All articles written by Baroness Debbonaire on PoliticsHome.com

12 Feb Political parties

Take it from me – attacking the Greens’ fringe policies won’t work for Labour in Gorton and Denton

By-elections can be a pain for campaigners. I have memories of taking my mum to a remote corner of the North West which was an hour away from any train station; it was cold and rainy, dogs howled and we didn’t win.

17 Nov 2025 Culture

Be careful what you wish for: the BBC must be defended in the run up to charter renewal

Now is the time to stand up for the organisation that brings the country together like no other.

14 Jan 2025 Books & culture

Lord Davies reviews 'How Labour Wins'

Although he may not entirely succeed in explaining why Labour wins, Douglas Beattie has succeeded in delivering an interesting and enjoyable read

13 May 2024 Culture

Labour Has Met Ofcom Over Handling Of MPs Hosting Their Own Shows

MPs hosting their own TV and radio shows presents “quite a challenge” for shadow culture secretary Thangam Debbonaire, as she reveals she has already met with Ofcom to discuss how impartiality rules can be upheld.

13 May 2024 Culture

Thangam Debbonaire: "I will never take voters for granted"

Shadow culture secretary Thangam Debbonaire speaks to Sophie Church about Labour’s plans for the creative industries, and why she is confident of seeing off the Greens. Photography by Tom Pilston

21 Apr 2024 Health

Politicians Running The London Marathon Say It Makes Them "Better MPs"

MPs have said running makes them better at their jobs, as a record 20 MPs and peers from different parties will be taking part in the London Marathon today.

15 Jun 2023 Coronavirus

Penny Mordaunt Asks MPs To Do "What Is Right" On Boris Johnson Partygate Vote

Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt has said the vote over sanctions on Boris Johnson will be a “painful process” for MPs but that they should be “left alone” to “do what we think is right”.

17 May 2022 Parliament

We must eliminate sexual harassment from Parliament

Over the course of the last few weeks, we have once again seen news headlines about sexual harassment and other sexist behaviour in Parliament.

29 Apr 2022 Coronavirus

Labour Claims Boris Johnson Misled Parliament Over Asymptomatic Covid Claim

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been accused of misleading the Commons after he claimed ministers were not made aware of asymptomatic Covid transmission.

30 May 2021 Coronavirus

Vaccines Minister Confirms Government Is Considering Compulsory Covid-19 Jabs For NHS Staff

The government is considering making coronavirus jabs compulsory for NHS staff, according to the vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi.

24 Feb 2021 Communities

Covid has exposed the cracks in our broken housing system

Renters are at the sharp end of this crisis, with many spending lockdown in cramped accommodation and in insecure work. We must protect them from eviction loopholes and potentially falling into homelessness.

01 Feb 2021 Home affairs

Housing Minister Promises To Introduce A Cladding Plan But Warns There Is No "Quick Fix"

Housing minister Chris Pincher said there is no “quick fix” to supporting the leaseholder victims of the cladding scandal but the government would bring forward a plan to help them “very shortly”.

08 Jan 2021 Communities

Government has a moral responsibility to make sure nobody is on the streets this winter

Street homelessness is not inevitable. It is the result of political choices. With the colder weather and a more infectious Covid strain, the government's decision not to reinstate the ‘Everyone In’ programme is immoral.

16 Jul 2020 Communities

Ending "no DSS" discrimination is long overdue, but Government must do more to prevent the impending homelessness crisis

The government has failed to make adequate preparations ahead of the ban on evictions running out in August, emergency legislation must be tabled to prevent an evictions crisis.

06 Jul 2020 Coronavirus

Quarter of a million renters could lose their homes when coronavirus eviction ban ends, ministers are warned

Almost a quarter of a million private renters in England could be at risk of eviction when a government ban on the practice comes to an end next month, a major housing charity is warning.

15 May 2020 Coronavirus

The Breakfast Briefing: 2019 is back as Boris faces 1922, Labour splits erupt and Gove slams the EU

Your essential guide to what’s moving in Westminster this morning from the PoliticsHome team

15 May 2020 Coronavirus

Cancelling rent would be ‘un-Labour’, frontbencher tells party’s left amid row over Covid-19 help

Cancelling rent entirely during the coronavirus crisis would be an “un-Labour” policy that would hand money to the well-off, the party’s new Shadow Housing Secretary has said.

13 Mar 2020 Health

The cost of childhood cancer can be devastating for families

We need to better support young people and their families facing a cancer diagnosis, writes Thangam Debbonaire MP.

17 Jun 2019 Home affairs

Government's approach to refugees needs to improve

Let’s mark Refugee Week by shaping policies to help refugees integrate and contribute to society in the UK, says Thangam Debbonaire

10 Apr 2019 Home affairs

Brunei’s attack on LGBT rights demands a tough response from the UK

Labour's Thangam Debbonaire MP writes ahead of her Westminster Hall debate on LGBT rights in Brunei.

21 Mar 2019 Environment

Even schoolchildren know we have a climate emergency – when will government catch up?

The Labour MP for Bristol West, Thangam Debbonaire, writes following her parliamentary debate this week on 'the effect of transition towns on use of fossil fuels'.

13 Apr 2018 Foreign affairs

The plight faced by refugees must be high up the CHOGM agenda

Co-operation across the Commonwealth marks a huge opportunity to improve how we treat refugees across the world, writes Thangam Debbonaire