Good morning folks,
We have worked very hard to keep our campaign alive despite BREXIT; ignoring plaintive cries of, “They will be too busy to listen to us,” we have plodded on and now we have small glimmers of hope shining through in the form an EDM tabled by Holly Lynch, and questions being tabled by MPs for answer by the Policing Minister.
So what is an EDM some of you may be wondering; it stands for Early Day Motion and they are submitted for debate in the House of Commons.
Few EDMs are debated, but they serve to draw attention to campaigns and demonstrate the level of parliamentary support for those campaigns. MP Holly Lynch is the primary sponsor of EDM 2351:
Police Widows and Widowers' Pension Equality EDM tabled 1st May 2019 2017-19 Session.
"That this House recognises the invaluable contribution of all who have served, and continue to serve, in the police force, including those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the protection of others; acknowledges that the support provided by the spouse of a police officer is crucial both emotionally and practically; further recognises the difficult and unfair position that police widows and widowers in England, Wales and Scotland face due to the current Police Pension Regulations 1987, which removes access to their pensions when they marry or cohabit; believes that all police widows and widowers have the right to be treated the same regardless of their personal relationship status; and calls on the Government urgently to align the status and rights of police widows and widowers in England, Scotland and Wales with the rights of Northern Ireland police widows and widowers and to allow police widows and widowers to retain their pension entitlement in full regardless of how and when their spouse died.
There are currently 47 signatures:
Holly Lynch - Labour - Primary Sponsor
Ben Lake - Plaid Cymru - Sponsor
Alex Sobel - Labour - Sponsor
Debbie Abrahams - Labour - Sponsor
Chris Stephens - SNP - Sponsor
Wera Hobhouse - Lib Dem - Sponsor
Dr David Drew - Labour
Tom Brake - Lib Dem
Tim Farron - Lib Dem
Sir Graham Brady - Conservative
Sir Jim Cunningham - Labour
Caroline Lucas - Green Party
Jim Shannon - DUP
Sir Desmond Swayne - Conservative
John Wittingdale - Conservative
George Howarth - Labour
Sir Mike Penning - Conservative
Richard Burden - Labour
Dr Julian Lewis - Conservative
Helen Hayes - Labour
Sir Peter Bottomley - Conservative
Keith Vaz - Labour
Rosie Duffield - Labour
Liz Saville-Roberts - Plaid Cymru
Ruth George - Labour
Roger Godsiff - Labour
Conor McGinn - Labour
Mary Glindon - Labour
Jim Fitzpatrick - Labour
Gordon Marsden - Labour
Gordon Henderson - Conservative
James Gray - Conservative
Mike Hill - Labour
Hywel Williams - Plaid Cymru
Emma Lewell-Buck - Labour
Kelvin Hopkins - Independent
Jonathan Edwards - Plaid Cymru
Jamie Stone - Lib Dem
Rosie Cooper - Labour
John Grogan - Labour
Stephen Metcalfe - Conservative
Norman Lamb - Lib Dem
Sir Greg Knight - Conservative
David Davis - Conservative
Tonia Antoniazzi - Labour
Philip Davies - Conservative
Sir Oliver Letwin - Conservatives
An average of six or seven EDMs receive a hundred signatures or more, the majority attracting just one or two, so EDM 2351 tabled in support of our campaign is doing well thus far but we need to help it along.
Some MPs are not allowed to sign due to their parliamentary role and others refuse to sign them, but if your MP is not on this list please contact them and ask them to sign if you haven't already done so.
By following this link you can monitor who has signed:
https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/52879/police-widows-and-widowers-pension-equality
NARPO’s Steve Edwards is pleased with your response to their request for letters received from force pension administrators regarding withdrawal of pensions as a result of remarriage or cohabitation, and letters asking for confirmation of marital status accompanied by certificates of continued entitlement; the more the merrier he says so keep them coming!
NARPO are beavering away working on the information they have received from us, and I will of course let you know of any developments.
Keep up the good work folks – you are wonderful.
Best wishes as always,
Cathryn
CathrynHall11@gmail.com