Labour MP Apsana Begum calls for a moratorium on library closures

Ansar Ahmed Ullah
Contributing Editor,Shottobani

London: Labour Party MP Apsana Begum for Poplar and Limehouse has lodged a House of Commons motion demanding that libraries are protected from closures and cuts in the post-pandemic period. She said, “Libraries in the UK face their greatest crisis since the Second World War. But even before the pandemic, a decade of Tory austerity saw libraries, that so many of us rely on, placed under extreme financial pressure.”

She said, “Low income and BAME people suffer the brunt of such losses, with many children from deprived backgrounds potentially losing a desperately needed source of guidance and support outside the classroom.”

Apsana Begum MP said many in her constituency are now alarmed at proposed service cuts and are concerned that they will lead to selling the libraries off – losing them forever. Local libraries and Idea Stores must be protected and cherished.

She added, “They have been a lifeline for me growing up and I know first-hand of the important and wide-ranging role they play in our communities. Just last year, I was delighted to a participant in an inspiring and moving International Women’s Day event at Watney Market Ideas Store, which showcased the talent of women in Tower Hamlets.”

Apsana Begum MP lodged the motion as the House of Commons noted the ongoing concerns on the effect of austerity on local library services. The covid-19 pandemic has led to new worries that local authorities’ financial pressures could mean further cuts and reductions to services, noting that local libraries are particularly important for the vulnerable in society children and young people who benefit from engagement with libraries outside of the formal classroom environment.