10 Questions: Thangam Debbonaire – ‘The Merchant Venturers have no place in a modern, multicultural Bristol’

Thangam Debbonaire has been MP for Bristol West since May 2015.

The former professional cellist is currently shadow leader of the House of Commons, and has previously been shadow minister for culture, media and sport; shadow minister for the department for exiting the European Union; as well as being a Labour whip.

In the latest edition of Bristol247’s quarterly magazine, Debbonaire agreed to answer questions submitted by our readers, with no topic off limits.

1. Why did Labour continue to support the National Security Bill (now passed into law) which is a threat to whistle blowers and press freedom, after Labour amendments were defeated?

“Hostile state actors like Russia are posing an increasing threat to our national security. It’s essential that our police and intelligence agencies have everything they need to stop those who want to do us harm.

“The law was in desperate need of modernisation. Its predecessor, the Official Secrets Act, was first enacted in the run up to World War One. Obviously threats and technologies have changed hugely since then and it’s important that no gaps are left in our defences. It was built on the recommendations of the cross-party Intelligence and Security Committee and the Law Commission. We wanted to amend it of course but in Opposition we do not have the final say, unfortunately and therefore we don’t get the luxury of voting against an entire Bill if we support most of it but not all.

“I voted for tighter definitions and proper oversight. I also supported removing exemptions for security agencies who encourage or assist crimes overseas, such as giving a tip-off that leads to someone’s torture. I’m glad to say that the government was forced to accept this point.

“For me, security and liberty are fundamental to our way of life, they depend on each other. We need to have the security to get on with our lives and powers need to be matched by strong oversight with checks and balances. The right to scrutinise by press and public are a key element to ensure these powers are never abused.

“Labour will always act in the national interest, protecting our safety, freedoms and our democracy.

2. How do you think Bristol can reach net zero?

“Bristol can reach net zero but only with a national government which is future-facing, taking on the climate and nature emergency. This is the single biggest issue the world faces and Labour has made tackling it our priority. It can’t be left to the world’s poorest and those on middle incomes.

“This task is enormous. But, if we do it in the right way and bring people with us, we can also make people’s lives better. We can create the good, well-paid jobs of the future, deal with the cost of living crisis with more energy efficient homes and affordable transport, and provide energy security, as well as saving the planet. Labour is the only party with a credible plan on this.

“A Labour government will work with Bristol City Council, our local businesses, and the people of our city, who want this as a priority.

“I regularly meet with local businesses who are leading the way to net zero but they’re being held back by the Tories. They want better grid connectivity and an improved planning process. Businesses are excited about the prospects of harnessing tidal energy in the Severn Estuary or building green hydrogen networks in the South-West. People want a better bus network and more active travel routes.

“A Labour government will back Bristol to reach net zero with a bold ambition to lead the world in clean and cheap power by 2030. Ramping up to £28bn a year in capital investment in the green economy during its first term. We’ll establish GB Energy, a new home-grown, publicly owned champion in clean energy generation. We’ll set up the National Wealth Fund, to invest alongside the private sector in gigafactories, clean steel plants, renewable-ready ports, green hydrogen and energy storage.

In Bristol we know our planet can’t risk another five years of inaction. I’ll be working flat out to kick the Tories out of power and secure a Labour majority that is needed if we’re to put our bold plan in to practice.”

3. Why have you refused to call for the end of the Society of Merchant Venturers? Is this because the mayor, who you support, still has far too cosy a relationship with these people?

“I haven’t refused the call. I’ve done the opposite and called for them to disband.

“The Society of Merchant Venturers appears to me to be an unaccountable, undemocratic network which aims to control important decisions in our city from the shadows. They have no place in a modern, multicultural Bristol that welcomes everyone. I don’t want to see them have a role in running our schools.

“I visit so many excellent charities and philanthropic organisations in Bristol that improve the lives of local people and make positive changes in the wider world. Anyone wanting to support these aims will be able to find other fantastic charities to help. Most recently I met volunteers from Bristol Refugee Rights who support those seeking sanctuary in Bristol. So, I’d recommend them!”

Membership of the Merchant Venturers is by invitation only – photo: Society of Merchant Venturers

4. Why do you think it’s a good thing that climate protestors receive injunctions for raising the alarm on the climate emergency?

“I fully understand why people feel badly let down by the government’s catastrophically poor leadership and total failure on addressing climate change.

“I fully support the right to peaceful protest – that’s why I’ve voted so many times against and tried to amend the Tory laws undermining that right.

“There are many ways to make a difference on climate and nature – personal, community, political. But only governments can enable the big changes to be made at a scale and pace needed – and that’s not what’s happening at the moment. That’s why I think one of the most effective ways to make a real difference on climate action is by voting for it. Voting for a party to lead a government with a bold vision and the costed deliverable policies to make it happen.

5. Central government’s housing targets are currently destroying many of our beloved green spaces. The national Labour Party wants to increase that pressure but Bristol councillors have voted against government targets for our next local plan. Do you support our proposed local plan?

“We are in middle of the biggest housing crisis in generations. The 19,000 people on the housing waiting list in Bristol know it and so do renters who are seeing their rent skyrocket.

“Labour will tackle the housing crisis by helping families into home ownership and by making renting fairer and more secure.

“Key to this is building more homes. Labour nationally and Bristol City Council agree that we need to prioritise building more social housing, more affordable homes, and developing brownfield sites. The Temple Quarter development in Bristol, which will add 10,000 new homes, is a great example of this.

“We will also make sure that it is the people of Bristol who benefit. Labour will end the practice of foreign buyers purchasing swathes of new housing developments, before they are completed and have been marketed locals. Instead, we’ll ensure first-time buyers from Bristol get first dibs on new developments in our city.”

6. How do you remain resilient in the face of near constant criticism?

“It doesn’t feel like that to me. Any public-facing role comes with a certain level of criticism. Of course, legitimate disagreement is a healthy sign of a functioning democracy and I very much enjoy robust debate, which helps test and refine arguments about policy.

“I do get asked about abuse of MPs, but I think our hospital staff, police officers, retail and hospitality workers deal with equally appalling behaviour in person and often as routine. Abuse at work or because of your work is unacceptable and I’d like more enforcement of the existing laws against violence or threats to frontline workers.

“In practice, it takes up very little to none of my time each week. When speaking to women about getting into politics I always make this point. I don’t want to put anyone off getting into politics – that’s exactly what the trolls would want. I want a fully diverse participation in politics, not one made up solely of the loudest voices – that’s one of the reasons I’m in it.

“I build my strength knowing what my purpose is as an MP and using that to motivate me – the job isn’t for me, it’s about serving the people of Bristol West. My resilience is built on this understanding, and I try to keep it up through early morning runs, a wide range of reading, a lot of listening to music and as much playing my cello as I can. I also take heart from the encouraging messages people send me after seeing me speaking on their behalf in the Commons or when I get stopped on the street or during campaigning sessions by people with nice things to say about how I helped them or someone they know with a problem.

“I know why I got into politics and what I have been able to achieve as the MP. I don’t let the actions of a few bring me down. Who has time for that? There’s so much that needs to be done.”

7. Why do you support Tory party policies on oil and gas extraction?

“I don’t! I’m absolutely opposed to Rishi Sunak’s decision to prioritise expensive oil and gas over cheap, homegrown clean power. I’m fully behind Labour’s plan to ban new oil and gas licences. This will put the next Labour government at the front of climate action internationally, as the first G7 country and major producer to commit to no new licences.

“New fields will be disastrous for the climate. It’s not just Labour saying this. Everyone from the International Energy Agency to the UN, to the IPCC and the Climate Change Committee have said so too. As well as being terrible for our planet it is a waste of money, won’t cut bills, is bad for energy security and bad for jobs.

“Not just on new licences, I’ve brought forward a binding motion in the House of Commons that would ban fracking once and for all. I’ve also been calling for a proper windfall tax on oil and gas giants since January 2022. I’ve raised this in my weekly speech on Thursday mornings as Shadow Leader of the House of Commons at least 12 times in the last year alone. Labour has forced a vote on it three times and not a single Tory MP backed our proposals.”

8. What Tory bills should Labour revoke?

“The Tories have done such an extraordinary amount of damage over the last 13 years. It would be impractical to repeal every piece of legislation I’ve voted against. And if we win the next general election, our priority will be our ambitious net zero and climate action plan for jobs, growth and cost of living and restoring our public services.

“Simply repealing significant amounts of operational legislation risks leaving gaps in the law and losing hard-won provisions such as protections for rape victims around the use of mobile phones that we secured in the Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Act. There’d also be no parliamentary time left to introduce any of our own legislation.

“Thankfully, that’s not how it works. New laws can be introduced that supersedes older legislation.

“If we’re able to win back the trust of voters at the next election and secure a Labour majority, we’ll be introducing a coherent, bold programme of new laws driven by our five missions that’ll make a real difference to working people’s lives. As Leader of the House, I’ll be in charge of scheduling this legislation. I’m looking forward to timetabling Labour’s Employment Rights Bill and a New Deal for Workers in the first 100 days of the next Labour government.”

Debbonaire meets the team at Vertical Aerospace – photo: Vertical Aerospace

9. How can Bristol cope with the unsustainable growth of universities which are eroding communities and inflating housing prices. Is your constituency now mostly a very large campus?

“Bristol West is the second biggest constituency in the UK. I’m proud of its wonderful diversity and the people and businesses which call our city home.

“We have a thriving arts sector and music venues catering to eclectic tastes. We have independent high-streets, restaurants dishing out global cuisines (shout-out to Nadu!) and communities built around parks and libraries. We are home to global giants like BT and Jacobs as well as tech startups like Aura Power and Matter, working hard to protect our natural world.

“Thousands of students come from all over the country to study at our world-class universities. They also work, volunteer and are a net gain to our local economy. Outside of housing, students in Bristol spend on average almost £10,000 a year supporting local shops, cafés, restaurants, taxi drivers and a night-time economy which had been badly affected by the pandemic.

“I recently visited the University of Bristol to speak with researchers who are doing incredible work on motor proteins. Universities are where we will find the cure for cancer or build the first working quantum computer which will revolutionise industries from drug manufacturing to logistics. I want as much of this as possible to be done in Bristol.

“There is undoubtedly a housing crisis in Bristol. But that’s not the students’ fault. When the Tories crashed the economy due to unfunded tax and spend commitments, they made a bad situation in Bristol worse. People’s mortgages and rents shot up. We need more affordable housing. I’ve set out how I think we can achieve that in answer to question five.

10. What do you most admire about Carla Denyer? Do you see her as a serious challenge to you regaining your seat in Bristol West / Bristol Central?

“I’ve only met Carla a handful of times but have respect for her passion and commitment to her cause. I admire anyone who puts themselves forward for election at any level. It’s long days and late nights and takes up the vast majority, if not all your time.

“That’s what the last three elections have been like for me and it’s how I’ll fight the next one. I had to fight hard to win this seat off a member of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition government in 2015. I don’t want to see either of those two parties or any other take the seat this time.

“We need a massive vote swing to get from a Tory government to a Labour one – to win government Labour seat by Labour seat. There’s no quick and easy route, no matter what the polls say. We’ve got a mountain to climb and it’s going to be hard. So naturally I admire anyone who is willing to put in the hard work to make political arguments and campaign.

“Since I was elected, I’ve been working hard for the people of Bristol West, and hope people will judge me on my record for the elections in the new seat of Bristol Central (the new constituency, which I’m standing in as Labour candidate). I have been on their side demanding stronger climate action and stricter standards for politicians. I have stood up for those affected by the cost-of-living crisis as well the cladding crisis. I have fought for better buses and cleaner streets. I have done my best for the thousands of people who have reached out to me for help—whether with passports, asylum claims or Universal Credit.

“Thirteen years of Tory government has been a disaster. We need a Labour government: to tackle the climate emergency, bring down the cost of living and scrap the immoral, illegal, unaffordable and unworkable Rwanda scheme. We’ll build more houses, introduce a new Renters Charter and secure better public transport. We only get a Labour government with an overall majority of 1 seat or more. It requires an even greater voter swing from Tory to Labour than in 1997.

“I’ll be working absolutely flat out for every single vote, as I’ve always done, so we can kick the Tories out of power and secure a Labour majority.”

This is an unedited version of the article that originally appeared in Bristol24/7’s quarterly magazine

Bristol24/7’s autumn 2023 magazine is being distributed to pick up free across our city

First Bus managing director, Doug Claringbold, will be next in the 10 Questions hot seat. To submit your questions, please email editor@bristol247.com with the subject line ’10 Questions’.

Main photo: University of Bristol

Read next:

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