Refugee Week, Green Days and a Lush Event in Parliament

Report back from Andy Slaughter, MP for Hammersmith and Chiswick

With West London Welcome during Refugee Week

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The New Olympia and Remembering Grenfell Nine Years On

Joining Paddlers Cleaning Up the Thames

Good News on the Post Office and the Irish President Visits

Brentford's First Black Players and Progress on Hammersmith Bridge

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June 19, 2026

Last weekend was busy with activity across the constituency. There were celebrations for the beginning of Refugee Week on Brook Green, and I met up with West London Welcome and the refugee team from LBHF who were taking part in the event. Refugee Week is an important event celebrating the contributions of refugees in our communities.

I also attended Green Days, opened by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, which was a wonderful start to the Bedford Park Festival. It was the 60 th anniversary of Green Days this year and there was a wonderful community atmosphere, as always. There were lots of stalls from Local businesses and organisations along with fun activities for kids to get involved in.

In the spirit of local events, on 12 July West London Chorus, formerly Chiswick Choir, will be performing at Cadogan Hall to celebrate their 50 th anniversary. Tickets can be purchased on the Cadogan Hall website.

Lush came to Parliament this week to hold an event against animal testing. I met with campaigners who explained the need for funding for a more modern approach to science that does not use animals as test subjects.

Andy Slaughter at the event against animal testing

In justice news I met with the Family Mediation Council at its parliamentary event this week. The event focussed on the importance of family mediation for family law problems, which is often a kinder, quicker and cheaper way to find a resolution. I also hosted the annual justice reception, organised by The Law Society and the Bar Council, and we were joined by Secretary of State for Justice, David Lammy.

The Family Mediation Council at its parliamentary event

In the House of Commons, I raised the need for implementing the recommendations from the public inquiry into contaminated blood, and the growing support for a national oversight mechanism to monitor and intervene when progress is not being made.

As Chair of the Justice Select Committee, I made a statement in the chamber on Thursday about the report the committee has published on the Courts and Tribunals Bill. The bill has been controversial as it limits the right to jury trial for certain cases and there has been some scepticism about how effective the measures would be in reducing the courts backlog. We do need to reform our criminal justice system, and I commend the Government for commissioning the Leveson review, but I hope they will also give serious consideration the recommendations within the JSC report.

Finally, the committee held its weekly evidence session with Prisons Minister, Lord Timpson. We questioned him on the progress to solve the prison crisis after two years in the job

Best wishes,

Andy

andy@andyslaughter.com

P.S. I send a regular email newsletter to residents about local and national issues. If you would like to receive it then please email me at andy@andyslaughter.com, click this link.

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