Whilst I would have hoped for a different result politically, congratulations to all the councillors elected in Adur and Worthing last week. There are big changes afoot as Labour takes over control in Adur for the first time in 24 years…
Speaking in the Renters Reform Bill debate, with the help of Barnardo's Children's charity and Become, care and care leavers charity, I highlighted the (largely) negative impact that private rental prices - rising by 6.2% in the 12 months…
One of the things I will miss most of all after standing down as MP is my time with schools and young people. I have 28 schools within the constituency and most weeks I am doing something with pupils from one of them. It stretches back to…
It is remarkable how nice people are to you when you declare that you are off! For those constituents who have not yet heard I announced at the East Worthing & Shoreham Conservative Association AGHM last Friday that after long deliberation…
Here’s an important reminder that there are lane closures on the A27 between Lancing and the Shoreham flyover starting this Friday from 9pm lasting to 6am on Monday. Eastbound lanes will be closed this weekend, then April 29th, May 13th…
Last week turned out to be rather a busier end to the Parliamentary session before the Easter recess than anticipated, thanks to the Chinese. Along with other MPs sanctioned by the Chinese Communist Government exactly 3 years ago now I was…
It was a busy constituency Friday last week and an early start as I teamed up with Lancing Business Park and medical services firm Eschmann to host a business export breakfast. Fortified by some excellent bacon rolls 40 local businesses…
The Vicar of Findon Valley Free Church must have been pretty envious last Saturday as it was virtually standing room early in the church for the AGM of the Findon Valley Residents Association. It was a tribute to the hard work of FVRA…
This is definitely a different one for me, last week I was interviewed on a range of topics by local resident Michael. The breadth of conversation ranged from my visit to Ukraine to mark the two year anniversary since Russian invasion, my…
There is some good news on local secondary school places as pupil allocations were announced last week by the County Council. After the debacle last year which left over 50 pupils from west Shoreham and especially Swiss Gardens Primary,…
Not surprisingly along with all other Parliamentarians, I have continued to receive a large number of emails from constituents often showing their passionate concern about the heavy loss of life in the ongoing conflict. I share those…
I spent last weekend with Parliamentarians from across Europe and beyond in Kyiv in solidarity with our Ukrainian friends marking the second anniversary of the Russian invasion. It was my first visit to Ukraine and on the face of it little…
Last week was full of Chinese New Year celebrations but as an MP sanctioned by the Chinese Government this mostly involved Tibetans and British Overseas Passport holders who have escaped the Chinese regime’s latest persecution in Hong Kong…
It’s a tough gig but someone’s got to do it. So it was that I presented myself at Iagos Café on the Lancing Business Park last Friday to judge the charity bake-off with some three dozen entries from local firms. My co-judge, and former…
I am sure everyone in East Worthing & Shoreham shares my concern at the news that the King has been diagnosed with cancer and wishes him a speedy recovery. What has been remarkable is the transparency with which King Charles has disclosed…
To celebrate #NationalApprenticeWeek from the 5-11 February I met with representatives from HIT Training, an apprenticeship training provider for hospitality, retail and catering roles across the UK. Located at Shoreham Airport, it was…
It can be a bit stressful when you get a call telling you that the Prime Minister wants to visit your constituency in a few days’ time and he is particularly interested in community projects involving young people. Diaries have to be…
I headed down to Broadwater Road in Worthing last Thursday to see how the new SGN roadworks were working. This is the 800m main gas pipeline replacement close to Bohunt School and extending into Sompting Avenue which is scheduled to take…
In January EYE (Eco, Young, Engaged) Project students from schools across Chichester, Worthing and Adur attended a Q&A session with the CEO of Southern Water, Lawrence Gosden. The students asked pressing questions about sewage overflows,…
Like many of my Parliamentary colleagues across the House, I am appalled by the treatment of the sub-postmasters who were accused of theft based on flawed evidence from the Horizon IT system. Victims' accounts of the impact of these…
Another year, another set of driving conditions locally. The freezing weather after so much rain has raised the threat of remaining surface water turning to ice. Constituents will remember how last year part of the A27 east of Lancing…
This year I made my traditional Christmas visit to Worthing Hospital’s maternity unit and other wards just after Christmas rather than just before. But this time the Mayor and I struggled to give away the copious amount of sweets we had…
As the House closes today for recess, it is highly important that I respond to constituent's concerns about a less than satisfactory postal service around Adur and Worthing in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Here I present my personal as well as the Government's achievements for the year of 2023. Many thanks are owed to my constituents for their time, patience and support and I look forward to the challenges of the coming year.
My efforts to clamp down on inconsiderate roadworks received a tremendous boost last week when the Prime Minister backed my campaign when I raised the issue with him at Prime Minister’s Question Time. It is literally a lottery whether your…
A lot has happened since the appalling attacks by Hamas of October 7th and the situation in Gaza remains unresolved. I share the horror of many people at the continued loss of civilian life, and whilst it is difficult to ascertain reliable…
On Tuesday I supported the Government in delivering the first stage of the Rwanda immigration bill to the House of Commons. With a 44 majority, I am pleased that I supported my colleagues to begin the first phase of immigration control.
Just occasionally the Government gets it wrong, and I find it necessary not to follow the helpful advice provided by the Whips. Last Monday was one such occasion when debating the Victims and Prisoners Bill. The victims in question this…