Dear friends,

I thought I would share with you all some figures I received from the House of Commons Library.

The total number of unemployed claimants in Birmingham, Hodge Hill constituency in February 2016 was 3,814.

This represents a rate of 8.5% of the economically active population aged 16 to 64, the 4th highest of the 650 UK constituencies. (1st = highest claimant rate, 650th = lowest claimant rate.) The equivalent UK claimant rate was 2.5%.

Dear friends,

I thought I would share a piece I have written for the Fabian Society to mark the centenary of Harold Wilson's birth.

You can read the piece below.

**For Immediate Release**                                                  Thursday 10th March 2016

Byrne stands up for businesses and workers by voting down Government changes to Sunday trading laws

Last night Liam Byrne MP stood up for Hodge Hill businesses and workers by voting down the Government’s proposals to relax Sunday trading laws.

News from Liam Byrne MP – Immediate Release

Labour united on plan for 3,000 jobs at Washwood Heath

The Labour Party frontbench has given its full support to Liam Byrne’s campaign for 3,000 jobs at the old LDV Alstom site in Washwood Heath.

**For Immediate Release**                                                 Wednesday 9th March 2016

Byrne demands answers on children stranded in Calais

Liam Byrne MP has demanded answers from the Home Secretary on what the Government is doing to help those child refugees stranded in Calais on their own.

There are currently around 150 unaccompanied children in the Calais camp with direct relatives in the UK.

Dear friends,

In case you missed it, I wanted to share with you some of the BBC Newsbeat coverage on children of alcoholics.

BBC Newsbeat were very kind to cover our campaign launch here in Parliament. Newsbeat were contacted by so many people during the coverage of the campaign launch that they decided to run a special programme dedicated entirely to children of alcoholics. You can listen to the programme here.

Statement from Liam Byrne MP on decision to take IPSA to tribunal in dispute over literature sharing contact details and surgery times:

Yesterday Professor Stiglitz gave a lecture on inequality to the APPG on Inclusive Growth at the Resolution Foundation.

Dear friends,

I thought I would share a piece I have written for the Guardian on inequality.

You can read the piece below:

Yesterday Professor Stiglitz gave a lecture on inequality to the APPG on Inclusive Growth at the Resolution Foundation.