Opening a third runway at Heathrow Airport could result in pollution equivalent to an additional 2.4 million tons of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere each year by 2050, according to the government’s own figures released through FOI requests. Responding to this being reported in Politico, Sian Berry MP said,
“This Labour Government is wildly out of touch with reality. Even with the maximum possible impact of “jet zero” efforts on fuel this expansion remains a climate catastrophe.
“The Net-zero minister is missing in action and his department is shamefully failing to stand up to a misguided Chancellor.
“No credible net-zero plan can include rampant airport expansion and it’s time Labour looked to the many, many alternative ways to create high-paid green jobs.”
If you’re looking to start a digital career, or simply improve your digital skills, DVLA is a great place to work. I started at DVLA as a Year in Industry student before joining the master’s degree programme and becoming a Junior Software Engineer.
This is my journey.
Becoming a CoDE student at DVLA
I applied for DVLA’s Year in Industry scheme as I saw it as a great opportunity to improve my programming skills and gain valuable industry experience in a supportive environment.
During the placement, I worked as a Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET), which gave me a great insight into the world of testing. This hands-on experience also gave me a significant advantage when I returned to university, as I was already familiar with concepts that were being introduced in my studies.
My main responsibility was writing functional tests, which involved learning and working with languages and frameworks such as Ruby, Cucumber, and Gherkin. I also really enjoyed working in an Agile environment by participating in biweekly sprints, daily stand ups, sprint reviews and retrospectives.
Additionally, I had the opportunity to attend careers events to help promote the Year in Industry scheme, which allowed me to develop my communication and networking skills.
I received plenty of support throughout my placement. The SDET community is very close-knit, and they’re always there to offer guidance when needed. My squad were incredibly welcoming and patient, allowing me to develop my skills at my own pace, which made my experience enjoyable as a new starter.
Returning on the Software Engineering MSc programme
After my Year in Industry, I was eager to return to DVLA. I really enjoyed the work environment – both the pace of work and the people were great! I had a consistent workload to keep me engaged without the pressure of stressful deadlines, which made for a balanced and enjoyable experience.
I applied for the MSc programme, which I’m still working on. It’s given me the opportunity to continue progressing my career at DVLA, while allowing me to earn a master’s qualification. It almost felt too good to be true! As part of the programme, we have a university day every Friday, which allows us time to focus on our studies without it interfering with our work at DVLA.
During my Year in Industry placement, I primarily focused on testing, but now I’m working as a developer. This shift has allowed me to expand my knowledge of software engineering from a developer’s perspective, learning new languages and frameworks along the way.
The MSc programme has been really helpful for my development. Not only has it helped me improve my practical coding skills but, through my university studies, it’s also allowed me to dive into the theory behind it. This mix of hands-on experience and deeper knowledge means I can take what I’m learning and apply it to different roles in software engineering, carrying that knowledge with me wherever I go.
Working at DVLA
It’s a lot of fun! I’ve really enjoyed getting to know everyone and the squads have been very supportive. They’re always happy to offer their time and provide feedback on my work, which has really helped me grow as a developer. There are a few former master’s degree students in my squad, who I’ve become good friends with, and they’ve been especially understanding whenever I’ve needed advice.
With the way technology is evolving, it’s an exciting time to be part of DVLA, and I can’t wait to see what’s next! Once I complete the MSc programme, I hope to have the opportunity to continue my career here as a software engineer. And who knows, maybe one day I’ll work my way up to Senior Software Engineer!
On Monday, Liberal Democrats forced a vote in the House of Commons on a policy that would scrap the ban on asylum seekers working if they had waited for a decision on their claim for 3 months. Sadly, it was blocked by an alliance of Conservative, Labour and Reform MPs – all voting against the national interest just so they could appear anti-immigration.
The UK has a long, proud history of welcoming newcomers – whether people seeking to build their lives here, or refugees fleeing war and persecution.
People from all over the world have greatly enriched our economy, our culture and our communities. For me, I’m immensely proud that our country took in my Nan aged 18 when she was fleeing the Nazis in 1939. I’m also really pleased the surgeon who performed my Dad’s kidney transplant brought his skills and talents to the UK having been born elsewhere.
We must do everything in our power to protect this legacy – not least after everything the Conservatives did to trash it.
They closed down safe and legal routes for refugees, putting more power in the hands of traffickers. They allowed the asylum backlog to balloon on their watch, trapping asylum seekers in limbo for months or even years. And they threatened the fundamental right to asylum with their cruel Illegal Migration Act and failed Rwanda scheme.
Now, the Labour government has a real opportunity to fix this mess and start building a more compassionate, effective system. But sadly, they have so far failed to bring forward the positive change that people deserve.
I’m deeply proud of our party’s history of standing up for people fleeing war and persecution in particular. From getting new visas introduced for Hong Kongers coming to the UK, to ending the previous Labour Government’s practice of detaining children for immigration purposes, Liberal Democrats have long been at the forefront of securing change.
I’m determined that we continue in this proud tradition – which is why I’ve been making these same arguments as the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill passed through Parliament.
First and foremost, that means pushing for more safe and legal routes for refugees. Whether that’s establishing new humanitarian travel permits, or continuing Lib Dem peer Sally Hamwee’s tireless efforts to extend family reunion rights. This will be crucial for taking power out of the hands of the criminal trafficking gangs responsible for dangerous crossings in the Channel.
At the same time, we need an asylum system that makes decisions fairly and swiftly – which is why we’ve been calling to tackle the backlog by establishing a dedicated unit to improve the speed and quality of asylum decision-making.
And we will keep pushing Labour to take the action that’s needed. If they really cared about improving integration, they would have backed our amendment this week that would have scrapped the ban on asylum seekers working. But our party won’t give up, and will now take this fight to the House of Lords.
In the face of divisive and destructive politics, it is more important than ever that the Liberal Democrats continue to offer a liberal alternative. One that is kind and compassionate – standing up for the rights of refugees and asylum seekers, and ensuring all migrants are treated with dignity and respect like they deserve.
I am determined to do everything in my power to ensure this is the case.
Today, Green Party MPs tabled an amendment to the Conservative Party’s Opposition Day motion on the upcoming UK/EU summit. The Greens called on the government to confront the ongoing damage of Brexit and to use the summit on the 19th of May as a key step towards practical re-engagement with the EU.
Ellie Chowns, Green MP for North Herefordshire, said:
“Brexiteers promised freedom but delivered decline. Five years on, British families, farmers and firms are paying the price of isolation. At the summit next week, Ministers must choose progress over pride: we must work to re-join the Customs Union, restore the right to live, work and study across Europe, and rebuild the networks that keep Britain secure and prosperous.”
Speaking in the Chamber, co-leader Carla Denyer MP said:
“Given the dire economic impacts of Brexit, including […] the cost of leaving the EU amounting to £1 million an hour in 2022 according to ONS data, will he agree with me that it makes total economic sense for the UK and for the people within it to use next week’s summit to start discussions with the EU on what the process of re-joining might be?”
Key points of the Green amendment include that this House:
Regrets the £100 billion annual cost in lost output since leaving the EU and that 14% of UK businesses have been forced to stop trading with the EU entirely since Brexit.
Notes reduced food and agricultural exports have led to an annual loss of £2.8 billion and that food inflation would be 8% lower had we stayed in the EU.
Observes that the UK–US agreement fails to compensate for Brexit’s economic damage.
Notes a confident Britain must work closely with Europe to tackle shared challenges—from the climate crisis to the rise of the hard right.
Calls on the Government to use the upcoming UK/EU summit to negotiate re-entry to the Customs Union, restore free movement and youth mobility, and rejoin the Erasmus programme.
Further calls on the government to kick-start talks with the EU on what the formal process to re-join the EU would involve, recognising the consistent majority opinion of the public which reflects a wish to do so.*
“The prime minister has decided to use divisive language lifted straight out of Reform’s playbook. These ill-thought-through reforms are the triumph of a panicked and misguided rush to create headlines and try to win back Reform voters.
“From closed down youth centres to shuttered pubs, people in all parts of the UK are feeling the bonds that hold their communities together dissolving. And whether it’s rebuilding intergenerational relationships, or helping those who come here from abroad to integrate, strengthening those bonds requires support and crucially funding from central government. But far from rebuilding our communities, this government’s reforms are going to make things worse.
“In particular, at a time when the care sector is already stretched to breaking point, and public support for people coming from overseas to work in our care sector is consistently strong, it’s wild that this government is ignoring public opinion and making it even harder to recruit badly-needed care staff.”
