Christmas Adjournment

John McDonnell Excerpts

Thursday 18th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington) (Lab)]

Many Members have referred to the hunger strikes. The Secretary of State is refusing to meet representatives or lawyers of the hunger strikers. Will the Leader of the House put this proposition to the Secretary of State for Justice? According to the Government’s own guidelines for the Department, one possibility is to maintain discussions by appointing an independent mediator. If that could be done, we could avert a tragedy.

Last week, I was on the picket line at Great Ormond Street hospital, where the National Education Union had brought about strike action because four of its teachers—teachers of long standing—had been sacked. It seems that there is a new and bullying management that has created a hostile environment. In fact, we have now lost a number of long-standing and dedicated teachers. Through the House, I ask the Great Ormond Street hospital governing board to intervene to resolve the dispute and recreate the environment that the hospital has always been famous for—one of caring, not just for the children it looks after but for its own staff.

I come now to the staff of this House. Security guards have been taking industrial action for several months now as a result of an unfair grading structure, and they will come out on strike again in the new year if we cannot resolve it. They keep us safe here. During covid, they came on to the estate and three of their members died as a result of infection. A number of issues around grading have not been resolved since that time. I urge the management of the House to get around the table, recognise the injustices that those staff face, and show respect for the role that they play. I wish them in particular, on behalf of the House, a happy Christmas and, hopefully, a constructive new year in which their injustices will be addressed.