Welcome to this week's newsletter!
As we approach Remembrance Sunday, it is a time for all of us to honour the sacrifices made by those in our armed forces, and I would like to start this newsletter by acknowledging those who have lost their lives in service to this country, and to express my sympathy to their families who bear the deep impact of that sacrifice every day.
I was honoured to place a Cross in Parliament's Constituency Garden of Remembrance earlier this week, and look forward to attending the Bexhill Remembrance Commemoration Service on Sunday.
Last week saw the publishing of the long-awaited Autumn Budget. This budget is nothing short of a series of broken promises – more borrowing and higher taxes. The increases in NI contributions for employers will translate into lower wages and less jobs, whilst the change to rules that govern borrowing will be paid by future generations.
On a more positive note, I was pleased to join local councillors in Bexhill for the official unveiling of the incredible restoration of Henry & Joyce Collins concrete murals, which sit on the side of Sainsbury’s. Thank you to Bexhill Heritage and the incredible hard work of those volunteers took it upon themselves to bring these murals back to their former glory.
I was also fortunate enough to attend the launch of The Good Story Bistro, a restaurant specialising in Ukrainian food, founded by Valeriya, who recently won the Volunteer of the Year award from Rother Voluntary Action Group. Each soup purchased here will see another ‘paid forward’ as a hot meal for anyone in need. A huge thank you to Valeriya and everyone involved for such a fantastic evening with such a good cause behind it!
Meeting some more dedicated volunteers, I headed down to Bexhill Foodbank and thanked those who give so much of their time to support people in need. I’m proud that we have such a supportive community in Bexhill and was particularly struck by the determination of the team at Bexhill Foodbank to address the root causes for why people need their support.
For the Conservative Party the past week has been one of immense change – Kemi Badenoch is the new leader of the Conservative Party!
I supported Kemi’s bid for leadership early on in the contest. I believed she was the best placed candidate to come up with a clear vision for what we want to offer the country and scrutinise the opposition and I look forward to working alongside her as the party forges a new direction into the future.
In Parliament, I have been able to attend a number of drop-in sessions which have significant relevance to our constituency.
These include the Southeastern & Network Rail drop-in where I raised concerns over recent timetable changes, and more generally the frequency of delays and cancellations; British Gas’ event to discuss support for customers this winter in the face of the Labour Government’s decision to cut Winter Fuel Payments to millions of pensioners; and Heart Restart Tax event in Parliament, to hear from cardiac arrest survivor, Jack Hurley, and his campaign to remove VAT from public defibrillator sales.
These events are a really great way to find out information directly from campaign groups, as is the case from British Gas - for those concerned about how they will afford their energy bills this winter, I have included links to several organisations who provide advice and support in the article below. Please do take a look!
Lastly, I joined Radiotherapy UK at their #CatchUpWithCancer event to hear more about the launch of the Radiotherapy productivity report. Radiotherapy is one of our most powerful tools for cancer cure and treatment and it requires a significant investment if we are to tackle the cancer backlog. I took the time to sign the joint letter to the Prime Minister from Radiotherapy UK calling for further investment in radiotherapy.
And, just before I finish, I wanted to remind all schools in the Bexhill & Battle constituency that I’m holding my 2024 Christmas Card Competition for primary school children. All entries must be submitted by Friday 15th November, with their name, address and school attached.
Have a great weekend.
This Week's Newsletter:
- Remembrance Day
- Kemi Badenoch - Conservative Party Leader
- Budget of Broken Promises
- Sainsbury's Mural Revamp
- The Good Story Bistro Launch
- Bexhill Foodbank
- Southeastern & Network Rail Drop-In
- British Gas Event in Parliament
- Heart Restart Tax Event
- Meeting Radiotherapy UK
- Christmas Card Competition
Remembrance Day
This Sunday marks Remembrance Day as the nation comes together to remember those who paid the ultimate price in service of our country. That we continue to Remember as a society is so crucial – to honour and respect those who lost their lives, but also to remain grateful for what we have.
I was honoured to place a Cross in Parliament’s Constituency Garden of Remembrance earlier this week, following the official opening last week. Each constituency is represented and we place a symbol of remembrance on behalf of all out constituents.
I also took part in a 5-minute cycle as part of Royal British Legion’s 2024 Poppy Appeal. It's a bit of competitive fun in Parliament as all MPs distances are ranked, with all money raised helping the RBL provide lifelong financial, social, and emotional support for the Armed Forces community. I didn't stay near the top for long!
Kemi Badenoch - Conservative Party Leader
After what I’m sure has felt like an incredibly long leadership contest, I’m pleased that Kemi Badenoch has succeeded in becoming Conservative Party leader.
I have supported Kemi for leader since the start of the contest, back in mid-September. I think she understands that the way we do politics has got to change. We must stop pretending there are simple solutions to difficult problems. We must stop offering only platitudes and telling people just what they want to hear. Kemi is someone who believes that more government cannot be the answer to everything, which is a core Conservative value to me.
Kemi isn’t afraid to say the difficult things, but she loves this country and knows what an amazing place it is.
I look forward to the future direction of the Conservative Party, with Kemi forging a new path to challenge the current Government in their policies and in the next election!
Budget of Broken Promises
This budget has made it clear what I feared was the truth - this is the same old Labour Party, with more borrowing and higher taxes. This is a budget of broken promises.
Time and time again they said their plans were fully costed. Rachel Reeves said she would not borrow more and not change government borrowing rules. Both those promises have been broken with Labour changing the rules and borrowing billions and billions more. This will need to be paid for by future generations.
They also promised not to raise national insurance. They broke that promise as well. These increases will mean hard working small and medium sized business owners will in fact see taxes go up and the research is clear – this will translate into lower wages and less jobs.
I’m worried about the impact this will have on the many business locally - on their future ambitions and the job security of their employees.
And sadly, despite all the warnings about the impact it would have on the health and wellbeing of so many people, the Government has not backtracked on their decision to cut Winter Fuel Payments to millions of pensioners across the country. I have been very clear that this decision is not the right one for the people of our constituency with more than 91% of constituents aged 66 and over expected to lose the payment.
Labour told people what they wanted to hear to get elected – that they could fix all our challenges without anyone having to pay for it, without borrowing more, without raising taxes. We found out the truth and I know how deeply disappointed people will be. Their plans will increase inflation, increase borrowing, increase interest rates and reduce jobs.
It is incredibly important that my Party does the hard work it needs to do regain the trust of the public so we can offer them an honest and credible way forward at the next election.
Sainsbury's Mural Revamp
It was great to join local councillors in officially unveiling the beautifully restored mural the amazing volunteers from Bexhill Heritage have spent hours working on. We are lucky to have them and all sorts of other volunteers locally.
For anyone who is unaware, the murals were created by Colchester artists Henry and Joyce Collins, having been commissioned for the at the time newly constructed Sainsburys store.
Having experienced a renovation which was not true to the original design, Bexhill Heritage sought advice from Orbis Conservation, based in London, on how they could restore the murals to their former glory.
It’s a beautiful heritage asset that is now looking even better!
Thanks Bexhill Heritage !
The Good Story Bistro Launch
I was delighted to attend the launch of The Good Story Bistro, a restaurant specialising in Ukrainian food, from which purchases help to go towards people in need.
Founder, Valeriya, recently won the Volunteer of the Year award from the Rother Voluntary Action group for her incredible work with Ukrainian refugees, which started with her and her two daughters opening a soup kitchen out of their home during the COVID lockdown for residents of Bexhill.
This soup will continue to be served in Valeriya’s new Bistro, made with surplus grade two vegetables, with each soup purchased seeing another ‘paid forward’ as a hot meal for anyone in need.
A huge thank you to Valeriya and everyone involved for such a fantastic evening with such a good cause behind it!
For anyone who wants to check it out, and I recommend you do, you can find The Good Story Bistro at 45 St. Leonards Road, or find out more information through their Instagram linked here.
Bexhill Foodbank
Last weekend I visited Bexhill Foodbank to meet and thank volunteers who give so much of their time to support people in need.
I know this is an issue people feel very passionately about and feel more should be done by Government on this issue which I respect. But whatever the points of disagreement I think it is the right thing for me to visit and thank those giving their time in this way.
I believe we all have a role in providing help and support to people in need – generosity and help doesn’t only have to come via the government. Which is why it is inspiring to see so many volunteers coming together, three times per week, to co-ordinate providing essential food that has been donated to the foodbank for families across the area.
I'm proud that we have such a supportive community in Bexhill. I was particularly struck by the determination of the team at Bexhill Foodbank to try and address the root causes for why people need their support.
Southeastern & Network Rail Drop-In
Following my meeting with the Bexhill Rail Action Group, and letters I sent to both Southeastern and Network Rail, I pressed in person for better service and reliability on our local routes.
I raised concerns about recent timetable changes and asked Southeastern to reinstate the 9-minute Ashford connection between HS1 and the Marshlink line, which would help prevent missed connections.
I also discussed ongoing delays and cancellations with Network Rail, asking how they plan to improve on-going infrastructure issues with points and signalling that affect our routes.
I’ll keep working to make sure our rail services are reliable and meet the needs of our community.
British Gas Event in Parliament
I was grateful to meet with representatives from British Gas to discuss their support for customers this winter, as well as some tips to help save energy.
I am very concerned about the Labour Government's decision to press ahead with the cutting of Winter Fuel Payment, as well as the increasing taxes that have come from the budget.
British Gas, and many other energy suppliers, do offer support if you are struggling to pay energy bills or debt. They have helplines to discuss payment plans, and they have also set up the British Gas Energy Trust, an independent charity that can pay for £2,000 worth of energy debt.
There are several other organisations who provide advice and support as well, such as Independent Age, Citizens Advice and Turn2us - Tackling Financial Insecurity Together. These groups can talk through debt issues, help with benefit applications and point you towards other charitable grants or assistance.
Above, you can see me discussing British Gas’ work with Sam, who has worked for British Gas for 35 years. It was good to hear of her experience working for the company. British Gas have published some tips on reducing energy wastage, saving the consumer money, and they can be viewed here.
Heart Restart Tax Event
Last week, I went along to the Heart Restart Tax event in Parliament, to hear from cardiac arrest survivor, Jack Hurley, and his campaign to remove VAT from public defibrillator sales.
19-year-old Jack, from Leicestershire, suddenly collapsed following a cardiac arrest at a football match. He had no prior history of cardiac issues at the time. A nearby defibrillator was used to restart his heart and he has commented that he "would not be here today" had it not been just a short walk away.
The survival rate for sudden cardiac arrest is 8%, but this rises to 70% if a defibrillator is available within minutes. The British Heart Foundation recommend that public defibrillators should be no more than a 3-5 minute brisk walk away at any time. While Bexhill and Battle has more than the national average of public defibs per 10,000 population, around 47% of postcodes in our constituency are outside the recommended distance.
This is especially true of the rural areas of Bexhill and Battle, where access to defibrillators certainly requires improvement. While I'm pleased the Government announced a £1 million grant scheme to help community organisations buy defibrillators, I will continue to push the government to ensure rural areas are not left behind.
Meeting Radiotherapy UK
Last week, I joined Radiotherapy UK at their #CatchUpWithCancer event in Parliament to hear more about the launch of their Radiotherapy productivity report.
Radiotherapy is one of our most powerful tools for cancer cure and treatment and it requires a significant investment if we are to tackle the cancer backlog. Half of cancer patients will need radiotherapy and current waiting lists often mean that it is too late before many can access it. The UK underutilises radiotherapy, using it to treat just 27% of cancer patients, while the global benchmark is around 52%.
I took the time to sign the joint letter to the Prime Minister from Radiotherapy UK calling for further investment in radiotherapy and I was pleased to hear that the government has just announced an additional £70 million for radiotherapy scanners in the Autumn budget.
Christmas Card Competition
A reminder to all schools in the Bexhill & Battle constituency, I'm running my 2024 Christmas card competition for primary school children.
This fun and creative competition gives thousands of local pre-school and primary school children a chance to design a Christmas card, with the winning design to become my official Christmas card, which will be sent out across East Sussex and to His Majesty the King. I am really excited to see the creative ideas that children come up with this year.
There are of course prizes on offer for the winner and two runners up! The winning school will be awarded £100 to be spent on creative arts supplies for the whole school, and two runner-up schools will be awarded £50 each. These prizes have been very generously provided by Blackbrooks Garden centre, which has been a fixture of our local economy for a generation and I'm incredibly grateful for their support.
All entries must be submitted by Friday 15th November, with their name, address and school attached. Either email a scanned copy to [email protected] or post to 29-31 Sea Road, Bexhill on Sea, TN40 1EE.
Good luck to all those children who choose to take part and I look forward to seeing the designs being sent in shortly!
