YOUTH MOBILITY SCHEME:
In the news today, there are reports that the Government plans to announce the introduction of a Youth Mobility Scheme between the UK and the EU. As many of you will know, this has been a matter that I have persistently campaigned for in my role as the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for the Cabinet Office since the General Election.
This rumoured announcement comes just a month after I held a Westminster Hall Debate to call on the Government to agree a Youth Mobility Scheme with Europe, while in January, the Youth Mobility Scheme (EU Countries) Bill, which I co-sponsored, was brought forward by my colleague James MacCleary MP.
While the Government initially pushed back against our proposal, it seems evident that they have been prompted to establish closer ties with the EU following the worrying messaging which has come from our ally across the Atlantic. I have been outspoken in my concerns about the direction the US is taking under President Trump, and I am pleased that the Government has listened to my party’s calls and taken steps to strengthen our relations with our European neighbours.
Introducing a Youth Mobility Scheme between the EU and the UK also sends a clear message that this country is serious about supporting our young people and backing British businesses by taking steps to address the gap in our labour force.
I’m looking forward to scrutinising the details of this proposal and I will continue to hold the Government to account to make sure we get the best possible deal for young people here in the UK.
CANBURY GARDENS:
With Parliament on recess this week, I organised a series of community meetings to speak with my constituents about the issues which matter to them.
The first meeting took place in Canbury Gardens on Monday evening. The topic which led the discussion was the current planning application which proposes converting Canbury Car Park into a set of apartments. As residents noted, the planning application proposes to close Kingsgate Road and replace it with a shared footway for pedestrians. As this is already a busy area, residents raised their concerns that the traffic around the roundabout will only increase further.
After listening to the concerns of many of the Canbury residents, I have since asked TfL to ensure that their modelling of our bus service routes is made available to members of the planning committee before the application is presented to them to ensure that the committee has all of the information available when reviewing this matter.
As many of my Kingston residents will know, the Kingfisher Leisure Centre has been closed since 2019 after it was discovered that the roof required extensive repairs. This has been a source of frustration to residents, myself and the Council, as a series of complications has delayed the repairs and renovations from being pursued. However, I am pleased to say that in the past few weeks, the Council has approved new plans to replace the Centre, and it is expected to be open in Spring 2027.
The last issue which was raised was the concern for the homeless, especially during these cold winter months. Kingston Churches Action on Homelessness provides an excellent service in attempting to assist rough sleepers, as they provide a night shelter during the winter months and hold drop-in advice sessions. When temperatures drop below freezing, Kingston Council also provides emergency accommodation to homeless people via their Severe Weather Emergency Protocol.
EAST SHEEN:
My next question and answer session was held in East Sheen at Richmond Park Academy School. Once again, I was delighted to see such high engagement from local residents on a range of topics.
I was especially pleased to see some younger members of the audience participate in the discussions, as one member asked about my views on reducing the voting age to 16. This is a matter which I support, as 16 and 17-year-olds are impacted significantly by changes during a government’s term in office, and for some people, their first chance to cast a vote in a UK General Election is not until they are 23-years-old.
In addition, allowing young adults to vote means that they will likely be voting for the first time when they are in full-time education and at home. This will hopefully provide an environment in which young people are encouraged to vote for the first time.
One of the topics which was raised earlier on the discussions was the Government’s signal of support to Heathrow to encourage them to submit a proposal for a third runway. Specifically, one resident highlighted the Chancellor’s wishful assertions that the environmental concerns would be addressed by the exponential developments of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF). As the resident pointed out, a recent report showed that 90% of the UK’s SAF uses Chinese cooking oil as its primary component. This would be classed as a First Generation SAF, and one which even the previous Government recognised as not being a sustainable option.
BARNES:
The developments, or lack thereof, regarding Hammersmith Bridge dominated the discussion, as residents echoed my frustrations that repairs to the bridge are yet to be carried out nearly 6 years after it closed to vehicles in 2019.
Another topic that was raised was the fairness of our electoral systems. This issue cannot be ignored anymore following the most disproportionate UK Parliamentary election result in history, as the Labour Party won 411 seats with just 33.7% of the vote share.
The resident asked in particular why this is a matter which I have been pushing for considering that the Liberal Democrats won a very similar proportion of seats to the percentage of votes that were cast for our party. However, this actually places us in a position in which we are able to advocate for change based on the principles of a fairer system without being accused of favouring proportional representation for self-serving purposes.
THAMES WATER MEETING:
A theme which was consistent across all three of the question and answer sessions was the frustrations that residents have with Thames Water. Earlier this week, Thames Water received court approval for a £3 billion emergency loan which has ensured that the company will be able to continue to operate until at least the end of the year. One of my colleagues, Charlie Maynard MP, has been leading the opposition to the provision of this loan by providing evidence in the High Courts to state that it is not in the public interest to provide Thames Water with this short-term bailout, and I am proud to have been a supporting signatory to his evidence.
This is not the only major news produced by Thames Water recently. As some residents may be aware, the water company has appealed Ofwat’s Final Determination to the Competition and Markets Authority. The Final Determination published by Ofwat in December 2024, set out the price controls and targets for water companies over the next 5 years. This determination has enabled Thames Water to increase their customers’ bills by 35%. Concerningly, Thames Water have appealed this decision as they believe they need to be allocated additional finances to be able to meet the targets set by Ofwat.
On Wednesday, I met with Thames Water’s Director of Economic Regulation to raise concerns about these price rises. The water company did admit to a mismanagement of their finances over the prior decade, but they stated that this would be the first time that their customers’ bills have risen in real terms since 2010. The Director of Economic Regulation also recognised the difficulty that many customers will have in paying these higher costs, and stated that they will be extending their support scheme to 1 in 10 households to assist with the most vulnerable people’s bills.
Despite these circumstances and the additional safeguards put in place, the past week has only reinforced that it is necessary for Thames Water to be put into Special Administration, and I have penned a letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to call on the Government to take this action.
THE KINGSTON ACADEMY AND TIFFIN GIRLS’ SCHOOL FINALISTS:
I am delighted to highlight that teams from both The Kingston Academy and Tiffin Girls’ School have made it to Young Enterprise’s regional final which takes place next week. The tournament put on by the charity, Young Enterprise, is aimed at encouraging an entrepreneurial spirit and engagement amongst young people, and the tournament was open to students to submit their business proposals for consideration.
I visited the finalists from both schools last Friday to pass on my congratulations to them. The Kingston Academy students presented an idea for a sustainable fashion business in which they use the fabric from old garments to make new products such as small gift bags and scrunchies. This type of environmentally friendly product is one which many consumers look out for, and I understand that the group already sells their products within the school community.
The Tiffin Girls’ School group had made a women and girls focused board game called ‘A Woman's Way.’ To move around the board, you had to successfully answer questions about famous and important women. The game shines a light on some lesser known women in society who undertake exceptional work in their fields, and the game provides an excellent educational opportunity for all participants.
I would like to thank the staff and students at both The Kingston Academy and Tiffin Girls’ School for organising these presentations and for being excellent hosts.
TIFFIN BOYS 6TH FORM QUESTION AND ANSWER:
On the same day as my visit to The Kingston Academy and Tiffin Girls’ School’s students, I attended Tiffin Boys School for a question and answer session with their politics students, and I was happy to field some interesting, but challenging, questions.
One of the students asked about the successful campaign that the Liberal Democrats undertook in the lead up to the July General Election. The student stated that, while it did result in our party gaining 72 seats, the campaign may have lost us some votes from certain members of the public. While I am sure that many of you will have seen many of the stunts that our leader, Sir Ed Davey, participated in, there was always an important message behind them, such as social care for the elderly or cleaning up our rivers, and the stunts drew mainstream media attention to these issues which have been overlooked for too long.
Another question which was asked was my views on the leaders of the other major parties. Nigel Farage’s recent failure to condemn President Trump’s comments regarding President Zelenskyy has shown that The Reform Party are more interested in appealing to President Trump rather than standing up for Britain’s interests. The Prime Minister’s approval ratings across the country tell a story in itself, while he has been given an easy ride of things thus far by the opposition leader, Kemi Badenoch.
Other topics, such as what a week looks like as a Member of Parliament, the UK’s relations with the EU and President Trump’s election were raised by the students, and their engagement and knowledge of these topics at a young age was encouraging to see.
HOSPITALITY APPRENTICESHIP DROP-IN:
Last week was National Apprenticeship Week, and I was pleased to mark it by speaking with one of my constituents at the Hospitality Apprenticeship Showcase in Parliament. Hospitality is a key, and at times, underappreciated, sector, and it was very interesting to hear about the course that my constituent is currently enrolled in at a pub in Richmond Park.
It is vital that young people’s skills are developed through apprenticeships as an alternative avenue for people who do not wish to go to university, and it is key that apprenticeship schemes are provided to those who wish to pursue practical jobs which require teaching and developing.
COMMUNITY NEWS:
FAITH TALKS - COMING HOME:
All Saints Church in Kingston are running their final Faith Talk debate on Wednesday 26 February.
The session will focus on the topic of housing, and how to embark on providing safe, affordable accommodation for the people that need it. The main speaker at the event will be the Rt Revd Dr Graham Tomlin, former Bishop of Kensington, and a key figure in the Church’s response to the Grenfell tragedy.
The event runs from 18:30-20:00, and will be conducted as a town hall-style meeting, with questions encouraged from the audience. You can find out more about the event by clicking here.
KEW ECOFAIR:
The Kew EcoFair will be returning on Saturday 22 March, at St Luke’s Church in Kew.
The event focuses on bringing communities together to take action on the pressing issue of climate change, and it will be opened by Jeremy Vine and the Mayor of Richmond Borough, amongst other important figures.
Activities on offer include a health check for your bikes, a repair café for broken items, and a second hand clothes sale, as well as various free activities for children.
The fair will run from 10:00-15:00, and you can find out more about it by clicking here.
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