Today I’ve written to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) together with supportive MPs calling on them to take action on banks charging extortionate fees for unarranged overdrafts. Whilst these fees are part of banks’ business models, they are almost always massively out of proportion with the actual overspend and hit people already in financial difficulty very hard. The Labour Party is committed to capping these unarranged fees. This is an important step towards protecting vulnerable customers.

The FCA’s latest figures show that vulnerable people with financial difficulties are being treated as cash cows by the banks, getting repeatedly hit with these charges. It’s symptomatic of a banking culture that treats people as assets to exploit rather than customers to be served. Unarranged fees are just one aspect of unfair banking practice. I have led two debates in Parliament exposing the dreadful treatment of small businesses by banks and the campaign for an inquiry into unfair banking is growing. 

See my letter to the FCA below; 

The Severn Tunnel will be closed between Saturday 16 June and Friday 6 July, impacting services between Bristol Parkway and Severn Tunnel Junction and between Filton Abbey Wood and Patchway.

This will mean diversions and on some journeys coaches between Bristol Parkway and Newport.  Network Rail have set up a dedicated webpage GWR.com/SouthWales2018 with information for customers.  You can also find information for specific journeys using their online journey planner tool GWR.com/Check. 

Network Rail recently announced that the amount of improvement work across the UK was leading to a backlog in their timetable validation department.  This is the part of Network Rail that approves revised timetables and enters them into the journey planner system, which all information and ticket sales enquiry sites (including our own website) then draw from. 

This led them to move from confirming timetables 12 weeks ahead of changes to 6 weeks ahead.  This new deadline is now also proving a challenge for Network Rail and we are working closely with them to help. The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) have also announced that are investigating to support customers.

It does however mean that customers are not getting as much notice of detailed changes as they, or we, would like, and revised timetables are not always as we have expected. 

It also means that timetables on journey planners are not showing the correct timetable, sometimes not until very close to the work in question, and this applies to these works. We are therefore doing all we can to make sure customers double check train times before travel.  This includes pop ups on the website, advice at stations, and some direct customer communications.  

If you have any questions regarding these changes, please contact me using the details below and I will contact Network Rail.

Phone: 02921 329736

Email: jo.stevens.mp@parliament.uk 

I have joined a number of my Parliamentary colleagues in writing to the Prime Minister to ask that she stands up for the hardworking Sainsburys employees who are set to to lose out because of unfair contract changes.

Under the proposed changes, all employees will lose their paid breaks, there will be widespread cuts to premium pay including a shortening of nightshift premium hours and a scrapping of Sunday premium pay, and shop floor staff will no longer receive bonuses. However, the scrapping of the bonus scheme will not affect the CEO, Mike Coupe, or his fellow management team.

Staff describe morale at the store as at an ‘all time low’, with many concerned that they cannot afford to stay in the job that they love, despite having worked at the organisation for decades.

We are appalled that unscrupulous contract changes will see 10% of their staff lose up to a staggering £3,000 per year. Sainsbury’s is one of the high street’s most longstanding and well-respected brands. The pay rise that some of their employees will receive under these proposed changes should be welcomed. But under no condition should this be to the detriment of the estimated 13,000 employees who are set to see their wages slashed. We are completely dismayed that a company of Sainsbury’s reputation would use an increase in basic pay as a smokescreen for a whole array of deplorable decisions that will hit hardest their most dedicated, loyal and long-term staff.

Currently over 104,000 colleagues and customers have signed a petition against the changes, you can access the petition by clicking here.

Full Letter: