Lucy Powell MP

Lucy has spoken today about her support for Ed Miliband’s pledge to extend the pardon granted to Alan Turing in 2013 to all gay men convicted under historical anti-homosexuality laws.

In 2013, Turing received a posthumous pardon and campaigners have since called for the pardon to be extended to include all men convicted under the same laws. This week Labour announced plans to bring in a “Turing’s Law” to allow friends and family of men who were convicted under anti-homosexuality laws to apply for a posthumous pardon.

Lucy said:

“The decision to overturn Alan Turing’s conviction in 2013 was absolutely right and was long-overdue. That’s why I’m proud that Labour have this week committed to offering posthumous pardons to all gay men who were convicted under historical anti-homosexuality laws.

“This is a significant change for family and friends of the men who were prosecuted as it allows them to pursue the justice that eluded their loved ones when they were alive. It’s also about recognising that the fight for true equality goes on. That’s why we must speak out against homophobic and transphobic bullying and why we must continue to speak out for those across the world who are facing persecution and prejudice because of their gender or sexuality.”

Alan Turing, whose statue is situated in Sackville Gardens in the City Centre, is widely known as the father of mathematics and is credited with breaking Nazi Germany’s enigma code during the Second World War. Turing spent the last six years of his life working at the University of Manchester, and it was in Manchester that he was arrested for “gross indecency” in 1952. As part of his sentence, Turing was forced to undergo chemical castration and he died two years later, having apparently taken his own life.

Today, students at Manchester University attend lectures in a building bearing his name and a section of A6010, between Ashton Old Road and Hulme Hall Lane, was renamed Alan Turing Way in 1994.

The Ancoats Dispensary is a fantastic building at the heart of my constituency, it is a focal point for the community and a link to the past that is treasured by those who live in the area and admired by much further afar.

Manchester has long been known as “the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution” but the rest of the world has perhaps underestimated the importance of Ancoats at the heart of that process. Ancoats was a dense suburb of labourers working in nearby factories and suffering from the very worst consequences of poverty and poor health.

The original Dispensary movement was led by charity and it would be many years until healthcare would resemble what we take for granted today.

As well as serving as an attractive monument to the history of the area, the Dispensary also serves as a reminder of the effort and sacrifice made to fight for our health system. In a time of funding crisis and the ever-present risk of privatisation, reminders from the past encourage us not to take this for granted.

The Trust’s campaign also offers a real opportunity for a community space in the midst of the fantastic housing developments to come and a new way of doing things led by the community.

I have met with the Ancoats Dispensary Trust over a number of years and I am so impressed to see the progress they have made. They have not been tempted by negativity and blame but have been determined and focused in campaigning for change whilst working constructively with partners at the Heritage Lottery Fund, Urban Splash and the Council.

They have utilised every campaigning and fundraising opportunity available to them with an inclusive and interesting approach ranging from history walks and art sales through to street collections, merchandise and online crowdfunding.

Their passion and focus could serve as a model for community action in tough times and as an antidote to the cynicism that says that people can’t make a difference.

We can’t deny that times are tough. The economic crash and the subsequent unfair cuts to Councils like ours have reduced budgets and made spending much more difficult.

With this in mind, we need strong community campaigns more than ever. The work is far from over. They know that there is much more to be done but they relish the challenge. They have demonstrated how passionate and capable they are and I look forward to working with them.

Read the full article here.

Today Ed Miliband has pledged that, if elected in May, a Labour government will reduce tuition fees by £3,000, beginning in 2016.

Young people in Manchester Central have been betrayed by the Tory and Lib Dem government. From the closing of sure start centres and the trebling of tuition fees through to declining training opportunities and rising housing costs. No generation has been dealt as bad a hand by their government as young people today.

Today the average graduate in Manchester is leaving university with more than £44,000 of debt. That’s far more than the average income in the country. Three quarters of young people won’t be able to pay off that debt even as they head towards retirement.

Lucy said:

“Manchester Central has one of the highest student populations in the country, thousands of young people who have been failed by this current government. That’s why I’m proud that Labour have committed to reducing tuition fees from £9,000 to £6,000 from 2016 and ensuring young people have the best possible start to their adult lives. We all want our children and young people to succeed in the future. Under this government, they are being badly let down but this won’t happen under Labour. We will ensure that the next generation isn’t left behind. ”

The average reduction in the debt will be around £9,000 per student. It will benefit those starting their courses next year and it will benefit students already in university.

Labour will also increase student grants by £400, so that the full grant increases from around £3,400 to around £3,800, benefiting all students with a household income up to £42,620. More than half of students will benefit.

This year’s election is a clear choice between another five years of Tory cuts and a Labour government that will clear up the mess of the tuition fees system left by the Coalition government. Labour will ensure that all young people are equipped to fulfil their potential and succeed in the future. This will form part of Labour’s Young People’s Guarantee, including apprenticeships and a Compulsory Jobs Guarantee funded by a Bank Bonus Tax.

You can read Ed’s speech outlining Labour’s plans for a better future for young people here.