Adam Thompson

I thank my hon. Friend for that fantastic intervention. I know that she is a powerful campaigner for tradespeople and their rights. Indeed, the Chancellor’s recent announcement about paternity leave for self-employed tradespeople is huge. Many of my closest friends who I grew up with are tradespeople. Lots have got young kids with more on the way, and I know that they are over the moon about this, because it means that they will have the opportunity to spend time with their children, which they would not otherwise have had. I thank her again for that wonderful intervention. There is also a plan in Erewash to regenerate our town centres into mixed-use spaces, breathing new life into our high streets, as has been done to great success in places such as Bristol and parts of Manchester. Again, I think that shows the local implementation of progressive Labour national policy. I am very proud of the work that my colleagues on Erewash borough council are doing to begin building a local plan that is progressive and meets local need right across the board. I am looking forward to seeing how that plan evolves following the current consultation and building a real grassroots swell of support for what the council is doing. Taking people along with us is the most important way to deliver good policy. That work—identifying that local need, allocating a fifth of those new homes for social rent, regenerating town centres and creating space for employment—demonstrates the powers that local councils already possess, such as the powers they are using to deal with empty second properties. They meet many of the goals set out in the Bill, and they do so using existing legislation.