Welcome to my journal.
Get an insight into my day-to-day work and my perspective on key issues.
Where have all the childhoods gone?
Anne Longfield CBE and I wrote this article about how play has disappeared from childhoods, and why it is critical to reverse the trend - citing the Raising the Nation Play Commission that we launched in June 2024 as our commitment to see the change we demand is delivered.
How our next government can deliver a manifesto for children
In this article -written during the 2024 General Election campaign, I reflect on what an incoming government could do for children over 10 weeks, 10 months and 10 years.
Only Labour can deliver the stability businesses need
Under the Conservatives, entrepreneurs have lived with chaos, drama and – from time to time – farce. Stability will give business leaders confidence and with confidence comes growth.
Why investment in Public Service Children’s Media is so is vital - especially now.
High quality British children’s content will become scarce and could become extinct. Parents, politicians and producers all have a role to play here – but all need to step up before it’s too late. As well as our great tradition of making high quality British media for children, we risk losing our heritage of growing new producers and writers. Once the traditional, regulated broadcasters and their budgets are no longer being found by children, who will pay for this vital element of our children’s nourishment?
How Labour can unleash our entrepreneurs and kick-start growth
Trickle-down economics has failed and continues to fail, and our economy has stopped growing. We are the only G7 nation to still have an economy smaller than it was pre-pandemic. And the IMF recently forecast that the UK will be among the worst performing economies in the G20 in 2023.
So what can Labour propose in order to avoid another decade of low growth and lots of inequality? ….
…. An entrepreneurial mindset places value in curiosity and innovation, constantly iterating for building growth and cultivating meaningful relationships, partnerships and collaborations.
Mission Led Government: The master key to open the door to transformational change
The way government works could be in for a long overdue shake up. Following Labour’s historic victory, it’s reported that five “mission boards”, chaired by the PM himself, will be set up to deliver Labour’s five missions across Whitehall departments. This could quietly prove to be the master key that unlocks effective, efficient government and delivers transformational change.
Only One Major Party has a Viable Plan for Growth...
After 12 years in power, we bear witness to an unproductive, low-growth economy - one that offers workers and families only stagnant wages and declining living standards and investors little confidence to invest. This is no coincidence. For an economy to grow its businesses it needs a government driven by purpose and direction, acting with credibility and competence, and that encourages confidence and stability. Yet this new government, in its six-week tip of a 12-year iceberg, has shattered any illusions of each in its strategy of gamble and hope.
Why I joined Labour…
Inspired by Rachel Reeves’ speech on making Britain the best place to start a business, today I signed up to be a member of the Labour Party, pledging to do all I can to ensure a Labour Government is elected at the next General Election.
Letter to the Prime Minister regarding Child Obesity
I am writing in my role as Chair of London's Child Obesity Taskforce, as I was interested to hear that we have both been considering the emerging evidence on the detrimental impact obesity has on those suffering from Covid-19. Of course, we have known for some time that being overweight or obese has a devastating impact on an individual's physical and mental health; with 11,117 directly related hospital admissions recorded in 2018/19. In 2018, in England 28% of adults were obese and 3% were morbidly obese.
