Before entering Parliament, I served as a Leicestershire County Councillor for several years. That experience left me in no doubt that local government, as currently structured, is often inefficient and unnecessarily complex. In places such as Leicestershire, residents can find themselves represented
Transport connectivity shapes whether young people can get to college or work, whether businesses can grow, and whether communities feel connected or left behind. In the Midlands and North Wales, transport is the difference between opportunity and stagnation. And right now, the
Well, that didn’t take long. After months of speculation, Suella Braverman has finally crossed the floor, metaphorically speaking, and joined Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. The former Home Secretary announced her departure from the Conservative Party earlier today, bringing an end to a
Our canals don’t just connect us; they’re residential areas. In fact, there are more boats on our canals now than during the peak of the industrial revolution, with a quarter of these estimated to be liveaboard residential vessels. Rising rents, a lack
Since becoming an MP, few issues have been raised with me as consistently, or with greater frustration, than the state of our rivers and the conduct of our water companies. In my constituency of Harrogate and Knaresborough, residents see the consequences every
On average, five people a week die because of domestic abuse in this country. In recent years, more of those deaths have been from suicide than homicide. Behind each statistic is a life lost and a family devastated, and, in far too
Telford, the town I call home and am proud to represent, is growing. By 2032, our local authority is projected to hit 200,000 people, which will be 12.5% population growth on 2018. With plenty of land to build, a thriving manufacturing sector,
Last December, the University of Essex announced the planned closure of its Southend Campus, a decision that sent shockwaves through our city. I, David Burton-Sampson MP for Southend West and Leigh, and the Leader of Southend City Council, were informed just 24
Waste Collections and Waste services are at the heart of what all Local Authorities do and underpin an essential part of the daily service they provide to their taxpayers. However, what we have seen over the last 12-months in Birmingham which has
Democracy is the cornerstone of our country. It is how we choose our leaders, hold them to account, and determine the direction of our nation. People judge their local candidates, the party’s manifestos, and vote for those they believe will best deliver
There are moments in public policy when warning signs are visible long before action is taken. Asbestos was once hailed as a miracle material, widely used in homes, schools and workplaces, it was only decades later that its deadly consequences became undeniable
When people ask me ‘why should we care about Nigeria?’ my response is always: ‘how could we not?’ Fifteen years ago, I sat in a comfortable hotel room in Abuja and listened to a man tell me how his wife was brutally
