Political Opinion: Lee Anderson's Weekly Column

In my opinion, it's not necessarily that we need a Minister for men and boys specifically. But, if we're going to highlight and specifically support women's issues in Government, as we do, then men also have some urgent issues that we can't ignore.

A study from the Centre for Social Justice showed that boys are falling significantly behind in education, employment and social wellbeing.

Men are more likely to develop and die of cancer than women are. Suicide remains the biggest killer of men under the age of 50.

Britain has been deindustrialised and countless jobs taken up by young men and boys have been destroyed thanks to Net Zero policies.

Britain needs to address these issues. That is why a Reform Government will merge the Women and Equalities department with the Education department, and rename it to Education and Equalities department so that all British people can be represented.

I have had a number of emails from residents this week regarding the ongoing rape gang inquiry. I want to be clear that my Reform UK colleagues and I support a full statutory inquiry into the evil rape gangs. The survivors deserve answers and to finally see action against the perpetrators of these horrific crimes and the institutions which failed them.

Our primary concern is that any inquiry is structured and conducted in a way which is legally robust.

In other words, any inquiry into this scandal must have the proper powers to compel evidence and witnesses to be brought forward. Independent inquiries, like Rupert Lowe’s, do not have these necessary powers.

This means there’ll be significant gaps in how agencies engage with it, but we need a much wider look at the extent of the institutional failings which led to years of cover up.

A statutory inquiry will also have full powers to enforce any recommendations and action points which emerge, including prosecutions of those who were either directly involved or complicit.

Of course, I'm pleased that the rape gang scandal is now receiving media and political attention, but more needs to be done and we cannot allow for survivors to be used as political footballs.

Last week I visited Quiffs and Curls on Sutton Road in Huthwaite. They are trying to break the stigma of hair systems, or wigs as I call them.

They tell me that they get people from all walks of life using them with ages ranging from 18 to 94. Many cancer and alopecia patients rely on hair systems, despite the spiralling cost of women's treatment, as well as the need to change them once per year.

To that end I will be writing to the Government to ask what support is available. Well done to Wayne and Jodie who are doing excellent work on this.