Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Andrew Pakes

Thursday 4th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

If the hon. Gentleman seeks an Adjournment or Backbench Business debate, which happens very often following comments made in these sessions, he will know that others share those concerns, and therefore he will hear not just about those concerns, but from the Minister directly.

[Andrew Pakes (Peterborough) (Lab/Co-op)]

I hope that my question will be more gentle on the Leader of the House’s stomach than being on water. Madam Deputy Speaker, you may be pleasantly surprised to hear that Peterborough is the beating heart of one of the greatest foodstuffs in our country: fish and chips. Friars Pride, based in Peterborough, is celebrating a pukka achievement, having this year served our fish and chip industry across the United Kingdom for 50 years. This is not just about the scraps of our economy. [Hon. Members: “Ugh!”]. I don’t know if it gets worse. The fish and chip industry is worth more than £1 billion to our economy and employs more than 85,000 people. Will my right hon. Friend therefore join me in congratulating Friars Pride on a great 50 years as a brilliant company in Britain, recognise that it is National Fish and Chip Day tomorrow, and see whether we can have a debate on the value of the fish and chip industry to British culture?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I certainly congratulate Friars Pride on its success over the years. I absolutely join my hon. Friend in celebrating National Fish and Chip Day. As a coastal MP, I may be averse to leaving dry land, but I am not averse to fish and chips; I know that because I have many excellent fish and chip shops in my constituency, some of which win national awards. I pay tribute to fish and chip shops, not just in his constituency and mine, but across the country.

Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Andrew Pakes

Thursday 19th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Pakes]

I am sorry, Mr Speaker, and I apologise to the House. The hon. Member for Harrow East has stated things that are not factual in relation to this.

One of the great blessings I have as a Member of Parliament is joining communities to celebrate festivals such Diwali, Hanukkah and Vaisakhi. In the coming hours, I will be joining many members of my community to celebrate Eid. Does the Leader of the House recognise the divisive, exclusionary, hateful language that some people have used to describe a community iftar in recent days? That has shown that it is not about British values; seeking to divide and to drive hatred is the antithesis of that. Will he join me in wishing well all those who will be taking part in Eid in the Park in Peterborough in the coming hours, showing off the best of my city? Will he also provide parliamentary time for a debate on the language that we use about social cohesion and bringing our faiths together rather than dividing them?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his clarification on this matter, and I am more than happy to speak to him afterwards about it.

On the statements that my hon. Friend condemns, the Prime Minister was absolutely clear yesterday that those statements from the Opposition spokesperson were utterly appalling and will only spread poison and division. Freedom of religion and the right of peaceful expression are fundamental British values, not the opposite. These rights should be respected for everyone, and that applies equally to peaceful prayer, protesting or assembly wherever it happens to be. I join my hon. Friend in wishing well everyone celebrating Eid, wherever they are celebrating it, but with a warning to all parties in this place that if they get into the gutter on these matters, the public will not forgive them.

Business of the House

Debate between Alan Campbell and Andrew Pakes

Thursday 11th September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

Again, I have to admit that I am not across this issue. We would be very supportive on the general principle of transparency. As I am not sure where responsibility lies for such decisions, I suggest that the hon. Lady writes to me, and she might seek a debate on the issue.

[Andrew Pakes (Peterborough) (Lab)]

I am aware that you, Madam Deputy Speaker, are a strong champion of animal welfare, so you might be pleased to know that tomorrow, for the end of our lido season, is a “bring your dogs to come and swim” day. You might also be pleased, alongside the Leader of the House, to know that this year over 37,000 people have visited Peterborough lido since it opened its doors in May. That is an incredible turnaround since we faced the risk of it closing earlier this year. I pay tribute to Clare Marshall, the Friends of the Lido and the staff of the lido for that amazing work. We can now look forward to the Year of the Lido in 2026, as the lido celebrates its 90th anniversary. I am not ambitious enough to invite the Leader of the House to come for a swim with me in the lido, but will he join me in congratulating everyone who supports our lido in Peterborough, and may we have a debate in Government time about the vital role that lidos play in so many of our communities?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I am not sure that would be a particularly attractive sight, I have to say, because my memory suggests that my costume has a hole in the knee. [Laughter.] But I do want to join my hon. Friend in paying tribute to Clare Marshall, the Friends of Peterborough Lido and of course its staff. A number of MPs have similar concerns—particularly seaside and coastal MPs, but also in other places around the country—and this is exactly the sort of topic that would be good for a Westminster Hall debate or a Backbench Business debate. I urge him to apply.