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Welcome to my May newsletter, with updates of what I have been up to as your MP. If there is anything you think I should know, or anything you think I could help with, please get in touch by clicking here. |
Tackling antisocial behaviour around our beaches and town centres |
Thanet will always welcome visitors, but with the hot weather comes examples of unacceptable drunken and antisocial behaviour. Last year, after serious disorder in Broadstairs, I brought together residents, businesses, the police, and service providers, and secured additional measures including extra police patrols and tougher controls on train fare dodgers coming here to make trouble. We have seen big improvements in preparation and responsiveness since last year. Since the last election 65 additional police officers have been recruited in Kent, and over the May bank holiday weekend we did see the police act swiftly to boost patrols, introduce dispersal orders, and make arrests. But we do need to go further still so this is something I am continuing to discuss with Kent Police and Thanet District Council. I have launched a petition calling on Southeastern Rail to introduce ticket barriers at Broadstairs station to deter troublemakers – something the local police have also called for. You can watch me talking about it on ITV news here, and please do sign the petition by clicking the button below. |
Discussing recent antisocial behaviour in Broadstairs and my campaign for ticket barriers at Broadstairs station on ITV News |
Launching my MP summer school for young people in Thanet |
I am launching a new one-week summer school in East Thanet this July to help inspire the next generation of political leaders from our community. Open to young people aged 18 to 24, the programme will give participants the chance to build communication skills, meet experienced campaigners, and gain a deeper understanding of how politics works locally and nationally. I want to make politics more accessible to young people from ordinary backgrounds, so they can help shape their community. Find out more and sign up by clicking here. Applications close on 21 June. |
Visiting a Palestinian school destroyed by Israeli settlers in the West Bank village of Zanuta (left), and at one of the sites of the October 7 massacre at Kibbutz Kfar Aza in Israel with Liora Eilon, whose son Tal was killed defending the kibbutz (right). |
My trip to Israel and the West Bank |
This month I visited Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories with the organisation Yachad. It has been twenty years since I last visited, and while we all know how much worse the political situation has become in that time, meeting people and listening to their heartbreaking stories was a deeply moving experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life. During the visit, I met with survivors of the October 7 terror attack, Palestinians living their lives under the constant threat of settler violence, and representatives of the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority. Every meeting I had underscored how desperately we need to push for a resolution to this terrible conflict, including the need for the UK to increase pressure on the Israeli government. |
Iran war and my campaign to cut bills and boost our national security |
I am continuing to call for the UK to convene an International Energy Summit in response to Donald Trump’s disastrous Iran War. Turbocharging our efforts to make the transition to secure, homegrown renewable energy is the economic opportunity of our lifetime, offering us the chance to escape the cycle of soaring bills, boost our energy independence, and leave our country more secure. You can watch a clip of me raising this in parliament by clicking here and read my article calling for more help for households with their energy bills by clicking here. |
With Gemma as she meets health minister Sharon Hodgson to discuss her campaign to lower the age for mammogram screenings |
Local chemotherapy nurse Gemma meets with Health Minister about her breast cancer screening campaign |
So many of you are backing the brilliant campaign by local chemotherapy nurse Gemma to lower the age that women are invited to breast cancer screenings. I raised Gemma’s petition at Prime Minister’s Questions recently, and secured her a meeting with the Health Minister which took place this month. At the meeting, the Minister agreed to examine recent data about the age at which women are being diagnosed with breast cancer, so we can see whether the screening age needs to be lowered. Gemma’s petition will be debated by MPs soon, so I look forward to welcoming her to parliament again. |
New government-funded health hub and youth hub are officially launched in Thanet |
I was delighted to be invited to join the opening event for the new Thanet Community Health Hub and the new Youth Employment Hub this month. These brilliant new resources for our community are great examples of the investments the government are making in local services after fourteen years of cuts. Amazingly, the health hub has already seen more than 28,000 patients since opening, helping to relieve pressure from our GP surgeries and hospitals and get our local NHS fighting fit again. |
At the official opening of the Thanet Community Health Hub |
Renters Rights Act comes into force |
On 1 May, Labour’s Renters Rights Act came into force, banning no fault evictions, restricting rent increases to once per year, making long-term tenancies standard, capping rental deposits at one month’s rent, and banning rental bidding wars. New rules also mean landlords cannot unreasonably refuse requests by tenants to keep a pet. These important new rules will strengthen security and fairness for the many people in Thanet living in rental properties. |
This month I have visited some fantastic local organisations and community groups including: At A+C Studio, Margate, I talked about the value creative businesses bring to Thanet and the brilliant global impact of their animation studio. I got to see the Festival of Cats exhibition showcasing local artists’ amazing depictions of our feline friends. I visited the STAK.Life exhibition at ARK Community Space in Cliftonville, which is raising funds for mental health support for local young people with autism through an exhibition of national and local artists. I spoke with children and staff at St Mildreds School in Broadstairs about upcoming education reforms. I learned about the creative ways that Holy Trinity and St Johns Primary School in Margate is delivering SEND provision and met the kitchen team who showed me just how important school lunches are for children’s education. I visited the Royal Harbour in Ramsgate and saw the amazing Standing with Giants installations that remind us of the efforts of ordinary people to fight for our values and freedoms.
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Launching the brilliant new Youth Employment Hub in Thanet |
This month, my team and I have been able to assist residents to resolve issues that they’ve been experiencing. Helped to arrange the clearing and clean-up of an area of overgrowth and waste that sat behind a constituent's property. Assisted a constituent to obtain a refund from a court cost. Worked with East Kent NHS to address several concerns regarding prolonged waiting times for treatment and poor patient experiences.
I’m always happy to help. If you think I could be of assistance, please get in touch by clicking here and I will see what I can do. |
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