.

A social club for the over-50s is appealing for Co-operative members to vote for them in a national fundraising competition.

The Clapham Park Over-50s Social Club has been shortlisted for the £2,000 grant from the Co-op group and now needs to get enough votes to win the money they desperately need to fund them in this tough financial climate.

Thornton Labour councillors Ed Davie, Diana Morris and Lib Peck nominated the Clapham Park Over-50s Social Club for the £2,000 grant from the Co-op group after being concerned about the club’s future.

Cllr Davie said: “We regularly visit the club and it provides a vital opportunity for older residents, some of whom can get isolated, to socialise and get advice. They desperately need some money to be able to pay for their activities and transport for those less able to walk. I hope everyone goes to website and casts a vote for them.”

Club organiser Elspeth Anderson, who was recently given a Lambeth Civic Award for her work, said: “Some of our older residents can get very isolated and vulnerable and this weekly coffee morning and monthly lunch club really gives us all a place to go and socialise. Winning this money would provide a real life-line so please take the time to vote for us.”

Following the tragic events in Tulse Hill this week, Chuka submitted the statement below to the Lambeth Community Police Consultative Group (CPCG) meeting which took place last night:

Dear all

You will now all have heard of the senseless killing of yet another young man from and in our community – my constituent Nana Darko Frempong.

When we hear of a life tragically lost in our community, our hearts sink – we can only imagine the pain that their loved ones are going through. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to his family and friends.

We, together as a community, will do all we can to support and comfort them at this very difficult time – let there be no doubt: we are right behind them.

I will not comment on the details of this particular incident as I do not wish to prejudice the police investigation which is ongoing, save to say that it is totally unacceptable that this is happening on our streets, we will work together to tackle the root causes and, above all, we must bring the perpetrators of these acts to justice.

Clearly we have a problem given the number of incidents that have occurred of late. There are many things we need to do which I have already mentioned at CPCG before. Above all, we need much better joined up working locally and nationally to prevent these tragedies occurring. We are already working towards this as you will hear this evening from the police and the Council; I am doing all I can to address this in Parliament at a national level.

I am sorry I cannot be with you this evening – we are voting on important counter terrorism measures in the House of Commons tonight. However, you can speak to my office manager Anna Coffey who is in attendance and/or contact me directly with your thoughts on this issue.

Yours in solidarity,

Chuka

Shadow Minister for Small Business and Enterprise has hit back at claims made today by Business Secretary Vince Cable on bank lending to small businesses.

Giving evidence to the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee in a session on bank lending rates to businesses, Mr Cable said while the government was not able to take action to “penalise individual banks” for failing to meet lending targets set under the Project Merlin agreement, it would consider further industry-wide measures such as taxes on profits or bonuses.

He said that while two banks covered by the agreement, Santander and Lloyds Banking Group were due to hit their targets, the others, Barclays, RBS and HSBC were not. Mr Cable told the committee: “Some are clearly trying harder than others…We do have the option of approaching the taxation of profits or bonuses or balance sheets in a more forceful way – that’s certainly is one of the sanctions open to government”

In response, Shadow Minister for Small Business and Enterprise Chuka Umunna MP said:

“Vince Cable made it clear that some of our banks are failing to lend sufficiently to small businesses and are not taking their responsibilities in this area seriously. With three major players not on track to meet their lending targets, this will hit the confidence of small businesses that need loans to invest and grow.

“Rather than empty promises, we need real action to ensure that small businesses can access finance from banks on acceptable terms.”

The Institute of Directors has published the second edition of its annual report on the tax burdens on businesses today.

The report, called ‘Tax – The Weighty Burden’, shows that the tax burdens on business are far greater than the corporation tax rates of 20% and 26% suggest, with SMEs suffering true tax rates of between 32% and 43%. It states that the tax burdens on business have not become lighter in the first year of the new government.

Commenting, Shadow Minister for Small Business and Enterprise Chuka Umunna MP said:

“For all the government’s claims to be reducing the burden on small and medium sized businesses, this report tells us that they have been giving with one hand and taking with the other since they took power.

“Businesses are already under intense pressure in the current economic climate. Because the government is cutting too far and too fast, it is damaging confidence in the economy and inhibiting job creation.”