2 years as Woking’s MP!

Last week marked two years since the General Election. It’s been whirlwind, working to deliver change under an endlessly changing government. I’ve lost track of how many different ministers have represented the various government departments I’ve worked with!

By the end of next week, we’ll have a new Prime Minister, and I hope that he brings with him the stability needed to bring real change. With nearly 20 policy U-turns under Starmer, it’s hard to imagine it can be much worse!

Despite the turmoil, I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve achieved in these two years.

I’ve worked hard to deliver for Woking through extensive casework – supporting local residents with an enormous range of issues – from pension problems, to housing, complex child support cases and more, it’s at the heart of everything I do.

I’ve also been working hard in Westminster, having already spoken in Parliament more times than my predecessor did in 14 years – and within that work I’ve had some notable wins! I thought I’d highlight three of them today...

Securing an unprecedented £500 million write off for Woking’s debt

Even before being elected, I knew that Woking Borough Council’s vast debts were going to be top of the agenda if I became the MP. I’m delighted that after many months of lobbying the Government finally agreed to provide support through a historic £500 million debt write-off.

This is the first time a government has ever written off an individual local authority’s debt before. We’re not out of the woods – there is still a huge amount of debt to contend with – but the government have conceded that more support will be needed in the future.

I’ll continue working with colleagues to ensure that the new West Surrey Council doesn’t start life on the back foot.

Improving protections for vulnerable children

Countless parents and guardians have contacted me about Surrey County Council’s failing children's services. These horror stories sadly come as no surprise. The safeguarding report into the tragic murder of Sara Sharif made it abundantly clear that she was badly let down by social services – and that change is needed to prevent something like this happening again.

I have repeatedly raised this with the Government, including directly with the soon to be ex-Prime Minister, and I’m pleased that they are listening and progress is being made. I’ve helped change the law so that people who are under suspicion of child abuse can’t homeschool their children to hide it.

More still needs to be done. We need national reforms, stronger early intervention, mandatory information sharing and tougher oversight of high-risk cases. I will continue pushing to strengthen services and improve funding to protect children now, not when it is too late.

Securing funding for Goldsworth Park Neighbourhood Health Centre

I’m also pleased to have helped secure funding for a new Neighbourhood Health Centre in Goldsworth Park. This money will see Goldsworth Park Health Centre expand which will increase the number and range of appointments available to patients.

Having a one stop shop of GPs, nurses, physios, mental health workers and much more is a great investment for Woking and residents. I will continue working with NHS leaders to ensure that Woking gets the modern, accessible health it deserves.

Continuing to stand up for breweries and pubs

As many of us know, earlier this year our beloved brewery, Thurston’s closed its doors for the last time. This was Woking’s only local brewery, and whilst the owner - John - has managed to keep the Crown pub open next door, he’ll no longer be able to serve his own beers – much of the blame must fall on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

This tax means pubs and breweries are paying twice to get rid of glass bottles. If the government doesn’t abolish or amend EPR, we’ll continue to lose more of our beloved pubs and breweries if no change is made and I know that I am not the only one who is afraid of that future.

EPR has harmed countless local businesses, which is why I have continued to speak in Parliament against this economically damaging tax. I see how it is affecting the people of Woking. We have business owners struggling to survive and not only that but the loss of pubs and breweries is also a loss to our community. What is most astonishing is that our EPR tax is higher than anyone else in Europe!

That is why I have requested a roundtable meeting with other MPs and more importantly local business owners to come together to find the best path forward. I will not let the Government continue to be ignorant of the hardships of our local businesses.

Watch me question why our EPR tax is so much higher than Europe

Fighting for human rights in Kashmir

Every human being should be entitled to the ability to protest for equal rights. Unfortunately, this basic human right is being oppressed in the region of Kashmir in Pakistan.

With Woking’s large Asian population, over 50% have ancestral links to Kashmir. I have been contacted frequently by many of the people about their fears and concerns. I’ve been working hard to urge the Government to engage in diplomatic dialogue with the Pakistan Government to help bring an end to this conflict, speaking out in the House of Commons and joining my fellow MPs in signing a letter to the Foreign Secretary to address these injustices.

Read more on my website

https://lnk.ua/azQkDjPXU

Watch me speak about this in Parliament