Goldieslie Road,
Sutton Coldfield,
West Midlands,
B73 5PQ

9^th October 2020

Urgent support needed for the events sector

Dear Andrew Mitchell and Andy Street

I have been speaking to a number of individuals and businesses across Sutton Coldfield, the West Midlands and the UK who work in the events sector and whose livelihoods are under threat from the government’s inadequate provisions for their sector’s particular needs.

The government’s decision to close events for an expected further six months leaves many entirely unable to work or run their business over that period and the support measures that have been put in place going forward do not provide for those circumstances.  I know that the original furlough scheme was greatly valued and secured jobs and businesses over the period of operation.  The cessation of the scheme leaves the sector and its employees particularly exposed, having been one of the only sectors not allowed to reopen in the summer.  The replacement scheme does not work for this sector when no face-to-face events are permitted, leaving businesses unable to operate and are unable to generate any revenues.

Goldieslie Road,
Sutton Coldfield,
West Midlands,
B73 5PQ

13^th September 2020

UK Internal Market Bill

Dear Mr Mitchell,

As you know, we have now left the European Union, following the Withdrawal Agreement that you and your party campaigned for and which was signed for by the Prime Minister. Thus, I read with dismay, that the Conservative government is planning to break international law. It is just not acceptable for a government minister to argue that the UK could break international law in a “very specific and limited way”. Nor is it acceptable for the Prime Minister to argue for the Withdrawal Agreement to be rewritten, when he fought for it, campaigned for it (with you) and signed it.

Sutton Coldfield is home to many small, independent shops, cafés and other businesses. They're an integral part of local communities and play a big part in making Sutton such a special place to live.

During lockdown, many local businesses went the extra mile for their communities -- running food deliveries, donating to those in need and checking in on vulnerable customers.

Today, many of these same businesses are struggling to survive. If they fail, we will lose dozens of local jobs. But we would also be losing something less tangible: without its rich variety of local, independent businesses, Sutton Coldfield just wouldn't be the same.

So, as lockdown eases, the Lib Dems are calling on us all locally to step up and support our local businesses. Every pound spent in your community shops, cafés and takeaways helps keep local business going and protects the livelihoods of local people. 

It’s time to show our local businesses just how much we value them. 

Shop local. Protect small businesses. Save jobs.

Support our campaign by joining our mailing list and keeping up to date with our campaigns.

Goldieslie Road,
Sutton Coldfield,
West Midlands,
B73 5PQ

25^th May 2020

Dear Mr Mitchell,

The Prime Minister’s support of Mr Cummings
 
Two and a half weeks ago, my husband received the awful news that his mother only had a very short time left.  Against all instinct, taking into account government guidance not to travel and concerned about the possibility of spreading coronavirus, although he had no symptoms, he made the heart-breaking decision not to go to Manchester to be at her side in her last few hours.  Next week is her funeral.  Some of his brothers are not going to be there as they live too far away to make the journey in a day, are reliant on public transport and have nowhere to stay.

People right across our Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield have similar stories of the incredible sacrifices they have made to stop the coronavirus.  No doubt you will have heard from many of them.  Our neighbourly support network has been contacted by numerous concerned sons and daughters, living hundreds of miles away, who were anxious about elderly parents in Sutton and were asking for help in getting food and medicines to them.  It turns out that, contrary to common understanding, it actually would have been entirely acceptable for them to have travelled across the country to provide the support needed.  There are hundreds of other tragic stories. 

Your local Liberal Democrat party has suspended all campaigning activities for the duration of the current Covid-19 emergency and is instead concentrating its efforts on supporting the community and national response to the virus.

Details of where to get support and how to volunteer are as follows:

• Helpline to request support: 01213623650 (open Monday to Saturday from 9.30 to 4.00)
• Email to request support: info@ageconcernbirmingham.org.uk
• The Sutton Coldfield Together website: tiny.cc/suttontogether

The website allows you to request help and includes details of local organisations and groups offering support. It also has a facility for those wishing to get involved to register as a volunteer, as well as advice on how to be a good neighbour in a way that keeps everyone safe.