In the 2019 General Election, I was honoured to stand as @UKLabour's Parliamentary Candidate. Now, I am standing to be selected as candidate for my home seat, once again. I am the only one capable of winning Southend West and Leigh, and delivering Southend's first Labour MP. 🌹

"Your job is to turn the grappa back into wine, to turn the market back into humanity. This isn't theology. This is reality. This is the truth."'

"Humanity is many things - passionate, curious, rational, altruistic, creative, self-interested. But the market is one thing: self-interested. The market is humanity distilled." And then he challenged us:

At the end of our feast, we will have grappa. Grappa is one thing: alcohol. Grappa is wine distilled." He continued:

"Our meal will be accompanied by wine. Now, wine is many things. It has a bouquet, colour and richness of taste that all compliment the food. It has alcohol that can enliven the mind. Wine enriches our senses...

'Value(s): Building a Better World For All'. This excerpt now seems incredibly appropriate: 'The Pontiff surprised us by joining the lunch and sharing a parable. He observed that:

I am truly saddened to learn of Pope Francis' death. He was a humanitarian, an important reformer, and a voice for marginalised communities in a traditionally staunch conservative institution. Just yesterday, I was reading @MarkJCarney's book...

I am shocked and utterly heartbroken to hear about the tragic event that took place in front of my alma mater, @KingsCollegeLon, this afternoon. I was just around the corner when it happened. My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and my former academic colleagues.

@Labour_Business @SME4LABOUR @jreynoldsMP #DouglasAlexanderMP @LabourSJ #JustinMaddersMP @gareththomasMP #BarronessMaggieJones @HamishSandison @DavidBSampson @BayoAlaba @wstauk @WSTA_Miles @UKHofficial

The @UKLabour Government has the opportunity to commit to keeping the current "easement" at the budget on 30 October, and I encourage both consumers and businesses to write to their Member of Parliament on this matter.

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association have identified that these changes, whilst devastating to our hospitality and retail industries, will provide absolutely no financial benefit to the Treasurery.

Compliance would create a hugely labourious layer of administrative processes. Unless these changes are reversed, many producers will stop seeing Britain as a viable market altogether. Our variety and quality of wine could drop, whilst prices will certainly increase.

The previous Government's legislative changes never accounted for the fact that the strength of any particular wine often varies from one year to the next, depending on weather. This is completely out of any human control.

However, this easement is due to be removed and the single amount of duty paid on wines between 11.5-14.5% abv – £2.67 – will be replaced with up to 30 different payable amounts according to the strength of the wine.

Excise Duty on all wines between 11.5% abv and 14.5% abv is currently the same amount and calculated according to a simple easement, introduced as part of Rishi Sunak’s new duty system last year.

This will lead to another round of disproportionate price increases to the consumer, which would cause significant damage to our hospitality and retail industries, and to our already struggling High Streets. These changes will cost jobs.

Unless the new Government intervenes, from 1 February 2025, wine tax in the UK will become incredibly complicated, adding enormous administrative burdens to British businesses – especially small retailers.

I was at Parliament yesterday, as I joined the Wine and Spirit Trade Association's campaign against the previous Government's disastrous proposals to revise Excise Duty on wine. 🍷 THREAD BELOW. ⬇️

Our @UKLabour Government is committed to securing people's fundamental Human Rights, internationally. The discrimination (and in the case of some countries, criminalisation) of people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity is totally unacceptable. Happy Pride! 🏳️‍🌈

Today is @Southend_Pride! Every year, this festival is a wonderful celebration of our city's diversity and inclusivity. I want to live in a society that is respectful of all people.

Personally, this represents the culmination of everything I have been working towards throughout my political career. I wish the very best of luck to all @UKLabour Candidates standing up and down the country, particularly to those in my city, Southend-on-Sea.