ARTICLES

Unity and compassion are our strength

Folkestone is teeming with brilliant organisations and facilities that offer opportunities for creativity, mindfulness, connection and community. I was particularly proud to see the work of Touchbase Care on Tontine Street last week when I visited. Members grow fresh produce in their community allotment and participate in making films and weekly drumming sessions. Their ceramics room is full of intricately decorated pieces that you can marvel at for hours. Touchbase Care are doing an outstanding job in empowering their members.  

The Folkestone Film Documentary Festival has sadly come to an end for the year, but it boasts artful and cinematic feature films made by independent directors. Notably, the film ‘Blue Has No Borders’ documented the lives of individuals in Folkestone and the sense of community that is possible once we challenge our own preconceptions and assumptions about each other. I hope to catch it at the next screening! 

The Folkestone Triennial is of course also a chance to see the town transformed into a landscape of zany art. I am proud of how the world-class artwork across the town brings together the community through displays and hard-hitting pieces. The theme of ‘How Lies the Land?’ encourages us not just to observe the art, but participate in it, promoting civic action and ecological awareness. These themes are more important than ever given the urgent threat to the environment that climate change poses and the divisions and tensions that the political extremes in this country are creating.  

With the Triennial ending, I am excited for its return, but in the meantime, it is heartening to see all the creativity that Folkestone holds and shares with the world. At the centre of our community is our ability to come up with ideas and then the courage to action them, not fearing what somebody might think or how they might judge us. Daring to be different, to be bold, is what makes Folkestone a special place.  

I respect and appreciate the fact that we will sometimes have different ideas when it comes to politics, but I see my job as the MP to be a champion for the community and to unite people. What I know to be true is that we are a community bursting with creativity and compassion. I want to do even more to ensure there is equality of opportunity so that everyone has the chance to be creative and compassionate.  

There are people who seek to use politics as the gateway to division. I see it as the path to unity. So let’s remember what unites us in Folkestone; it is our capacity for acts of great creativity and compassion.   

Renewable energy sources overtook coal as the leading source of energy for the world in the first half of 2025. With our firm commitment to the Paris Agreement to prevent 2°C of global warming, I believe that the UK must play its part to stem the rising tide of global temperatures. This cannot happen without international cooperation and our own Clean Energy Mission, which is under threat from Reform and the Conservatives.

Some people argue that it does not matter what we do in the UK to tackle climate change, as the major polluters are China, the USA, India, Russia and Saudi Arabia, but this belief ignores the fact that many countries, especially in the Global South, look to the UK for climate leadership. We also have a moral responsibility to be an environmental leader when we industrialised first. 

We are living through a time of environmental crisis. Scientists have noted that birds are now migrating earlier and later than normal, which has disrupted their eating habits as they miss out on the optimal food and nesting conditions. This can have a huge impact on the ecological balance of various ecosystems that rely on birds as pest control and pollinators.

It is not just wildlife that is suffering. 114,000 children were admitted to hospital or taken to A&E for breathing problems attributed to pollution in London. More elderly people are passing away due to the extreme heat during our summers. Our food production is facing severe challenges as a result of the dry summers, which could cause serious harm to our food security and our national security.

But when Reform-run Kent County Council cancel their declaration of a climate emergency, this regressive step signals to other local councils across the UK, that being pro-environment is dangerously costly. But what is dangerous is not taking climate change seriously given the overwhelming evidence that it is happening at a faster pace. 

It is our energy dependence that increases our bills, not pro-environment policies. Our reliance on imported gas has weakened our energy security. This is why the Labour Government’s Clean Energy Mission is all about funding more clean energy generation, including new nuclear.

Construction of the Sizewell C Nuclear Power Plant is already underway, set to deliver 10,000 jobs and clean energy to 2 million homes. Our new, publicly owned energy company, Great British Energy, has been established and is already delivering its first projects installing rooftop solar panels on schools and NHS sites.

Our new Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy, agreed between the UK and USA, will mean fast tracking of new nuclear through collaboration to cut the bureaucracy, enabling approval for new projects to be reduced by 24 months.

Environmentalism must remain at the heart of our politics; we must not give in to Reform and the Conservatives’ scaremongering about environmental policies. We must continue to speak up for future generations and stand up for the planet’s future.

The Care Quality Commission’s findings on the failings of the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust were shocking. I understand that because of the level of concern during the inspections, CQC has issued a warning notice, urging the Trust to make rapid improvements. I will be monitoring the situation very closely and holding the Trust to account. These failings cannot go on.  

It was difficult to read how patients were often detained beyond the legally permitted period and received treatment without correct legal permissions. Coupled with staff shortages and poor communication, the quality of person-centred care under the Trust has seriously deteriorated.   

I know that the Government has a laser-like focus on reforming this country’s mental health system. That is why our Mental Health Bill is modernising the Mental Health Act 1983, which is undeniably outdated. Its link to disproportionately high rates of detention among Black people and unfair treatment of people with autism and learning disabilities are why I am glad this Government is fulfilling its manifesto commitment to update the Act.  

Mental health care must be tailored more to the individual’s needs. That is why the Bill includes provisions to strengthen the voice of service users, including more input from patients in treatment plans through Advanced Choice documents. This not only allows patients to feel heard, it also fosters an environment of trust and promotes patient autonomy – two crucial elements in mental health care.   

The Bill will also make mental health care more humane. The Bill includes limits on the criteria to detain people so that these powers are only used when absolutely necessary. Additionally, the Bill omits police stations as a ‘place of safety’, so we can have more compassionate and measured public health responses to mental health crises. Autistic people and those with learning disabilities will now no longer be subjected to compulsory detention unless they have a co-occurring psychiatric disorder. 

We also need proper investment in mental health care after 14 years of brutal austerity. So, it is right that the Government is investing in the system through recruiting an additional 8500 mental healthcare professionals. We have also committed to placing a trained mental health professional in every school. That is critical, so we can support young people to live lives that promote healthy mental wellbeing and diagnose mental health conditions earlier.   

I strongly support the Government’s investment in mental health care and the modernising reforms, eliminating mental health care policies that seem to be Victorian-era relics and introducing more safeguards to protect, nurture and empower people, so that they can live safer, healthier lives.  

The Conservatives’ age of austerity undermined their rhetoric about wanting to create parity of esteem between mental and physical health and Reform seem to believe that there has been a mass overdiagnosis of mental health conditions without providing much evidence.  

I want to see a better funded, better resourced and more modern mental health system that is more person-centred and more humane when it deals with people with neurodivergences. Our Mental Health Bill is a step in the right direction. 

The Road of Remembrance must re-open 

True patriotism is defined in part by our ability to honour the sacrifices of those who came before us. The Road of Remembrance bears the memories of soldiers who bravely marched down to the Harbour, embarking for the battlefield, not knowing whether they would return. The path symbolises the soldiers’ courage and conviction; their willingness to sacrifice themselves for their country. This is something we take pride in as a community. 

I want the Road of Remembrance to be re-opened. I was saddened to see its closure in January 2024 after a landslip. As well as having symbolic significance, it provides a nice walk down to the harbour, with wonderful views. On a more practical note, the road is a crucial route for residents and tourists to access the beach from The Leas. Since the road’s closure, traffic has been forced through residential areas, like Harvey Street and Harbour Way, which I know has been a nuisance to residents. Tram Road has become even more congested with traffic, causing havoc during holiday periods and the summer. 

I urge the new Reform UK leadership at Kent County Council to do the work promised and budgeted for by the previous administration - so this vital and important road can re-open. Reform UK are willing to spend millions of taxpayers’ money to refurbish County Hall in Maidstone to maintain its extravagance rather than save costs and move into Invicta House, as was intended by the previous administration.  

I worry that schemes like the restoration of the Road of Remembrance are considered by Reform to be part of their “bonfire of bureaucracy”. I am very concerned that the Road of Remembrance may end up being one of their casualties.  

Reform UK’s central pitch to voters in Kent in May was no tax rises through efficiency savings. It is now being reported that they are going to increase Council Tax by the maximum allowed amount. This spectacular u-turn reveals Reform's campaign promises for what they truly were: reckless populism divorced from the realities of public service delivery, which crumbles at first contact with actual governance. 

But putting aside that huge betrayal, if Reform UK are to increase Council Tax, then they have no excuse not to do the necessary works to re-open the Road of Remembrance. 

In the middle of that road is a dilapidated old Victorian toilet block, which the brilliant Bob Mouland is campaigning to restore as a memorial to the soldiers who will have used it. This campaign – which I support – is also backed by Reform UK councillors Mary Lawes and John Baker. But unless the Road of Remembrance is re-opened, there will be little point in restoring that profound piece of heritage. 

I call on our local KCC Reform UK councillors - Mrs Lawes, Mr Baker – as well David Wimble (Environment) and Peter Osbourne (Highways) – to persuade their superiors to approve this work, and to do the right thing for the people of Folkestone and Hythe. 

Local health services get a boost  

People need health services where they live. Despite this, many people in Folkestone and Hythe are travelling too far, for too long, and are paying too much, to access the medical care they need. I’ve always believed that a strong neighbourhood health service is critical for the wellbeing of our communities. Bringing healthcare closer to the home will deliver so many benefits for those with disabilities and chronic conditions especially. That is why I have been calling for greater investment neighbourhood health services, as I did in my submission to the Government’s consultation on the NHS 10 Year Plan. 

Following this, the Government announced a national investment of £10 million into neighbourhood health services; and I am pleased that Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh will be one of the first areas in the country to receive funding for this scheme. This will see the creation of a Neighbourhood Health Team: a group of local, multi-disciplinary medical professionals providing higher quality care and more tailored support for people with complex and long-term health issues, such as diabetes, arthritis, MS and epilepsy.   

I want to see our A&E wait times come down. The way we are going to make this happen is to get more people treated in the community than in hospital. To prevent problems before they get serious. Data from a community health scheme in London showed that its services caused A&E admissions to fall by 7% and hospital admissions by 10%. 

From my conversations with constituents and through my casework, I know how frustrating it is to be passed from one department to another when you need support in dealing with a long-term illness. We need a service that prioritises consistent communication: not just with the patients, but amongst practitioners. That is what this neighbourhood health scheme aims to do.  It is about bringing together community nurses, hospital doctors, social care workers, pharmacists, dentists, optometrists, social prescribers, paramedics, local government organisations and the voluntary sector so people can receive healthcare that is delivered in a precise, timely way and is accessed in the right setting. Sandgate Road surgery, among others, has already been doing a lot of pioneering work in this area, on a smaller scale; and I am proud that local health professionals will be helping to create a blueprint for other areas of the country. 

The latest investment in neighbourhood healthcare is part of the Government’s NHS strategy, which is to create three shifts in how we deliver healthcare in this country. This is about transforming the NHS from the analogue to digital age; moving more healthcare from the hospital to the community; and creating a public health system that has a laser like focus on preventing illness.  

I hope that the investment in a neighbourhood NHS will help pave the way for more of the investment in the NHS’s infrastructure in Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh that we desperately need. 

While Reform promises wild west tax cuts with no plan to pay for them, and the Conservatives cling to their failed 14-year austerity experiment, Kent is sitting on a goldmine of untapped economic potential that could transform our county – if we have the courage to invest in it. Picture this: £80 million worth of world-class infrastructure at Ashford International sitting empty like a ghost town; while just down the road, Lydd Airport could become Europe’s drone research and manufacturing powerhouse.

This isn’t just about transport links – it’s about Kent’s economic future hanging in the balance. Lydd Airport isn’t just another regional airfield. It’s our ticket to becoming the European hub for drone research, design, development and manufacture. This vision isn’t pie-in-the-sky thinking; it’s a strategic opportunity that would simultaneously boost our economy and strengthen national security by enhancing our capabilities to police the English Channel. Want to stop small boat crossings? Then we must invest in Lydd Airport’s future.

I have been working relentlessly to make this happen, meeting directly with Aviation Minister Mike Kane to secure government support for transforming the airport into a thriving centre of research, innovation, and manufacturing. The brilliant Michael Winskell and CEO Sam O’Dwyer have shown exactly the kind of public-private enterprise we need more of: dedicated champions who understand that businesses and communities succeed together.

Meanwhile, re-opening Ashford International could unlock £2.7 billion of additional value over five years, bring nearly half a million visitors to Kent, and generate £315 million in visitor spending. Walking through that abandoned international terminal with fellow MP Sojan Joseph was genuinely depressing: seeing £80 million of infrastructure rotting away while our roads groan under Operation Brock’s traffic chaos. This isn’t just about convenience for rail passengers – though Kent deserves better connectivity with Europe. It’s about supporting tourism, retail, and hospitality while rebuilding our vital links with European partners. The economic lesson is crystal clear: investment delivers growth, jobs and apprenticeships.

The Conservatives’ miserable austerity failed spectacularly for 14 years. Reform’s unfunded tax cuts offer no strategy for industry, infrastructure, or jobs – just empty promises from a one-man band. Labour understands that connecting communities and becoming a hub for innovation isn’t optional – it’s critical. That’s why I’m fighting hard to develop both Lydd Airport and Ashford International as thriving economic centres that will drive Kent’s prosperity forward.

Equality. Social justice. Opportunity: our values 

Since being elected as your MP, I and the Labour Government have aimed to protect and promote the core Labour values of equality, social justice and opportunity. This means funding public services properly, advancing workers’ rights and promoting social justice. The Labour Party is a moral crusade or it is nothing.  

Levels of poverty soared under the previous Government. That is why this Labour Government has implemented breakfast clubs and expanded the eligibility for Free School Meals starting in September 2026, as well as introduced a cap on branded school uniform items. Tackling the soaring cost of living is about promoting social justice and equality. No child should be left hungry or without a uniform when they walk to school. That only multiplies injustice and inequality. Our children are the future and our hope, which is why we must reduce child poverty. Breaking down barriers to opportunity and eliminating the class ceiling is paramount to our economic prosperity too. 

Labour’s history is one of collective struggle against concentrated, self-interest, to advance workers’ interests. This government is being true to that collective struggle. Our Employment Rights Bill epitomises this struggle. We are banning exploitative zero hours contracts, allowing access to Statutory Sick Pay from day one and giving trade unions more freedom to organise, represent and negotiate on behalf of their workers. On top of this, the Government raised the National Living Wage to £12.21 with the largest ever hike in the minimum wage for under-21s. 

Public services and the key workers who represent them are the backbone of our society, which is why I am working closely with community groups to save Folkestone Library. Everyone should have free, regular access to knowledge and wisdom and public spaces beyond their home to relax and socialise within the community.  

This Government is promoting social justice through being tougher on crime, especially violence against women and girls, which has disturbingly increased in the last few years. Labour’s strategy is about placing domestic abuse experts in 999 control rooms under Raneem’s Law; fast-tracking rape prosecutions in specialist courts; expanding the use of Stalking Protection Orders, as well as introducing measures to tackle spiking. Supporting the most vulnerable in society and ensuring that people are free from insecurity, anxiety, fear, ignorance and injustice is a core motivation behind why I got into politics.  

The Labour Party has and always will have moral purpose, clarity and conviction. I will always strive and struggle to ensure that the Party stands up and fights for the values of equality, social justice and opportunity. 

Nothing is more important than your health and wellbeing 

Any student of psychology will know Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: a pyramid with safety and physical wellbeing at the base; love and belonging towards the middle; and achieving your dreams at the top. Everyone will identify with the idea that basic human needs must be met before you can focus on higher-level growth and fulfilment. Many core public services help us meet those baseline human needs: health, housing, policing, education, to name a few. 

Take health. The creation of the NHS by the 1948 Labour Government was a political statement that government should protect our collective health and wellbeing. The horrors of WW2, and the long history of pain and suffering for the impecunious, drove public support for this pivotal step. The NHS has been an institution that has unified our country. Yet it was left on its knees by the previous government.  

The Labour Government has pledged £28 billion worth of extra funding for the NHS. The Government has also delivered an extra 4.2 million NHS appointments since last July, which is over double the target of 2 million in the first year. Waiting lists have reduced consistently, and over a quarter of a million lower since Labour came to power. East Kent Hospitals has been given £13 million for urgent repairs to buildings. Labour is turning the NHS around. 

The extra money for public services has come from tax rises on those who hold the top 1-5% of wealth in the UK, such as through abolishing the non-dom tax loophole, and reforming Capital Gains Tax to bring tax on investments into line with tax on income. It has also come from areas such as employers’ national insurance.  

Many have opposed these steps, while supporting the extra spending. But this is exactly why the NHS and public services have got into the dire state they’re in: nobody was willing to raise the money needed to keep public services on their feet. Had the Conservatives been re-elected, the NHS would not have survived another 4 years of neglect. Remember the talk of charges to see your GP? 

People voted for Labour in July 2024 overwhelmingly to improve public services. That is what voters in Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh told me on your doorsteps. That is what we are doing. There is so much more to do, but we are moving forwards. I will keep the pressure on my government to move further and faster to make public services work for you – to keep you safe and healthy, so you can focus on pursuing your dreams. 

Control and compassion must be at the core of our asylum system

The last Government presided over an asylum system marred by chaos, backlogs, dithering and delay. I saw firsthand the consequences of that when I visited Calais in June and met with French police and border security officials to understand how they are trying to prevent small boats from leaving France.

Change is happening. The Government has doubled the rate of asylum-decision making, decreased the backlog we inherited, and removed 35,000 people who have no right to be here, including 5,200 foreign criminals. Since the election, 23 asylum hotels have been closed.

The Government’s plan to tackle the small boat crossings will see stronger legislation, more effective law enforcement and closer international cooperation. The Border, Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill will give counter-terrorism style powers to the National Crime Agency to disrupt the gangs. Enhanced ‘upstream’ measures will tighten the grip on the smuggling gangs to stop boats, parts and people entering and moving through the EU.

Let’s not forget that this is a European problem. Countries like Italy, Greece, Germany and France are also facing similar challenges. The Conservatives tried and failed to negotiate an asylum deal with France. Just like they failed to strike a trade deal with the USA. Under the Government’s UK-France agreement, for the first time, people who undertake illegal journeys to the UK will be returned to France and a safe route to legally apply for asylum will be opened up for people in France.

When it comes to reforming our migration and asylum policy, we must also work within the remit of the European Convention of Human Rights and the Refugee Convention. Working within these important international agreements unites us with our European neighbours through our shared norms and values. Without that commitment, the UK-France deal would not have happened. And the same goes for any other kind of close cooperation with our European neighbours, who are members of the ECHR. If we diverge from the European mainstream when it comes to our approach to human rights legislation, then divergence will only mean greater disruption at our borders and weaker border security, not more.

Reform’s proposal to withdraw from the ECHR would gravely threaten exactly the kind of cooperation with our European neighbours and friends that we need to tackle the small boat crossings.

In this debate we must remember to have compassion for those in need and respect the equality and dignity of all people. As policymakers, we must improve the reality, but also the rhetoric. Too many politicians want to use the migration and asylum debate to divide and rule. I will not be one of them.

Change is happening. The Government is making real progress in increasing our border security through stronger laws, giving law enforcement more powers and cooperating more with our European neighbours and friends; all while rightly underscoring our commitment to the rule of law and human rights.

The Online Safety Act is about child protection

Online safety is a priority for me. As the father of two sons, I know that the online world can be a wild west for young people. I also know that parents can’t be expected to deal with online risks on their own.

These risks are real. The online world can be a wonderful space for finding out information; it can provide a sense of community. But it can also be a hotbed for misinformation and disinformation, a cesspit for radicalisation and extreme political views. The Head of MI5 has stated that children as young as 12 are being exposed to extremist ideologies; and content glorifying eating disorders is rampant on sites such as TikTok.

Most people agree that there needs to be a tougher approach to social media companies, and more stringent rules on smartphone access and use. Earlier this year, I led a Westminster Hall debate which called for a minimum age of 16 to use social media, following a nationwide petition which amassed more than 100,000 signatures. In the light of this level of public support, the government is considering a time limit of 2 hours on social media use for under 16s, which I think would be a very good idea.

More broadly, the issues of harmful content and age verification are now being tackled through the Online Safety Act, which came into force in July. The Act imposes age verification requirements, preventing children from accessing pornography, seeing self-harm videos and hate speech. It also requires the regulator, Ofcom, to police this and punish social media companies who fail to comply.

The Online Safety Act is a very good thing, and I am glad that the Labour Government are implementing it. But the world has moved on in the two years since the Act went through Parliament, and the rules need to go further in many respects as there are now ways around the mandated age verification checks. If we are to protect our children, we will need to toughen up the rules even further.

It is therefore outrageous that the Reform Party would repeal the Online Safety Act entirely, if they were in power, without putting anything in its place to keep children safe online. This is not a serious or responsible policy, and would expose our children to avoidable harms.

Lastly, many parents of secondary school pupils in the constituency tell me that the policy of local schools requiring pupils to keep phones in their bags and out of sight simply is not working.  Earlier this year I visited John Wallis Academy in Ashford, where phones are locked away in magnetic pouches during the school day. The Head, Damien McBeath told me that, after implementing this new regime, incidents of bullying went down, staff wellbeing went up, and children resolved differences in person and spent more time talking to each other rather than looking at their phones during breaktime.  I pay tribute to the work of Smartphone Free Childhood Folkestone, who are advocating for similar solutions in our area.

For too long, the online world has been unregulated, chaotic and dangerous. It does not have to be this way. We need more regulation of online spaces, not less. Be wary of those who tell us we don’t; for if we take the guardrails off, it is children who will be harmed.

A Win for our Waters

Protecting our seas, rivers and waters is one of my top priorities—and I’m committed to holding both the Environment Agency and Southern Water accountable to ensure they deliver clean, safe water for everyone in our community. By 2029, I want to see real improvements in our local water quality—and I’m glad to say that following the election last year, we’re already making progress.

I’ve secured a key commitment from Southern Water’s Chief Executive, Lawrence Gosden, to invest in community water testing at three key locations across our constituency. This will give us a clearer picture of the challenges we face and where improvements must be made. It will also give bathers the information they need to decide whether it’s safe to swim in the sea.

I’m also using formal processes to seek critical information from the Environment Agency to understand how the EA is discharging its legal duties to investigate and address water pollution in our area. Transparency is essential for change.

Across government, big steps are being taken to tackle this issue. The Environment Secretary has announced a bold plan to cut sewage pollution by 50% by 2030. Alongside this, a record £104 billion is being invested in water infrastructure from 2025 to 2030—a vital step in addressing decades of underinvestment; and the Government has secured the agreement of the water companies to ringfence money for investment rather than dividends. In addition, the Water Act will clamp down on underperforming water bosses.

I know that rising water bills are putting pressure on households and small businesses. It’s yet another cost-of-living burden that previous governments failed to confront. So, I fully support the creation of a new Water Ombudsman—an independent body with the power to resolve billing disputes and return money owed to residents. This is going to be a real help for people.

Strong regulation is essential too. I’m glad that the Government is taking decisive action to streamline the system, abolishing Ofwat and replacing four separate regulatory bodies with one. Cleaner, better oversight is on the way.

We’ve also taken targeted environmental action: banning plastic wipes to reduce microplastic pollution and ensuring that fines from water companies go straight into local clean-up efforts. These changes are a necessary response to years of record sewage dumping under the last government. Our beaches, our local waters, and our community deserve better.

As we push for clean, safe bathing waters—including with the potential for Granville Parade to be designated a bathing site—these improvements are essential for boosting both tourism and pride in our beautiful coastline.

A local highlight on this issue is the appearance of The Ministry of Sewers, an art installation launched at the Folkestone Triennial. Located in the old Customs House, near the Harbour train station, this creative space is inviting residents to share concerns and experiences around water quality, contributing to a powerful “Log of Grievances”. I was inspired to visit, and I encourage everyone to do the same—and to sign the petition for better water testing.

Reducing water pollution isn’t quick or easy, but we are fast moving in the right direction. I ran for Parliament because I believed that - with the right ideas, people and dedication, things could change—and now, they are. Cleaner water won’t come overnight, but our community is showing what’s possible when we work together. Let’s keep going.

Buying Local is the Bedrock of Community

Last week I held a roundtable discussion for small businesses in Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh to get a better picture of the challenges and opportunities local independent SMEs are facing. Our area is in a unique position because we still have high streets that are home to vibrant, independent businesses: from Kollectiv coffee shop and art space to tasting rooms like John Dory Wine and organic food hotspot Nincomsoup. We also have a thriving hospitality sector with many SMEs here. As politicians, we must design the right policy framework to support these businesses to thrive, not merely survive. 

The rise of the digital era has given way to an individualised shopping experience that prioritises convenience at the expense of community. While this has its positives, it is often to the detriment of the novelty of in-person browsing, which brings with it the chance to chat with the shop owner and enjoy a richer experience. When talking with local small business owners, I noticed their desire to forge community spaces to not only build a loyal customer base, but also build community and a welcoming environment. We have seen an erosion of public spaces in recent years, which independent businesses can help to row back.

Habitually choosing to buy from independents is a real investment into our local economy. With Folkestone on the rise as a trendy seaside town, our quirky corner of the world is seeing a revival of the high street. This reflects the trend of sustainable choices – eating more locally grown goods, buying second-hand clothing, and opting for in-person browsing as opposed to having items shipped. It encourages a circular economy that puts people first.

That is why I am hopeful that the Government’s Small Business Strategy will help these enterprises that are so central to Folkestone’s identity. I am also glad that the Government is legislating for a “right to buy” community assets – in the English Devolution Bill - so that valued public spaces, including empty shops or pubs, can be purchased by the community for the community. Initiatives like this have the potential to rejuvenate forgotten areas of our high streets. I want to see growth in our local economy and support creative entrepreneurs to build vibrant communal spaces. This will be a collective endeavour. Independent businesses are the bedrock of our community and provide identity, meaning, purpose and connection in an increasingly individualised society.

I encourage people to buy from independent businesses where you can, whether that is your sourdough bread from Docker Bakery, or buying fewer clothing items from fast fashion brands in return for a more sustainable find at Bounce Vintage.

So buy local and keep supporting our high streets: they need you!

Looking Back on a Whirlwind of a First Year

The last year has been a whirlwind for me, leaving behind my career as a barrister of 18 years, to become your MP.

There have been ups and downs for me and for our community, but I have never lost sight of the awesome privilege and honour that being the MP for Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh, is and always will be.

Looking back on the last year, I am incredibly proud of the way that our community came together to save Folkestone Sports Centre. My sons learnt how to swim there; it was an honour to repay the debt and fight for the centre’s future with brilliant campaigners, which I was delighted to see ended up with the excellent Sports Trust taking on the centre’s future. I believe that we can also achieve a positive outcome for Grace Hill Library.

What both of these campaigns illustrate is that there is unity in the word community. We must never forget that unity is strength. We can all agree that the Government inherited a weak economy and under-funded public services. It will take time to deliver improvements that can be seen and felt in people’s lives. But I sincerely believe that Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh is starting to see the benefits from having a Labour MP and a Labour Government.

I am proud to see that after intense lobbying from myself and fellow Kent Labour MPs, East Kent Hospitals Trust will receive over £13 million to fix hospital buildings and utility systems. This is vital funding to repair crumbling hospital infrastructure which should never have been left to decay in this way. I am also proud to see that the Government has expressed its confidence in new nuclear, not with words and soundbites but with hard cash. In the recent Spending Review, the Chancellor announced that we will invest over £2.5 billion in a small modular reactor programme. And a brilliant British company, Rolls Royce, won the Government’s Great British Nuclear competition for developing small modular reactors.

After the Spending Review, private companies contacted my office, as they are now much more interested in developing new nuclear at Dungeness after the Government’s announcements.

I am also proud to see the tough action that the Government is taking on polluting water companies and executives. The Water (Special Measures) Act blocks bonuses for water executives and allows criminal charges to be brought against bosses who persistently break the law.

Locally, I have been holding the Environment Agency and Southern Water to account to do their day job better, which is all about identifying and eliminating water pollution. Southern Water is investing an extra £18 million in water infrastructure in our community. I have also secured a commitment from the Chief Executive of Southern Water, Lawrence Gosden, that the company will financially support more community water testing at three locations in the Constituency.

I am using environmental laws to help identify where the Environment Agency should be going further. I know that there is so much more to achieve. My 2029 vision for Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh is for our community to have accessible and effective NHS services, improved living standards, a stronger local economy, and clean beaches for all.

Together, we can achieve this. Change is possible

A Welfare State for the 21st Century

Last week I signed Meg Hillier’s amendment that would have stopped the Government’s welfare reform bill from passing. I signed the amendment because I could not in good conscience support the idea that disabled people could lose their PIP.

But even after the Government changed the Bill, I was still planning to vote against it, as I was deeply concerned by the prospect that people who had become seriously ill or disabled, and who sought to claim PIP from November 2026, may not have been able to access it.

The Bill would have barred access to PIP unless the person scored four points in any one of the daily living activity descriptors. On Tuesday, the Government listened again and acted again. The Minister for Social Security and Disability, Stephen Timms, announced that the “four points” reform would be deleted from the Bill. The Government also agreed to increase the Universal Credit element in line with inflation, to spend the money earmarked for helping people back into work earlier, and that all current claimants of PIP would continue to receive it on the rules as currently apply.

 I was pleased that after myself and colleagues had intense discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Liz Kendall, and the Minister, Stephen Timms, the Government deleted this problematic proposal and dramatically improved the Bill. Leadership is about listening and acting swiftly based on feedback. Of course, the media will talk about U-turns, but in the end what has actually happened is that a welfare reform bill has been improved.

There is much of the Government’s welfare reform agenda that I support, such as increasing employment support for sick and disabled people, abolishing the Work Capability Assessment, and introducing a Right to Try guarantee, so that disabled people can try work without the prospect of losing social security support.

Yes, there was some negotiation between the Government and Labour backbenchers, but we have ended up with a stronger and fairer welfare reform Bill that ensures that disabled people will be treated with dignity and their incomes will be protected. That matters to me. I know that it matters a lot to the thousands of people in our constituency who claim this important benefit.

Growing our local economy 

The economy of Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh has huge potential.  

We have a large hospitality and tourism sector. We have a growing creative and digital industries sector. And it's not just services that we are good at. We have some brilliant small and medium sized businesses, such as NIC Instruments, which makes robots for the defence industry, which I was fortunate enough to visit recently. We also have Lydd Airport – which deals with cargo and public sector work - and Dungeness Power Station, which creates hundreds of jobs in nuclear decommissioning. This is critically important infrastructure, which has a bright future. Lydd Airport can become a hub for drone research, development and manufacturing. Dungeness Power Station can become a leading centre for new nuclear, utilising Advanced Modular Reactor or similar technology.  

Past governments have failed to plan, strategise and invest enough to build a strong, secure British economy. That is typified by our inability to build new nuclear power stations and reservoirs. The Government is committed to a growth agenda that will end the era of no growth at worst, low growth at best.   

On Monday, the Government launched its industrial strategy. Our community will benefit from this strategy, as it identifies the creative industries and clean energy as two of the eight key sectors that have the highest potential for economic growth.  

The Industrial Strategy also focuses on what has been holding British business back for decades: high energy costs, the challenges that companies have in securing grid connections and a lack of support for businesses who want to export.  

The Government will introduce a British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme from 2027, which will reduce electricity costs for seven thousand businesses that use electricity intensively. A New Connections Accelerator Service will be established to speed up grid connections for businesses, and UK Export Finance will be given more resource to support businesses who want to export.  

We have recently seen the slowest growth in real wages since the Napoleonic War. We need state-led economic development; we need the state to intervene, so we can not only fix market failures, but shape the future of markets. Only then, can we make, buy and sell more here at home, reduce our reliance on imports from countries such as China, and export more. Only then, can we become an export superpower.  

I want Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh to play its part in this mission.

NHS: New Health Service 

We all know that the East Kent Hospitals estate was neglected for 14 years. Austerity left a permanent scar on our NHS, both locally and nationally. As a Labour Government, we are starting to rebuild our hospitals.  

For several months I had been pressing the Department for Health and Social Care for funding for urgent hospital repairs in East Kent. I am pleased to say that, two weeks ago, the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, announced over £13 million for vital repairs to the East Kent Hospitals estate. The money will be used to repair the hospital roofs, buildings and maintain the utility systems. This kind of basic maintenance ought to have been done long ago; it is not glamorous, but our hospitals cannot continue to function without it. 

The NHS was a big winner in the Spending Review.  

The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, gave the NHS a £29 billion funding boost. We are all used to politicians coming out and saying big numbers will be spent on this and that; but very rarely do we stop and look at where that money will be spent. This £29 billion will be spent on supporting GPs to deliver millions of extra appointments, thousands more GPs will be trained, every school will get a specialised mental health professional and we will be delivering an extra 700,000 urgent NHS dentistry appointments a year. This is funding for a purpose.  

We are starting to rebuild our NHS. Hospital waiting lists have fallen for six consecutive months in a row to levels not seen since 2008. But I know that there is so much more to do. I am determined to deliver more NHS dentistry capacity in our community. I recently met the CEO of the Kent & Medway Integrated Care Board to demand more and better NHS dentistry services in our constituency. I am determined to get a new GP surgery for Folkestone at the FOLCA building, and will continue to press for a Health Hub for Romney Marsh.  

One of challenges facing the NHS locally is recruitment and retention of staff. I recently visited the state of the art medical school at Canterbury Christ Church University, which aims to “train our own” and address medial skills shortages in Kent. It was very impressive to see the contribution that the school is making to train Kent's medical workforce. I have been pressing our local Integrated Care Board to support the expansion of training opportunities for dentists as well. 

I believe that, with the NHS, where there is political will, there is a way forward. There is so much more to accomplish, but I am proud of the start that we have made. 

Fair Share Solar 

The issue of solar energy is going to become more important in our community over the next decade.  

Our country needs renewable energy to bring down our bills and tackle climate change. At the moment, UK energy prices are set by the international oil and gas markets. This means we are vulnerable to huge energy price spikes, like we saw following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. That hits all of us in the pocket. By 2030, if we can generate enough home-grown energy through renewables, we will finally be able to take back control of our energy costs. This will mean setting our own energy prices, rather than taking whatever oil and gas price is dictated to us by foreign countries and markets. This is what energy independence looks like, while also showing leadership on tackling climate change. 

That is the goal. To get there, we will need significantly more renewable energy generation in this country. I want more solar, wind, tidal, hydroelectric power. I also believe we can get there by investing in new nuclear. Dungeness Power Station would be an ideal location for new modular reactors; that is why I have met with the Nuclear Minister, EDF Energy, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and three private sector companies who have expressed an interest in developing new nuclear at Dungeness.   

Solar also has an important role to play. I support a rooftop first approach, and I was pleased to see the Government recently announce that all new homes will be fitted with solar by default.  

Five solar companies that have expressed interest in developing solar farms in Romney Marsh, Dungeness, Dymchurch and near Old Romney. Four of these projects are of “nationally significant infrastructure project” (NSIP) status. This describes a solar farm that has a generating capacity above 50 Megawatts, and is decided on by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. 

My team and I are currently scrutinising the pluses and minuses of each of the proposed solar farms in our area. As I recently said at a debate in Parliament, I worry about the damage that the larger solar farms will cause to our rural heritage and history and the remarkable landscape of Romney Marsh. Compared to new nuclear, solar also generates fewer jobs here in Britain and I am also concerned about the role of forced labour in solar supply chains linked to Xinjiang in China.  

I pay tribute to the tireless campaigning of the Hands off Our Marsh group, with whom I met recently. I am also meeting the solar companies, so I can fully understand and scrutinise their plans.  

Kent must play its part in realising the Government’s clean energy mission. We have, equally, to strike a balance between our community supporting that national mission, and proteceting our rural heritage and history and the unique landscape and habitats of Romney Marsh. And so, different counties and regions ought to take their fair share of these developments. Our corner of Kent should not be taking all five projects without other areas with flat land and above average hours of sunshine playing their part in this national mission. It is about striking a fair balance. I do, though, believe we can get this right – both for our communities and our country. 

The Art of the Deal 

Without any doubt, the European Union is the UK’s biggest and most important trading partner. Of all UK exports in 2024, 41% were sold to the EU, while only 21% went to the USA.  

So it should be uncontroversial to say that our trading ties with Europe need to be protected and improved. This will enrich our economy.  

Beyond the material, think about all of the shared challenges we face as a continent. Whether it be war in Europe, climate change, the rise of AI and robotics displacing people from their jobs, an increasingly isolationist American foreign policy and cyberattacks launched by hostile states, our country cannot tackle these era defining challenges alone.  

The recent trade agreement with the EU should not be viewed in isolation; it is part of a coordinated, joined-up foreign policy strategy that aims to protect the UK from the damage caused by Trump's global trade policies. That is why the Government has secured trade agreements with the biggest trading bloc in the world, the EU, the largest economy in the world, the USA and the fastest growing economy, India. Nobody can say that Keir Starmer and the Government do not know how to get a deal over the line when we have signed trade agreements with the EU, USA and India after just 11 months in power. 

I recognise that some people are suspicious of the UK having closer ties with Europe. The Government does not want to re-litigate the divisive Brexit referendum; and neither do I. But there is no denying that smoother trade with the EU is a win for UK businesses and the UK as a whole. Geography is destiny for any country; it is why, for example, Canada and the USA trade so much with each other. And as stronger economies, we are better able to stand up to external threats to our systems and way of life. Closer co-operation with our neighbours to advance wider interests is a no-brainer.  

Examining the UK-EU agreement shows how valuable it will be to our country. A new sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement will reduce red tape on British food and drink exports to the EU. UK Steel exports are now protected from EU tariffs. British passport holders will be able to use the e-gates at EU airports. Pet passports: reinstated. UK defence firms will be able to access the EU’s Safe fund, which is a £150 billion fund for defence projects in Europe. This will benefit a lot of UK businesses, safeguarding and creating thousands of jobs. I know that in the future we can build closer cultural ties with the UK's membership of the Erasmus+ programme being reinstated and a proper Youth Mobility Scheme in place.  

In the age of Trump, this Government is starting to perfect The Art of the Deal.

Immigration

I firmly believe that immigration has brought more benefits to this country than challenges. Immigration has enriched our society through the diversity of people and perspectives that it brings. Immigration has boosted this country's economy through increasing the quantity and quality of people working in our society. It has been proven that companies with more diverse workforces are more productive.  

In hard economic times, some find it easier not to critique our own rules and systems, but to blame migrants. We cannot fall into this trap, which has beset so many nations in the past. We should not just tolerate or respect those who have come to the UK from abroad; we should continue to be a warm and welcoming nation to those who want to build a better, safer, richer life here.   

Of course, there must be immigration rules which command public confidence. Those rules must be fair, and cater for the needs of our society. I totally accept that a large swathe of the public have lost confidence in our immigration system following high net migration figures and increases in small boat arrivals in recent years. As politicians, we must regain that trust and confidence.  

I welcome many of the policies in the Government's immigration strategy published this month. There were many positives, not all of which made it into the headlines. Like the proposal to explore ways to grant skilled worker visas to refugees who have valuable skills our society needs. The Youth Experience scheme to allow UK youth to study and travel in Europe is also a very positive step forwards, also for local businesses in Folkestone and Hythe who need more seasonal workers. And it is also hugely encouraging that the Government is planning to introduce a new investor visa aimed at foreigners who invest large sums in the UK, especially in strategic sectors like AI, clean energy and life sciences.  

We must ensure that the conversations that we have about immigration are based on facts, as well as respect, empathy and compassion. The Labour Party's values are about solidarity, the collective and the community.  Our immigration system must support the collective and the community, and be seen to do so. In trying to achieve this, we should take care to avoid rhetoric which undermines what we are trying to build.  

My mum came to the UK from the Philippines in the 1970s and worked as a carer in the NHS and nursing homes for most of her working life here. She – like millions of other migrants – have helped to hold up our society. I will always value them, and their contributions; and I know that the Labour Party does too. We are the party of – and for – people like my mother. 

So let's have a sensibly managed immigration system and let's build that system; while also doing it with dignity, humanity, warmth and leadership that comes from the heart, as well as the head. 

Protecting Creative Spaces

The creative industries contribute over £124 billion to the UK economy and in Folkestone we have some amazing cultural institutions, such as Strange Cargo and Creative Folkestone, and all of the events that they put on, like Charivari, the Folkestone Triennial and Folkestone Artworks. This is in addition to the numerous independent artists and creatives contributing to the fabric of this amazing area.  

It was brilliant to welcome Chris Bryant, the Minister for the Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism, to the Creative Quarter in Folkestone at the weekend. We had a wide-ranging discussion about how we can protect our creative past and ensure that our community fulfils its potential for the future as a leading, vibrant creative centre in the UK. I was proud to show him around the Old High Street and the craft market to meet local creatives and understand the challenges they face. We know that our community faces economic and social challenges, but we must never forget what we do well.   

Our thriving arts scene not only creates employment and generates wealth, but enriches our lives through the paintings, books, exhibitions, plays and music it produces.   

How do we strengthen our local arts and creative scene? Firstly, it is about our mentality as a community. We must never stop being open and welcoming to new and different ideas, perspectives and people. Creating walls between people and ideas, refusing to debate, these things erode culture.   

We must support those creatives who live and work in the area. I am under no illusion about the rising cost of living and existential challenges faced by creatives. The Labour Government is addressing through tacking the housing crisis and renters’ rights, reducing energy bills and other measures; I fully understand the impatience for change.   

Promoting culture must be done at an early age. We must ensure that in our educational institutions we have strong arts provision; we must not see subjects such as Art, Music, Media and Design and Technology as an afterthought. Or the preserve of the elite. Our young people should be encouraged to play a musical instrument. My educational performance and confidence improved greatly whilst I learnt how to play the piano. We know that under the Conservatives there was a 47% drop in entries to GCSE arts subjects. We are committed to reversing the decline in arts education.  

We also need to protect the physical spaces where culture thrives like libraries. That is why I have campaigned hard to save Folkestone Library and remain committed to working to bring it back into use for the benefit of the community as a whole. I believe that cynicism and pessimism also threaten to bring about a culture recession. I was pleased to see this Government announce an Arts Everywhere Fund, consisting of £270 million of investment that will be channelled into arts venues, museums, libraries and heritage buildings. I am doing my best to see that Folkestone Library will be able to benefit from one of the funding pots.   

Our local arts scene is a source of immense pride for all of us. Our cultural history is something to be proud of. But we must protect it against those who threaten it with their belief in division and their unyielding pessimism. We must also protect it from economic headwinds that are hitting funding for culture. I believe we need an even stronger arts scene in Folkestone and Hythe and I am here for creatives who would like to speak to me about what you think needs to happen to protect and promote the creative industries across the constituency. 

Local progress on the Sports Centre and library  

It is brilliant news that Folkestone Sports Centre has been saved. I am so relieved that this community facility will be re-opened so local people can get active again. The details of the buyer have not yet been announced, and the final details are still being worked out by the administrators. I will say more on the matter in due course, but for now let’s all breathe a sigh of relief because we did it – our community campaigned hard and together we showed what the collective can achieve.  

It feels like only yesterday when I – together with the Save Folkestone Sports Centre campaign group – we were submitting our application to register the Sports Centre site as an “Asset of Community Value” to Folkestone and Hythe District Council. Our successful application narrowed the administrators’ choices, and made a “property-developer-led-bid” - meaning a bid “to good to refuse” from a developer who had no viable plan to re-open the Sports Centre – much harder to accept. It also bought time for prospective leisure focussed bidders to refine their proposals. I believe that the “ACV” designation played a real role in helping to ensure that the Sports Centre was saved.  

In other news, progress is also being made on re-opening Grace Hill Library. The future is still uncertain, but we are starting to see glimmers of hope. The development is that a community idea for the library – led by Creative Folkestone – was submitted to Kent County Council, who had failed to engage with it in their library consultation. But following pressure from a range of people, KCC have now agreed to look at it. This means that a potential avenue to save the library is now being considered.  

The idea is that the Grace Hill building would be kept open as a multi-purpose facility, including a library, community hub and more. This was a counter proposal to the one KCC had been pursuing to move the library to the FOLCA building in the town centre. At the last KCC Cabinet Committee meeting, they finally listened to the community and agreed to explore both options and re-convene in six months to make a final decision.   

I want to thank the amazing campaigners at Save Folkestone Library, Councillor Jackie Meade and Creative Folkestone who have and will continue to work hard on this important matter.  

I also want to say something about Folkestone and Hythe District Council's Planning Committee's decision to block the proposed seafront development at Folkestone. The decision was a local, democratic one based on planning law; it was not a political decision. Folkestone's seafront needs modernisation; but this must strike a balance between respecting our history and heritage, and economic regeneration. 

Supporting Employment and the Welfare System

There is something wrong when one in eight young people are not in work, education or training. There is something wrong when a person who cannot work – at one point in time – is “written off” work forever, and is not supported to re-enter the labour market, having failed the “Work Capability Assessment”. This flawed process has helped to create 2.8 million people who are economically inactive, when many of them can now work, and want to work, but are not helped into doing so. 

This is what the Labour Government’s welfare reform proposals rightly aim to address. The Work Capability Assessment will be scrapped. A huge investment of £1 billion will be made into tailored employment support, which is one of the largest packages ever aimed at breaking barriers to work. There will be a "Right to Try" guarantee, allowing disabled individuals to explore work opportunities without fear of losing benefits.  

Equally important is the decision to end re-assessments for disabled people with lifelong conditions who will never be able to work. This change acknowledges the dignity of individuals facing permanent challenges and spares them the unnecessary stress of periodic re-assessment. These steps align with the principle that our welfare system should treat people with respect and fairness. 

I am however concerned about the proposed tightening of eligibility criteria for Personal Independence Payments (PIP). Under these changes, claimants will need to score a minimum of four points on at least one “daily living activity” descriptor to qualify for the daily living component. Previously, a person could qualify for this if they scored a total of eight points across the ten descriptors. This adjustment could impact around 10% of current PIP recipients, many of whom have significant impairments but do not meet the new threshold. 

For example, individuals requiring assistance with tasks such as bathing, dressing and cooking may still face substantial challenges in daily life but would no longer qualify for PIP under the proposed rules. This would in turn deprive them of essential carers and make it harder to stay in their jobs; they may have to decide that, rather than pay for transport to get to work, they must pay for a carer to help them wash, dress and cook. This would undermine the purpose of the reforms. Charities estimate that hundreds of thousands of families with disabled members could be adversely affected, with some losing as much as £4,500 per year. 

The Government is not consulting on these specific PIPchanges, leaving uncertainty about their impact on people’s ability to enter or remain in employment. It is vital that we understand how these reforms will affect vulnerable groups. 

I strongly support the Government’s broader goals of making our welfare system more sustainable and pro-work. However, reforms must be carefully designed to avoid unintended harm. As your MP, I will continue to advocate for policies that protect those most in need while encouraging work for those who can participate in it. 

New Nuclear at Dungeness: An Update 

Bringing back Dungeness as a functioning nuclear power station, generating energy and providing jobs to the local community, has long been a political ambition crossing party divides. I was glad to meet last week with the Nuclear Minister, Lord Hunt, to discuss how we can achieve this. The discussion was very promising. Lord Hunt is absolutely sold on the potential of Dungeness for new nuclear technologies. These new technologies include small modular reactors and advanced modular reactors. The challenge, it seems to me, is how we find a business that is able to work with EDF to bring those technologies to the site. Any nuclear energy company that wants to work with EDF needs to have credible, secure technology.  

What is hugely encouraging about the approach of this Government to nuclear is the clear commitment that has been made, at the highest level, to nuclear in our national energy mix. The Government is doing a lot of work behind the scenes to make this happen; and, although these things take time, I left my meeting with Lord Hunt feeling that the Government “get it” and that the work needed to get a pathway back for Dungeness is being done intensively. 

I also understand the urgency of the situation. We must safeguard the skills base at Dungeness. If we do not secure the future of the site, I know that the skilled labour will over time move to go and work at Hinckley or Sizewell and other nuclear power sites.  

I have been very busy pressing the Government to secure Dungeness’ future. I have tabled parliamentary questions, met EDF several times, and toured the site. As well as this, I have met two companies who have expressed an interest in developing new nuclear on the site. I have a meeting planned with a another interested company.  

In other news, I was frustrated to hear recently that a Kent County Council representative told the Folkestone and Hythe Bus Partnership District Focus Group that almost all of the £10.1 million grant given by central government to KCC to improve bus services will go solely towards  subsidizing commercial services that are loss making, plus school travel.   

So it is confirmed: KCC have nothing left over, from the large Government grant, to actually improve our bus services. KCC have allowed Stagecoach to take this grant simply to keep pace with what we already have. This is a shocking indictment of the bus services for which KCC has statutory responsibility. We have a KCC election on 1 May 2025. In my view, the Tory-run KCC must be voted out. We need change at KCC after so many years of the same party running our services and amenities into the ground. Who can disagree with the idea of switching up our local leaders, after so many years with the same people at the helm, while services decline?  

Lastly, I am holding a Q&A event in Folkestone on 4 April 2025 at 3.30pm in “Town Hall” format. Please email [email protected] or call 01303 905192 to book your place. Location provided upon booking. 

Anti-Social Behaviour

Over the last few months, I’ve spoken to many constituents whose lives have been blighted by anti-social behaviour and other crime locally. One family I spoke to have been traumatised by drug dealing and loud music in their local area, with little being done to stop it.  

Their story is not uncommon. Folkestone and Hythe faces a range of policing challenges, from anti-social behaviour to shoplifting and violence. The latest crime statistics show that violence and sexual offences are the most prevalent, followed by anti-social behaviour and criminal damage. These aren't just numbers; they represent real people and families affected by crime. 

We can do better than this. The Crime and Policing Bill, which passed second reading in the House of Commons last night, contains new powers to help people like the family I just mentioned. This comprehensive legislation is designed to tackle the root causes of crime and provide our police with the tools they need to keep us safe. 

One of the most significant measures is the introduction of Respect Orders, which will allow courts to ban persistent anti-social behaviour offenders from our town centres. This means that those who consistently disrupt our community will face real consequences, providing relief to residents and businesses alike. Also, the bill strengthens powers to seize vehicles used in anti-social behaviour, addressing the scourge of off-road bikes and dangerous e-scooters that plague our public spaces. 

For shopkeepers, the Bill brings welcome news. The removal of the £200 threshold for shoplifting means that all thefts will be treated with the seriousness they deserve, regardless of value. This change will help deter thieves and protect local businesses that are the heart of our community. The Bill also enhances police powers to recover stolen goods, like phones, allowing them to act swiftly in the critical hours following a theft. This will not only help recover stolen property but also deter criminals who know they can be caught quickly. 

A new offence for assaulting retail workers, providing vital protection for those who serve us daily, is another key part of the Bill. This sends a clear message that violence against anyone, especially those serving our community, will not be tolerated. 

The Bill also creates new powers to impose Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs) where a person has been convicted of an offence. This is a no brainer, but more needs to be done in this area. I believe that one of the biggest challenges when it comes to stalking is getting protection in place quickly. Police should have the power to issue stalking protection notices – without the need for court proceedings – to protect victims, who currently have to wait several weeks or months before the courts make interim SPOs. 

I believe that this legislation will make a tangible difference in Folkestone and Hythe. It's not just about statistics; it's about creating a safer environment for all. We owe it to our residents to ensure that our community is protected and supported. 

The Crime and Policing Bill is a crucial step towards a safer future for Folkestone and Hythe. There is much more to do, but I am proud that the Government is taking the steps we need to keep residents safe. If you have experienced anti-social behaviour or any other kind of crime, please contact my office and I will be happy to help: [email protected] or 01303 905192. 

The War in Ukraine Affects Us All

The third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine serves as a stark reminder of the challenges we face in an increasingly volatile world. The Ukrainian people have shown extraordinary courage and resilience, standing firm against an illegal assault on their sovereignty and democracy. Their determination underscores the importance of global solidarity in defending freedom and the international rule of law. 

Sir Keir Starmer has taken decisive action to support Ukraine, demonstrating leadership at a critical moment for European security. His commitment, and that of his predecessors, is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic necessity. By bolstering Ukraine’s ability to defend itself, we are safeguarding stability across Europe and protecting British interests. The recent announcement of £2.26 billion in additional funding for Ukraine through the Loans to Ukraine Scheme is a significant step forward. This funding, sourced from profits on frozen Russian sovereign assets, ensures that taxpayers are not burdened while enabling Ukraine to negotiate from a position of strength. 

Locally, the presence of Ukrainians in Folkestone and Hythe reminds us of the human impact of this conflict. Residents of our District have been active participants in the "Homes for Ukraine" scheme, with hundreds of Ukrainian people matched here. I am proud of the generosity and community spirit of our residents who have opened their homes to those fleeing war. Their experiences are a poignant reminder that this war is not distant—it has ramifications for all of us. 

It is crucial that we reject complacency about the war’s relevance to our own lives. The security and economic impacts of unchecked aggression could reverberate across Europe and directly affect communities like Folkestone and Hythe. Standing firm against Vladimir Putin’s aggression is essential for our collective security. 

Folkestone and Hythe has a proud tradition of resilience and service, exemplified by the heroic role our constituency played during World War II and the continued presence of elite Gurkhas at Shorncliffe Barracks. This legacy inspires our actions today as we confront new global challenges. 

The Government’s commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with an ambition to reach 3% in the next Parliament, reflects our resolve to meet these challenges head-on. President Trump’s decision to withdraw military support from Ukraine leaves us with no choice but to step up. This investment is a vital part of deterring foreign aggression and ensuring Britain’s security. 

As your MP, I am committed to ensuring that the UK continues to lead in supporting Ukraine and defending our shared values. By working together, we can not only help to secure Ukraine’s future, but also strengthen the foundations of freedom and defend the international rules based order 

Access to Social Media for Under-16s

Social media should not be accessible to those under 16 without stringent safeguards 

As the father of two boys, I know that the negative effects of social media on children in this country are very real. Social media is becoming increasingly associated with bullying, mental health problems, radicalisation and even suicide. 

It is a fact that social media algorithms push extreme and unsuitable content onto our young people. A recent study found that TikTok’s algorithm was 4,343% more likely to show "toxic eating disorder" content to users already vulnerable to such issues. Tragically, we’ve seen cases where children as young as 14 have taken their own lives after being bullied or after viewing online suicide forums. “Influencers” peddle views about women that belong in the middle ages. exposed to harmful content online. Victims of bullying at school are finding they don’t even have an escape at home anymore.  

I believe that the 13 year old age “limit” to use social media is not working. 83% of parents believe it is easy for children to bypass the in-app age limits. We have to do more to protect our young people, and the onus must be placed on social media companies to prove that their apps are safe for our children. Under the Online Safety Act, it is their responsibility to introduce robust age verification systems and to include key measures like mandatory video verification alongside ID-based verification. 

We also need child-friendly smartphones with device-level restrictions. This would mean smartphones being locked down by default to prevent the download of social media apps unless verified by an adult guardian or through secure age-verification methods.  

There is a demonstrably one-sided public view on this issue as polling shows that 74% of people in Britain support raising the minimum age for social media use to 16, while 75% back licensing schemes for child-friendly smartphones. 

More locally, I conducted a straw poll on Facebook which I targeted to local people in Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh asking whether they thought smart phones should be banned in schools in our area. Out of an incredible 1,985 responses, 1,471 (75%) came back as “yes”. The feedback is clear: people want this and we need to get on with it. 

We have a moral obligation to act decisively on this issue now: not tomorrow or next year but today. This is a matter of protecting our children from harm and there is nothing more important than that. Social media platforms should not be accessible to those under the age of 16 unless stringent safeguards are in place. 

On Monday 24th February, I led the debate in Westminster Hall on the petition calling for a minimum age of 16 on social media. This petition was signed by 145 people in the Folkestone and Hythe constituency with 128,242 signatures nationwide. You can watch the debate and see more about what I had to say on the matter on www.parliamentlive.tv/Commons. 

In other news, the NHS listening event that I hosted in Hythe was a massive success and that is thanks to everyone from across Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh who participated. This included people from other political parties with whom I was happy to welcome and discuss these issues. Thank you to all of you for sharing your views and experiences with me on how to improve healthcare services in our area. You know best what you need, and I am listening to you. 

I will soon be submitting my response to the Government’s consultation for their 10-year plan to transform our NHS and make it fit for service again. I will make sure that every contribution from the listening event is included – your local healthcare needs will be the centrepiece. 

Apprentices are the future for businesses and our community 

In the UK today, most 18-year-olds—around 64%—do not go on to full time study at university. For too long, our education system has not prioritised this group. It has focused instead on those going down the “traditional” university route.  As a result, we do not have enough people with the skills our society needs, while young people are unable to find the good, well-paid jobs they need for a fulfilling working life. There are around 500 young people aged 16–24 in Folkestone and Hythe in this situation. 

Last week, at the Parliamentary apprenticeships fair, I met many young people who are lucky enough to be working as apprentices, where they are both working and studying in their chosen field. Like John (not his real name), who left school at 16 and is doing an apprenticeship in catering. He works in a large commercial kitchen while his employer also funds his training for a professional cookery qualification that he needs to progress in that line of work. I met several other young people like him in a variety of industries. 

Another young person I met was Ellie (not her real name) who left school at 18 to start an apprenticeship at a large company, which is paying for her degree which she is studying part time through a university. She studies 1-2 days a week, and works 3-4 days per week. She has never looked back. 

Over the past 14 years, access to proper skills training deteriorated. For instance, apprenticeship starts across the UK dropped significantly following the introduction of the apprenticeship levy in 2017. Locally, in Folkestone and Hythe, apprenticeship starts in construction, planning, and the built environment fell by 49% between 2022 and 2023. Compounding this issue is the fact that business spending on training has hit its lowest level since 2011.   

This situation must change—and it will. I’ve spoken to many local businesses in Folkestone and Hythe who are keen to address their skills shortages and meet industry demands, and are willing to learn more about how apprenticeships can do this. Last week, I met with Benjamin Bell from Checkatrade about the work that they are doing to increase work experience, work opportunities and apprenticeships. They are working on this not just because it is the right thing to do, but because it will help their business, and those of their clients. 

Over the coming months, I will be speaking to businesses in Folkestone and Hythe about how we encourage more apprenticeships to be offered to our young people. There is no shortage of interest in apprenticeships; the issue is their availability. 

The Government has taken steps to remove barriers to apprenticeships nationwide. Last year, Skills England was established to bring together key stakeholders, identify skills gaps, and allocate funding for apprenticeships and training programs. As part of these efforts, and as the Government announced last week, unnecessary requirements for maths and English have been reduced, creating an additional 10,000 apprenticeship places across the country. 

There is much more to do; but the prize is a hub of opportunity here in Folkestone, Hythe, and Romney Marsh where both individuals and businesses thrive through skills development for all.  

Building back public confidence in our immigration system  

In my 18 years as a lawyer, I worked with many victims of modern slavery and saw how organised criminals use brutal, dehumanising tactics to destroy the will and dignity of their victims. Many of those victims are brought over to the UK in small boats and are forced to work in the dark criminal underworld here; like in cannabis factories or nail bars in our communities. 

The Border Security Asylum and Immigration Bill, which I voted for last night, will give UK law enforcement agencies the powers that they need to tackle these highly sophisticated people smuggling and trafficking networks. Instead of doing that, the Conservative party wasted £700 million on an expensive Rwanda gimmick and created a massive asylum backlog, all while stoking division and disregarding the rule of law. The only winners in this multimillion-pound industry, which burgeoned under the previous Government, are organised criminals who exploit the desperation of others. 

So it is shocking that the Conservative and Reform parties voted against the Bill last night, with Reform not even bothering to speak in the debate. Who in their right mind would deprive the law enforcement agencies of enhanced surveillance powers to gather intelligence on smuggling networks so we can prosecute them? Who would think of blocking powers to impose travel bans on suspected smugglers? The answer is politicians who do not want to solve the problem, but prefer gimmicks and divisive rhetoric for their own ends. The two parties are both as unserious as each other and do not have our national interest at heart. 

As I said in the debate last night, while this Bill is rightly about tackling the smuggling gangs, there is an outstanding question about how we address the lack of ways to claim asylum without making dangerous crossings. There is a strong case for looking at a pilot system for those from certain active conflict zones, who have strong claims, to be allowed to travel here so that their case can be fully examined on UK soil. We need a broader evidence base to inform future law and policy making. Resettlement schemes, such as via the UNCHR, should also continue to be supported.  

The Border Security Bill is not about immigration policy more generally. The Government will soon publish a White Paper about that. We are currently seeing record low levels of public trust in the immigration system, in part a response to record high net migration under the previous Government. We need to build back that public trust; otherwise the politics of gimmicks and easy answers will make a comeback.  

In building back that public trust, it is important not to lose sight of the benefits of migration. One such benefit for Folkestone and Hythe would be allowing local businesses to take in young workers from tourism and hospitality schools from Europe over the high season. Young workers from these schools used to come in over the summer, were provided with bed and board by the hotels in the local area, then went back to finish their courses in their home countries. It is not Labour policy to return to a youth mobility scheme. Having said that, a targeted pathway to allow workers in the hospitality sector to help our economy grow is an area where some creative thinking may bring benefits to everybody.  

I am glad that the Government is, step by step, building a fair, managed and compassionate immigration and asylum system in which the public can once more have confidence. 

Reforming the NHS: I want your views! 

Improving health services was the top concern of voters at the election. Many said that we can’t just keep throwing money at the NHS; there needs to be real reform. I completely agree, and so does the Government. As part of working out what those reforms should look like, the Government is drawing up a 10-year plan for the NHS, which needs YOUR input.  

At the Leas Cliff Hall in December, the Government held a major listening event for residents from all over the South East, to “road test” various ideas for reform. Many of you got in touch to say that you would also like to attend similar events. So in February, I will be holding events for residents of Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh to tell me what they think needs to be changed about the NHS to make it fit for the future.  

I hugely value your input. By hearing from as wide a range of people as possible, I can then communicate to the Government what WE need, here in Folkestone and Hythe, to improve our health services; and what the Government’s reforms will need to look like down here. 

One example is healthcare in Romney Marsh. I am acutely aware of the need for more and better medical services in Romney Marsh. I recently met with Cllr John Rivers of New Romney Town Council to discuss ideas around this. It is clear that, if the Government is to achieve a shift away from providing healthcare in hospitals to doing so in the community, we will need health centres and infrastructure to allow the NHS to do this on the Marsh. 

So please keep an eye on my Facebook page for details of these events, which will likely be in early February – see facebook.com/tonyvaughanlabour or x.com/tonyvaughanmp. Alternatively, please email [email protected] letting me know that you would like to be told of the event dates and details and we will be in touch when details are finalised.  

If you would prefer to just email me your thoughts rather than attending an event, please do so. I would love to hear feedback on any aspect of NHS services that you think ought to change, how, and why you think that would improve the delivery of healthcare services. 

On a different note, there were some important announcements last week on repairing our roads. I don’t know about you, but I have seen the number of potholes massively increase in our area in the last few years. Now in Kent, the average cost to repair car damage caused by potholes is a whopping £460. Despite being responsible for our roads, Kent County Council (KCC) almost never compensate drivers for these costs. This leaves you paying out twice, as our council tax ought to have been used to repair the roads in the first place. This is unacceptable.  

The Government announced last week that it is investing a huge £54 million in fixing potholes in Kent this year, and aiming to fix one million potholes nationally per year. This is way more than the Conservatives did when they were in power, and Reform UK still have no policies on the issue. KCC should allocate Folkestone and Hythe our fair share of that investment. 

Child Protection Should Unite Us All

Happy new year to all readers!  

Over Christmas, the Child Poverty Action Group revealed that ‘children are stealing and starving’ due to the cost of Christmas. This shocking finding reflects a worsening child poverty crisis in the UK. To take Folkestone and Hythe, we have the 8th highest level of absolute child poverty in the whole of the South East. Very sadly, this is not new. 

Child poverty doesn’t just mean hunger. It can bring neglect, safeguarding failures and lost childhoods. The Labour Government’s new Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is designed to address many of the harms faced by children across the UK.  

Here are three things the Bill will do. 

First, following the failures in the Sara Sharif case, the Bill will create a register for children not in school, helping to ensure that children who are home-schooled continue to be protected. Local authority oversight will be strengthened to make sure that children at risk do not “fall through the cracks”. Also, a unique identifier number for each child will be introduced, similar to a national insurance number to facilitate better data sharing among child safeguarding agencies. 

Second, the Bill will put more highly qualified teachers into classrooms and create a cutting-edge school curriculum to improve learning standards. The pay and conditions framework in state schools will be updated to assist staff recruitment and retention.  

Third, the Bill will cut the costs of sending children to school. Free breakfast clubs in every primary school will save families £450 per child per year while allowing parents to work the hours they need. There will also be a cap on the number of branded school uniform items that may be required.  

This Bill is a game-changer for children and families across Folkestone and Hythe and I am proud to support it.   

It is a real shame that the Conservative Party and Reform UK voted against the Bill. Measures to protect children should be supported by all parties. Instead, the Tories proposed an amendment which – if passed – would have stopped the Bill in its tracks. This was deeply irresponsible. We already have the findings of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse chaired by Professor Alexis Jay. Her report examined institutional responses to child sexual abuse across various contexts, including grooming gangs.  

Any further inquiry should not be at the expense of the child protection measures in the Bill. Neither should it be at the expense of implementing the 20 recommendations of Professor Jay’s inquiry. Many victims prefer immediate reforms over another inquiry, as they fear re-living their trauma without seeing tangible outcomes. To make this an “either-or” (new inquiry OR new safeguards in the Bill) – as the Tories and Reform have done – is wrong. 

The way those parties have whipped up hostility against Labour for rejecting this misguided approach is shocking. Labour has not said “no” to a national inquiry. Yet I still received a stream of vitriolic and hateful messages from supporters of the Tory/ Reform position, who clearly knew very little about the Bill. 

I am proud to stand for child protection, and for the reforms that the Labour Government is bringing in through this Bill.  They will make vulnerable children safer, which is – ultimately – what everybody wants. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Christmas is next Wednesday and I am not ready at all. It feels like only a couple of weeks ago that the decorations started being put up! Like many of you, over the coming days I will be squeezing in Christmas shopping, spending time with my family, watching TV, travelling to see relatives, and taking our red fox labrador Harry out for a run. 

I want to thank the many local charities working to help those who do not have access to these things. I know that many local charities are working hard every day to provide vital support: from foodbanks to homelessness support. I will be giving to the excellent charity Porchlight this year, which supports homeless people in Kent, and I would encourage others to give to charities of their choice.  Or even drop off some food at the supermarket into the Food Bank donation boxes when you leave the check out, as there are many local families who are really struggling.  

Whatever your political views, it was clear that 2024 was a year when people in Folkestone and Hythe voted for political change. I hope my regular updates on social media have shown you that you have got change: an active, present and energetic local MP who is out here in the community, doing my best for you. 

My office has taken on hundreds of constituents’ cases since July – from housing, to debt, to anti-social behaviour. Like the Folkestone family who found themselves homeless, and were temporarily accommodated on the other side of Kent. After my office intervened, they were moved back home to Folkestone. It is one of the most rewarding parts of this job to be able to help solve intractable problems for constituents that they have been battling with for months or years. 

Already, we are already seeing positive national-level changes that will have real effects locally. Here are five examples. First, the national minimum wage was raised to £12 per hour. Second, no-fault “section 21” evictions will be banned. Third, workers rights are being dramatically improved: banning exploitative zero-hour contracts and "fire and rehire" practices, establishing day-one rights for parental, bereavement, and sick leave, and flexible working by default unless employers can justify otherwise. Fourth, a £7.3 bn national wealth fund to support capital growth and clean energy, including Great British Energy. Five, the Water Special Measures Bill and agreements with water companies to invest in water infrastructure and to criminally publish water bosses who tolerate persistent unlawful sewage discharges. There is much more to do; and next year will see many more positive changes in our society.  

Last, but not least, I want to thank everyone who is working over the festive period – particularly those serving the public such as those working in the NHS and the police. Thank you for everything you do. 

I wish everyone in Folkestone and Hythe a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  I look forward to working with and hearing from as many of you as possible in 2025! 

Let’s fix the NHS together 

The poor state of the NHS was the top concern of voters in Folkestone and Hythe before the last election, and remains so. East Kent has long recognised challenges on the healthcare front: like recruitment and retention because of the difficulty in attracting qualified medical professionals to live and work here; on investment, with three main hospitals desperately in need of renovation and repair; and we have higher levels of social deprivation than other areas, bringing complex health and treatment needs. 

The Labour Government has started to turn around the oil tanker of the NHS. As the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, has outlined, we want three fundamental shifts in the NHS. We want to focus more on prevention, not sickness. We want a digital NHS, not an analogue one. We want to shift more care from the hospital to the community. Recently I welcomed the Health Minister, Baroness Merron, to the Leas Cliff Hall, for a Department of Health organised event to hear from local people about the Government's 10 Year Health Plan for the NHS. This was a series of conversations about what changes to the NHS might look like, and what people felt about them. 

Reforming the NHS will take time, reform and investment. The Budget was a deposit on our mission to rebuild the NHS. Next year, there will be a £22.6 billion increase in the day-to-day health budget and a £3.1 billion increase in the capital budget, so more investment in hospital buildings and technology. 

As your local MP, I am working on how we see the national changes translate into change and action here in Folkestone and Hythe. 

I am meeting senior local officials in the NHS to understand their key concerns and asks. I have held two important meetings with the Chief Executive of the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board – the NHS body responsible for the whole of the NHS in our area. Last Friday I also with the Chief Executive of East Kent Hospitals Trust, Tracy Fletcher, as well as the Trustees, at the brilliant Royal Victoria Hospital. I will be meeting with leaders from the Community health team and Mental Health Services, as well as GPs and others, soon. 

Given the parlous state of NHS dentistry, I have met with two dentists’ practices in the constituency to discuss increasing NHS dental work here, and am working with both of them to help achieve this, and will collaborate with others. 

One of my main concerns locally is making sure that people who live in more remote parts, like Romney Marsh, can access the GP services and hospital appointments that they need. We need more mobile diagnostic facilities in such areas, and I will be pressing for a health centre in New Romney which has long been talked about.  

There is much we need to do, and I want to hear your views. In the New Year I want to hold a Town Hall Meeting to listen to your concerns about the NHS and your ideas for the future of the NHS. Watch my Facebook page for more details. 

I am ashamed that, on average, one woman is killed by an abusive male partner or ex-partner every five days in England and Wales. This violence has to stop. We must all - especially men – play our part in the fight to eradicate violence against women and girls. As November 25th was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, I thought it was the time to write and speak about this issue. 

I am the father of two boys and I am deeply concerned by the social media influencers and YouTubers who promote misogynistic attitudes and behaviours towards women. Algorithms push this vile material on to impressionable young minds, and notions of consent to sexual activity have been entirely distorted. It is particularly worrying that this material is being viewed by millions of teenage boys and young men, which is changing male attitudes towards women. 

In my view, the concept of masculinity needs to be rescued from the toxic clutches of self-interested and corrupt influencers such as Andrew Tate, and those who try to emulate him. The popular idea of masculinity must include the qualities of compassion, empathy, solidarity and co-operation. In the Tate narrative, these qualities are “weak”. In real life, they are essential to getting on at work, at home and in society. The Tate idea of weakness confuses anger for strength; physical dominance for self-confidence. Its moral emptiness is filled by the idea superiority over women, as if to make a man feel better for some vague notion of unfairness at the hands of society, women, vegans, or whoever. 

I was glad to speak in a debate in Parliament on this issue last week, alongside women and male Members of Parliament – from both sides of the House – all of whom are united in the need to urgently address the insidious problem of violence against women. Much of this violence takes place in private houses and domestic settings behind closed doors.  

One way to help turn the tide is by men feeling more comfortable about speaking about their feelings and emotions; not bottling things up until breaking point. Not using alcohol or drugs as a substitute for talking feelings through. Being able to talk in a reasonable, calm way about differences of opinion. Knowing how to de-escalate arguments. We can all get better at these things – both women and men.  

But the domestic violence and murder statistics show that men - collectively - need to be a hell of a lot better at it than we currently are. 

We all know that there is a problem with bathing water quality in Folkestone and Hythe. We have two beaches with long-term no swim warnings in place; the only area in Kent with such warnings. This is completely unacceptable. As many of you know, I have long campaigned on this issue; and is the reason why many of you voted for me. 

I know that the issues which have led to this dire situation are systemic and intractable. The solutions lie both at national and a local level. Since being elected in July, I have met with the Environment Minister, Southern Water, the Environment Agency, the District Council representatives, local campaigners, Surfers Against Sewage, attended a technical stakeholder meeting addressing the causes of local water pollution, spoken at events about the problem, and I am working with other MPs who are trying to address these problems. I have also visited the Range Road pumping station and waste water treatment works in Hythe. 

This Labour Government inherited a broken water system that was a ‘Wild West’. On 11 July, the week after being elected, the Environment Secretary agreed with the water companies that new investment in infrastructure would be ringfenced – meaning that spending on upgrades benefiting customers and the environment could not be spent on other things (like bonuses). Company rules will be changed so that protecting the environment and consumers will be a key objective of the company, not just profit making. Compensation to customers when key standards are breached will more than double.  

Then in September, the Government's Water Special Measures Bill passed the first legislative stage. It will block bonuses for water executives who lead companies that pollute waterways. Criminal charges will be brought against persistent law breaking executives. There will also be automatic and severe fines for wrongdoing by water companies. The Bill will ensure that there is monitoring of every sewage outlet in this country, ending the crazy system of “self-policing”.  

Wider systemic changes are likely to come – I hope – through the recommendations of the Independent Water Commission, which was set up last month. It will be examine the regulatory system, ensuring that water bills are more affordable, and that companies are resilient and efficient: by investing in water infrastructure, not dishing out dividends to shareholders.  The Commission will put out a call for evidence soon and I will say more about that when it does so. 

Also, in November, the Government launched a consultation on changes to the Bathing Water Regulations 2013. The Government want to change the way that bathing water quality is classified, to support public health outcomes, the environment, and to adapt the rules to local circumstances. I would encourage everyone interested in this issue to consider submitting a response.   

Finally, I will be organising a public meeting on this issue after Christmas. So watch this space – and check your Surfers Against Sewage app before going in the sea! 

The Case for Vocational Opportunities for Young People

In England today, most 18 year olds – around 64% - do not go to university. For too long, politics has not focussed enough on this group. They have not benefitted from the same educational chances as the 34% of young people who do go to university. That makes no economic, social or moral sense.  

In Folkestone and Hythe, we have incredible potential for a thriving vocational education and training system. We have strengths in the creative industries, independent retail, tourism and hospitality, rail, as well as green energy and nuclear decommissioning. On 13 November, I spoke in a debate in Parliament where I talked about the excellent work of East Kent College to prepare our young people for the world of work. 

However, the potential for a technical education system to supply these and other industries with skilled workers, has been left untapped. In 2022-2023 there were 677 apprenticeship starts in Folkestone and Hythe, but only five apprenticeship starts in the leisure, tourism and travel sector that year, despite the size of the sector in our local economy. And despite the significant number of regeneration projects in Folkestone and Hythe, the number of apprenticeship starts in Construction, Planning and the Built Environment fell by 49% in 2022-23 compared to the year before.  

Unfortunately, the Conservatives did not leave us with an apprenticeship system that was fit for purpose. They introduced the Apprenticeship Levy in 2017, which was a tax that businesses with a wage bill of more than £3 million paid to finance apprenticeships. Since then, the number of people starting apprenticeships fell by 31%. It was encouraging to see that apprenticeship starts grew 3% in the month that Labour took office, demonstrating employers’ optimism following the change of government.   

I am glad to say that the new Labour Government has a plan. It will reform the Apprenticeship Levy. It will establish Skills England which will ensure co-ordination between local businesses and education providers so the system is joined up. More powers will be given to local authorities to implement the skills policies that suit local conditions. These are just some of the Government's policies in this area. The prize is a high-quality vocational education system that is integrated with the world of work. This will improve social mobility and will be one of the best ways to tackle the precarity of the low-skill, low-productivity, low pay economy that we have inherited. 

I look forward to working with local young people, businesses, and education providers across Folkestone and Hythe to help our young people overcome barriers to the education and training they need to lead fulfilling working lives. 

My Thoughts on Assisted Dying

As I write this, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill 2024-25 has just been published. The question of whether a person should be able to end their life at a time of their choosing, rather than face a slow and painful death drawn out over many months – and also causing deep distress to their family members in the process – is a question on which many of you may have personal experience, strong views or both.   

The Bill proposes to legalize assisted dying for certain terminally ill adults in England and Wales. The eligibilty criteria appear strict: it applies to adults aged 18 or older, who are terminally ill with a life expectancy of six months or less, and are mentally competent. The person must express a clear, settled, and informed wish to end their life; two doctors must approve the request; and the High Court must also do so.  

As to safeguards, the Bill includes protections designed to prevent coercion or pressure. It would be illegal to persuade someone through dishonesty, coercion, or pressure to declare they want to end their life. Anyone found guilty of such actions could face up to 14 years in prison. The Bill does not apply to those with disabilities or mental health issues who are not terminally ill.  

Kim Leadbeater MP, who is bringing the Bill, has emphasized that it offers the "safest choice" for mentally competent adults at the end of their lives. She also stressed that the Bill aims to improve both palliative care and end-of-life choices simultaneously.   

I have not decided how I will vote when the Bill comes before the Commons on 29 November 2024. However, as a person who believes strongly in the individual’s autonomy over their body and their life, I support the principle of assisting a person to end their life when they choose. However, the questions around how the scheme will work in practice, and the practicalities relating to the actual death itself, are matters on which I am continuing to deliberate.   

From my own experience – as a lawyer, as an MP and also in my own family - I have dealt with cases of coercion and manipulation of vulnerable adults. I have also seen family members who lack mental capacity, whose quality of life is poor, but who still appreciate a hug, companionship and love.   

I am grateful to the many people who have written and spoken to me about this issue over the last few weeks and months, from both sides of the argument. It is a matter I take extremely seriously and I will make up my mind based on the evidence and my conscience. 

Of all the things people told me on the doorsteps during the general election, the most common refrain was that “nothing works anymore.” People repeatedly said that they just wanted public services to work again: most importantly the NHS.   

The Budget answered voters’ calls. A colossal amount, £70 billion, will be invested into our public services. That includes £20.6bn more for the NHS, £6.7bn more for schools, £2.9bn for the Armed Forces. We can only have a strong economy if we have a population that is healthy, well-educated and safe.  

The mantra of the Budget was "Invest, invest, invest." Our economy will only grow if we invest for the future: there will be £100bn more investment in transport, housing and energy projects during the next five years. For example, the Government is investing £500 million to fix 1 million more potholes over the next year. We want to invest in infrastructure; we can only grow our economy if our roads are fixed, our trains run on time, our housing is affordable and our energy cheap.   

This Budget raises some taxes, but not on workers’ payslips. With rising costs of living, the Government did not think it was right to impose even more burdens on lower and middle income earners. NI, VAT and Income Tax for employees will not rise. If you are paid the National Living Wage, the Government is increasing your pay by 6.7% to £12.21 per hour, equivalent to £1,400 more per year for an eligible full-time worker.   

NI for employers will rise, as will Capital Gains Tax. Smaller businesses are protected with more favourable thresholds. This tax policy is based on a simple principle: those with the broadest shoulders should bear a little more of the burden. Therefore, the Non-Dom tax regime will be abolished and higher rate stamp duty will apply on additional homes. Every motorist will benefit from the freeze on Fuel Duty.  Budgets, whether they are done by the Government, a business or a family, require you to prioritise.   

The Conservatives broke our public services, made billions of pounds of unfunded spending commitments; they had no plan for the future. The first Labour Budget in 14 years will fix the foundations of our economy, deliver economic stability and invest in our future. This is a Budget built for working people; it is a Budget built to last. It is a budget I am proud of. 

The Renters' Rights Bill

Last week I voted for a piece of landmark legislation that will affect every worker in Folkestone and Hythe: the Employment Rights Bill. The Bill will bring the biggest upgrade to employment rights we have seen for decades. 

The Bill will create rights where there are none. If you are a young person starting out in work, you will benefit from the new statutory probation period; and, on day one, you will have the right to bereavement and paternity leave. Exploitative zero-hours contracts will be banned, and you will have the right to a guaranteed hours contract if you work regular hours over a defined period. If you are a care worker, the Bill will bring in Fair Pay Agreements so that you are properly valued for the critically important work that you do. Flexible working will be the default, where practical.  

The Bill will bring security where is insecurity. The Bill will eliminate the waiting period before sick pay starts and end “fire and rehire” and “fire and replace”. If you are pregnant or a new mother, you will benefit from stronger unfair dismissal protections. A new Fair Work Agency will also be established to enforce holiday pay laws.  

This law is about valuing our workforce so that workers are supported to fulfil their potential, instead of being undermined with their rights disrespected, precarity imposed upon them and low pay trapping them in a cycle of poverty and misery. Our economy does not have to work like this. Businesses will also of course benefit: a more secure workforce will be more motivated and productive; staff turnover will decline – a particular problem in some sectors, such as social care.  

The Employment Rights Bill is about renewing our society's contract with workers. We work to live, not live to work, but work is a significant part of our lives; it provides us with purpose and pride. It is exactly the kind of policy I came into politics to bring about.  

This week I wrote to the Rail Minister about the need to upgrade the UK’s freight infrastructure, including along the Wembley to Dollands Moor route, to improve connectivity between the Channel Tunnel and the UK mainline. This project is a no-brainer: we could unblock Kent’s roads, improve air quality and increase UK trade. 

On a separate note, I have just advertised new surgery dates for November: 1st (Folkestone), 8th (Folkestone), 15th (Hythe), 30th (Sandgate). Anyone who lives in the constituency can attend any surgery. To book, please email [email protected] or call 020 7219 7359. See you soon. 

An Update

Last week I was pleased to hold two surgeries on Friday and Saturday, one in Hythe and one in Sandgate. I listened to constituents’ concerns on a variety of issues. The surgeries were successful and there are further surgeries being held this month, one in Folkestone on 18th October, and Saltwood on 25th October. If you wish to attend, please email [email protected] or call 020 7219 7359 and the location will be provided upon booking.  

I received a warm welcome when I visited Palmarsh Primary School last Friday, where I did a Q&A with pupils. I was thoroughly impressed with the pupils’ thoughtful questioning, confidence and optimism. I also joined them for their assembly, where we sang Bon Jovi’s Living on a Prayer, which was a real highlight of my week! 

In Westminster last week I spoke in two Westminster Hall debates. The first took place on World Mental Health Day and was about the level of support for people with mental health conditions. The second was on the humanitarian situation in Gaza in the light of the rapidly worsening situation there. You can read what I said on the Hansard.

The Renters Rights Bill is before Parliament at the moment. Among the many changes it will bring is the abolition of s. 21 “no fault” evictions. This disastrous rule has caused countless people and families to become homeless, through no fault of their own. I am glad it is now being abolished. 

The Employment Rights Bill is also before Parliament. It is a momentous piece of legislation that will strengthen workers’ rights, including by banning zero-hours contracts, strengthening sick pay and increasing protections against unfair dismissal. 

The property agents for the Administrators of Folkestone Sports Centre are expecting bids in this week. I will say more on my Facebook page when I know more. I have heard from several leisure operators who I hope will put in a bid.  

Have a great week. 

Surgeries, Labour Conference, the Middle East and the Sports Centre

Dear reader,

It continues to be a real privilege to be able to serve the area I love. I have enjoyed reading your emails and letters, and helping solve real world problems and improving lives. Following the success of my first surgery in Romney Marsh, I was pleased this week to advertise four new dates in October: 11th (Hythe), 12th (Sandgate), 18th (Folkestone) and 25th (Saltwood). Location will be provided upon booking: please email [email protected] or call 020 7219 7359. I especially welcome enquiries from pensioners who want benefits advice, e.g. Pension Credit. My team has benefits expertise and stands ready to help. 

I had a productive Labour conference last week, where I spoke at several events including on how we build an NHS workforce fit for the future, and UK asylum policy. I also spoke with the National Grid about their work upgrading the electricity grid and the potential for new nuclear at Dungeness. I discussed with Hydrogen UK future trends around HGV hydrogen use, and the changes we may need to see locally to create the green jobs of the future here. With the extremely concerning situation in the Middle East, I was grateful to speak with several Middle Eastern ambassadors to the UK about the conflicts in Palestine and Lebanon and the need for an immediate ceasefire. 

Very concerningly, the Folkestone Sports Centre site was put up for sale earlier this month. I am involved in an application to list the Centre as an Asset of Community Value. I sincerely hope that FHDC decides this application quickly, so that community groups and not for profit organisations have a fair chance to bid for the Centre for the benefit of the community. What we don’t want is for a developer who has no interest in keeping leisure facilities there to get in first. I will keep fighting to make sure they don’t. 

Voting on Rail and Great British Energy

Last week I voted for two very important Bills that will make a positive difference to the lives of Folkestone and Hythe’s residents. I voted to bring our railways back into public ownership and control so that our train services will be focussed on passengers and not profit. This will mean lower train fares for the people of Folkestone and Hythe and more reliable services.   

I also voted to set up Great British Energy, which will be a firm owned and controlled by the public and it will develop the production of energy here at home, so we are not reliant on foreign dictators to supply our energy and control prices. This will be the start of making our energy clean, green and local. 

I have also been working hard to explore ways to ensure that Folkestone Sports Centre re-opens. Together with local Labour councillors and residents, we have applied to the District Council to protect the sports centre site as a community asset. If granted, this will create a further roadblock for any developer who thinks they can buy up the site and replace it entirely with homes. Any attempt to do so would give the community 6 months to put forward an alternative proposal to save the Sports Centre. 

Last week, I also held a constructive meeting with Southern Water about water pollution in our area and I will feed back about that soon.  

As you know, politicians are so often accused of making promises and then breaking them; but the two laws that I have talked about above were in our manifesto and, after 17 days of parliament sitting, the Government has taken swift action to clear their first Parliamentary hurdle. Promises made, promises kept.  

I hope everybody has had a fantastic summer.  There has been so much going on in Folkestone and surrounding areas and I was proud to attend many brilliant events like Folkestone Live – Folkestone’s first fringe festival, Folkestone Pride and the Hythe Venetian Festival. It has also been inspiring and important to visit community organisations delivering essential, everyday support to members of our community such as Shepway Spectrum Arts, Home Start Shepway and the Nepalese Community Centre. 

It has been a very busy time for me over the summer. I have recruited an energetic office team, thousands of emails have been responded to, and I am working hard on important local issues like the reopening Folkestone Sports Centre and Folkestone Library at Grace Hill (watch out for updates on my Facebook page). I also managed to have a much needed week off with my family in Norfolk!  

I am now back in Westminster and working hard to build relationships in Parliament with fellow Labour MPs and ministers, and to represent Folkestone and Hythe’s interests here.  

I am holding my first constituency surgery this Friday 6th September at the Assembly Rooms, Church Approach, New Romney at 3.45-5.15pm. No appointment is needed. I have encouraged those who may be concerned about the impact of the removal of the winter fuel allowance to attend this Friday’s surgery. Many people may be eligible for additional help like pension credit and/or the Household Support Fund, and my office are ready and able to assist those who should be receiving this help but have not yet applied for it. If you are in this position but cannot attend, please email me at [email protected]. Future surgery dates will be publicised imminently.  

My Goals for Folkestone & Hythe

One of the issues at the top of my inbox at the moment is the closure of Folkestone Sports Centre.  I am continuing to work hard to see the sports centre re-open; it is vital for the local community. I am in close contact with the administrators, who have agreed to work with my office; and various leisure centre operators have been in touch with me to show interest in running the centre. The viability of any future proposal will obviously be affected by the financial position of the Trust before it went into administration – particularly its debts. I am expecting to receive this detailed financial information in due course.  As a former competitive swimmer, I know how crucial it is that the sports centre re-opens and I’ll continue working to maximise the chances of this. 

Another issue I am being contacted about by many of you is the ongoing sewage releases across our coastline. Like you, I am deeply concerned about this, which is an issue I have campaigned on for a long time. I will be meeting Southern Water in early September to extract concrete information about their proposed plan to sort out the sewage crisis, so I can hold them accountable. I also plan to meet the Environment Agency and others to help ensure we see an end to illegal sewage pollution of our seas. 

I continue to be struck by the scale of the failure of Kent County Council’s (KCC’s) special needs provision. Scores of worried parents are contacting me about KCC’s failure to provide an appropriate school place for this September. At this late stage, these problems are extremely difficult to resolve but I will do what I can to help those who continue to battle the system for their children. 

My First Column

It is an honour to write this weekly column for the first time as your newly elected Member of Parliament. My commitment to you is simple: to represent the entire community at Westminster – whether you voted for me or not – and to work tirelessly to deliver the change you have voted for.   

The month following on from the election has been a whirlwind. I have spent the last few weeks attending compulsory training in Westminster, finding an office, hiring a team, and setting up the systems I need to represent you effectively.  

I am already working on options to re-open Folkestone Sports Centre and pressing Kent County Council to re-open Grace Hill Library. I welcomed the Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, to Romney Marsh where we visited Cheyne Court Wind Farm and discussed nuclear power at Dungeness. I have pressed the Schools Minister on SEND needs in primary schools. I am getting to the bottom of water pollution in our seas and rivers, and Labour has already secured agreements from the water companies to clean up their act. The King’s Speech announced 35 Acts of Parliament to turn Britain around. 

There is much to do. However, I cannot do this alone and your input will be the cornerstone of my work. You can email me at [email protected]. Please accept my apologies if you have written to me already but have not yet received a response. I’m looking forward to seeing and hearing from you soon through regular upcoming surgeries (watch this space!), community meetings, on social media or simply stopping for a chat in town.  

I believe wholeheartedly in the potential of our constituency, and I am committed to working alongside local leaders, businesses and you, my constituents, to make Folkestone and Hythe the best it can be for everybody.