I am pushing for solutions to the NHS dentistry crisis. I am a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group that recently met the minister and was able to press him on the issue of dentists going private with little warning.
I have heard from many people in Thornbury and Yate who are suffering hardship because their civil service pension has been delayed. I asked the Minister what the Government was going to do about it.
I am proud to have brought Gympanzees CEO Stephanie Wheen together with Minister Stephanie Peacock. The charity has campaigned for a centre that will give children with SEND the play and exercise they deserve. I hope they can get the funding they need to fully open this year.
A reminder that I will be holding surgeries in Iron Acton and Coalpit Heath on Friday.
It was good to meet two of the Joint Chairs of the Chipping Sodbury Chamber of Commerce to discuss concerns affecting businesses in the town.
I have asked the Education Secretary to pledge sufficient funds for new initiatives so schools in Thornbury and Yate don’t have to raid their existing budgets.
I have a constituent who is stuck in Qatar as a result of the current conflict in the Middle East. I asked the Prime Minister what plans there are to support people like her who are stuck in transit and how people will be prioritised for evacuation.
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Starmer needs to get on the phone to Trump and ask him to set out a plan to protect civilians and support a democratic transition in Iran.
We've seen before that bombs don't bring about democracy and regime change without a plan just leads to more chaos and suffering.
I was pleased to be able to raise the concerns of hundreds of constituents who have written to me concerned about the impact of social media on our young people. The Liberal Democrats are proposing a film style age rating system to protect children from harmful social media.
South Gloucestershire is one of the lowest funded areas for schools in the country. Parents are rightly concerned that their children will suffer with the changes announced for SEND provision. The Education Secretary's answer to my question leaves me fearing more problems.
www.libdems.org.uk/ageratings
This morning I met Year 6 pupils at Abbotswood Primary School. We talked about the issues they'd raised in the brilliant letters they wrote to me and they asked some really insightful questions about life as an MP.
People's Voice are looking for new members! Get in touch if you or someone you know has a learning difference or neurodivergence and is passionate about improving the lives of others, please contact peoplesvoice@wecil.org.uk
Thank you for the warm welcome from the Thornbury & District Stroke Support Group. It does activities from knitting to swimming and helps stroke survivors feel less isolated. They are looking for new volunteers, especially to become trustees and drivers. mythornbury.co.uk/thornbury/d/...
It was great to celebrate today's Chinese New Year with the Hong Kong community in Yate on Saturday. Thank you to all the volunteers who put on such a fantastic event, it was packed with people enjoying the festivities.
I had a great visit to the Bristol and Bath Science Park with other regional leaders to see the @bristoluni.bsky.social amazing Isambard AI supercomputer, more powerful than all the UK’s other supercomputers combined! I also saw the @uniofbath.bsky.social IAAPS propulsion systems research facility.
I asked the minister why pharmacies in Thornbury and Yate aren’t getting more referrals from GPs - and getting paid for their work.
It was great to visit the 1st Ram Hill Scout Group where the HQ was a hive of activity. They have spaces for Scouts, but have 75 younger children on the waiting list and need volunteers so more kids can enjoy scouting. If you are interested in helping contact hello@1stramhillscouts.org.uk
I've been to see the latest work on the Badminton Road M4 bridge - and ask when it's going to open.
We need a full public enquiry into the involvement of the British establishment in the Epstein network so that we can get the full truth of the matter and the victims get the justice they deserve.
I am supporting Owain’s Law. It campaigns for brain cancer patients who in some areas are being denied treatment because their tissue samples aren’t being stored properly. It means they miss out on personalised treatments and advanced diagnostics. This postcode lottery must end.
A speculative application has been made for 900 homes in Coalpit Heath, on fields around Frog Lane. This is separate to proposals for homes off Roundways. It’s not in the local plan and I don’t support it. A consultation runs from Monday: www.landatfroglane.co.uk
When Keir Starmer made Peter Mandelson his US Ambassador – even after his Epstein links were well known – did he think at all about Epstein's victims?
The Prime Minister's answer simply wasn't good enough. Epstein's victims deserve far better.
Don't forget, I am holding surgeries on Friday. Get in touch if you'd like to discuss an issue with me.
I spoke in the Commons earlier and questioned the Prime Minister’s judgment over appointing Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador in the first place.
