The Labour Party has been holding regional manifesto events engaging with community leaders and key activists across the country ahead of finalising the details of policies for Labour’s manifesto. This evening there the South East region held there event in Crawley. Over 60 people from Crawley and the surrounding areas attended. I joined Labours Parliamentary Candidate Chris Oxlade and Angela Eagle, Shadow Leader of the House and Chair of the NPF. During the meeting we discussed Housing and Education and Skills, two big areas of concern in Crawley, amongst other subjects. Following this discussion we then discussed how the regions can be given more of a voice in our political system and how people think sub-national devolution can be strengthened. 

The murder of staff at the offices of Charlie Hebdo in Paris is a tragic and terrifying crime. 

Our thoughts are with the families, friends and colleagues of those who died and we stand in solidarity with the French Government. 

But this crime has implications far beyond the tragic loss of those who died and beyond France.

There is a real concern that this crime will cause a chilling effect and undermine free speech.

We have to be clear that the right of free speech is a basic human right for every individual and no democracy can function without freedom of the press.

The right to satirise, to lampoon and to criticise is a freedom which we must celebrate and defend.  It was decades ago when, in this country, we abolished the law of blasphemy which criminalised satire directed at the church and decided that religion too should be subject to free speech.

All political parties in this country will be clear on this and we should be prepared to take all the steps necessary to assure our journalists and media that we will do everything we can to defend that right of free speech and guard against the chilling effect or the self-censorship that these murders might engender.

Satirists, journalists and anyone who works for a newspaper or publication should not have to live in a climate where they fear for their safety.

We must also guard against the danger that this murder will be used by Islamophobes or extremists to stir up religious and racial hatred.  Muslims in this country - as The Muslim Council of Britain has said - will be horrified by this attack on free speech and loss of life.

We must not allow free speech or our Muslim communities to be victims too in this terrible murder.

Today I challenged Nick Clegg on the Lib Dem’s record in Government. Without the Lib Dems voting with the Tories in Government we would not have had the bedroom tax, tax cuts for millionaires, trebling of tuition fees and the dismantling of the NHS.

Joining local congregations to celebrate Christmas at the House of Praise in Camberwell and Apostolic Faith Mission in Peckham.

For thousands of people in Southwark, Christmas Day will not be about feasting and having presents, it will be a struggle to put food on the table. The Southwark Food Bank in Peckham, run by Pecan, has helped over 3,000 people this year and half of these are families with children. Pecan is also giving 100 families a Christmas meal they can cook at home, providing some welcome cheer at this festive time of year.

I really pay tribute to all the people who donate food to food banks and all the volunteers who run food banks. But in this day and age, to have so many people in Southwark – in one of the richest cities in the world - having to turn to a food bank to go and get free food is shocking and totally unacceptable.

The problem is not the fault of the people who go to the food bank. The problem is the fault of a system which leaves people at the end of the week, let alone at the end of the month, with not enough money to live on. 

Many of the people who go to food banks are working. One in five of people who go out to work don’t earn enough to live on in Britain. And low pay comes at a huge cost. Working in a job that pays low wages is forcing people to make impossible choices such as between buying food and paying the rent. The consequence of not paying the rent is eviction which is why so many people choose to go without food and end up having to go to a food bank.

A recent Parliamentary report on food banks showed that more than half the demand at food banks was caused by problems in the benefits system. At Southwark Food Bank, 40% of people seeking assistance do so because of benefit changes or delays.

Benefits sanctions - cutting people off from their benefits, often at very short notice, for example for missing an appointment - means people having to wait a long time before they can get back into the system and receive the benefits they are entitled to.

Really long Government delays in administering Personal Independence Payments has created unnecessary uncertainty, stress and financial costs for sick and disabled people and their families. And the Bedroom Tax has made 3,500 families in Southwark worse off and put many of them in debt and rent arrears for the first time.

The people who go to food banks are not on a budget; they’re people who’ve run out of money to buy food because rent and energy bills are going up, or their benefits have been stopped because of problems with the system. That’s why the next Labour government will help reduce the demand for food banks by tackling the problem of low pay and the cost of living crisis. We will raise the Minimum Wage, introduce a Living Wage, end the abuse of zero-hours contracts, freeze energy bills, and abolish the unfair Bedroom Tax.

*The print version of this article is slightly shorter.

Shadow Culture Secretary Harriet Harman welcomed the appointment of Sharon White as Chief Executive of the OFCOM:

“I welcome Sharon to her new role and look forward to working with her.

“OFCOM is an important regulator with one of the widest remits and covers areas which are important to consumers and business and Sharon will bring a wealth of experience of the public sector and government to the organisation.”

Shadow Culture Secretary Harriet Harman welcomed the appointment of Darren Henley as Chief Executive of the Arts Council England:

“I welcome Darren to his this new role and look forward to working with him.

“The Arts Council England must continue its important work to ensure that arts and culture are accessible to everyone, from all walks of life, all ethnicities, across all regions - not just London - in tough economic times.

“Darren’s experience in the commercial sector and his passion for music education will stand him in good stead to do this.”

The Women's Safety Charter is a pioneering initiative by Southwark Council to tackle the problem of sexual harassment, part of a long term plan to cultivate a culture that ensures women of all ages and backgrounds grow up in a borough that is safe to live, work and travel in.

Joining our hardworking postal workers at the busy delivery office in Camberwell.

Joining local councillors on the Elmington Estate in Camberwell on a sunny Saturday morning, to talk to local residents about the issues they are concerned about.

Labour is going to run a vibrant, energetic and inclusive women’s campaign. I will be working with our Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities, Gloria De Piero, and Vice Chair of the Election Campaign, Lucy Powell and together we will ensure that there is a strong offer for women in our manifesto; with a team of women alongside men speaking for Labour and with a women’s tour across every English region in Scotland and in Wales. We want to get into government so we can build on our record and continue to deliver for women.

To read the full article please click here.

Today I challenged Nick Clegg at PMQs on the Government’s record on women. The Coalition government has taken a number of decisions which have disproportionately adversely affected women. 

Harriet Harman MP, Labour’s Deputy Leader, will take a leading role in Labour’s general election campaign to win the support of women voters. 

Please read my submission to the Transport for London consultation on the proposed Bakerloo Line extension here.

This weekend was Small Business Saturday and in support of small local businesses I was joined by local councillor Lorraine Lauder on a trip to East Street market in Walworth, where I heard from traders about the challenges they are facing.

Joining councillors and local Labour Party members for a door knock in Faraday to talk to local residents about the issues they are concerned about.

The world renowned artist and sculptor Anish Kapoor has worked in Camberwell for over 25 years. This morning I visited his studios and saw a number of interesting works in progress. We talked about how important it is that everyone - especially young people - has access to the arts, and the role schools can play in encouraging children to explore and develop their creativity.

Sacred Heart secondary school in Camberwell has recently opened its new school building. This morning I visited the new school with Serge Cefai, the Head Teacher. I addressed the 6th form in their morning assembly and talked about the importance of young people engaging with the political process. I also had the opportunity to meet 6th form politics students who asked some very tough questions about the economy, gender equality, and democracy. Thanks to Tom Spreyer, Head of Politics, for arranging this event.

Today I attended the Trade Union Group’s Christmas reception, celebrating the work done by our Trade Union MPs and the Unions, as well as taking a look at the incredibly important year ahead. Speeches were made by Ed Miliband, Leader of the Labour Party, Paul Kenny, General Secretary of the GMB, Jo Stevens, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate in Cardiff Central, and Frances O’Grady, General Secretary of the TUC. I spoke about the significance of trade unions to the Labour Party, and how important they are to millions of working people across the country. I also took the opportunity to thank Frank Doran MP, who is stepping down from Parliament in 2015, for his service to both the Labour Party and the trade union movement. The event was hosted by Ian Lavery MP, Chair of the Trade Union Group of Labour MPs.

This afternoon I joined residents of the Walworth Estate for their Christmas lunch at St. Peter's Church in Walworth. Thanks to Henry and Margaret from the Tenants & Residents Association for organising a great event.