Business of the House

Rachel Blake Excerpts

Thursday 30th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I join my hon. Friend in welcoming this news. It is an important step forward in being able to operate cross-border train services using the channel tunnel. It has unlocked investment in new services and will create hundreds of new jobs. It is a win for passengers, customer choice and economic growth. I invite my hon. Friend to apply either for an Adjournment debate or a Backbench Business debate to highlight the matter.

[Rachel Blake (Cities of London and Westminster) (Lab/Co-op)]

Last year, my constituent Alexander Johnson bravely intervened to stop a phone theft by armed would-be criminals, having himself been a victim of a violent mugging. Will the Leader of the House join me in commending Mr Johnson’s bravery? Does he agree that steps taken to address that sort of crime, in particular the Metropolitan police’s Operation Echosteep, one of the largest crackdowns on phone theft in the UK, are essential to maintaining central London’s reputation as a centre of culture and tourism, and an economic engine?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I join my hon. Friend in commending Mr Johnson for his selfless act of heroism, and I thank her for raising this important matter. We are determined to take the strongest possible action to reduce phone thefts, and I commend Operation Echosteep. We are backing police forces by providing them with stronger powers to tackle this issue in the Crime and Policing Bill.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mark Sewards (Leeds South West and Morley) (Lab)]

My knees nearly gave way when I ran the Morley 10 km last month, which is possibly the hilliest race in the UK.

[Rachel Blake]

It’s all the bobbing.

[Mark Sewards]

It’s partly the bobbing, too.

I persevered, and I did so because Morley running club has raised £20,000 for good causes over the past four years. Will the Leader of the House join me in paying tribute to Morley running club, to the firefighters who were raising money for their charity—firefighters in full kit were outpacing me—and perhaps grant a debate on the need to support these running clubs to run more charitable races, but perhaps ones that are less punishing on the knees?