On Wednesday, the House rose for its summer recess. This means no Parliamentary business can take place until it is recalled again on the 2nd of September.
As there will be no parliamentary business to report on, I will be sending my newsletter out on a bi-weekly basis over the month of August, with the next edition scheduled for the 16th. However, should there be any major events that residents need to be made aware of, I will of course update you through my mailing list and social media.
I hope you have a wonderful summer, and please don't hesitate to contact me should you need anything.
CHANCELLOR'S STATEMENT ON THE ECONOMY
As Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson, this week, I had the responsibility of responding to the statement made by the Chancellor in parliament regarding the state of the public finances.
There is no doubt that the outgoing Conservative Government has left a severe financial mess with which we shall have to contend, and that is why I used my speech to call on the new government to push for growth and to invest in our public services - most importantly working to fix the crisis in our NHS and social care.
I firmly believe that should the Chancellor invest in frontline NHS services such as GP improvement, this will reduce pressures on hospitals and other services, thus saving the taxpayer money in the long term. I will continue to push the new Labour Government to take these actions whilst also urging them to strive for the economic growth that our economy desperately needs.
You can see a clip of my speech here.
BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY BILL
On Tuesday, continuing the economic theme in Westminster this week, Parliament considered the proposed Budget Responsibility Bill. This legislation would, if enacted, ensure that the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is empowered to publish independent forecasts of major fiscal events such as the Budget or Autumn Statement.
These powers would help to avoid a repeat of the Liz Truss mini-budget in 2022, which was delivered without an independent assessment from the OBR and caused significant damage to the British financial markets.
The Liberal Democrats were therefore happy to support this legislation which will help safeguard the British economy from acts of negligence - regardless of who is in Government. It is now important that as we move towards the upcoming Budget in October, we see clear action from the new Chancellor to accelerate growth in our economy whilst protecting and investing in our public services.
You can see a clip of me discussing the current state of the public finances on BBC Breakfast here.
MEETING WITH NETWORK RAIL AND TFL
On Wednesday, I met with representatives from Network Rail and TfL to discuss the regular problems on the District Line that have been impacting both commuters and visitors over the last 6 weeks. The meeting took place at Network Rail's Signal Box near to Richmond Station, and it was interesting to see how the line is managed and faults are handled.
Unfortunately, Network Rail have yet to discover if there is an underlying cause behind the cascade of recent issues. However, they are investigating this and are putting in place a host of new processes to ensure any technical failures are responded to as efficiently as possible. This involves interlinking teams to ensure that there is less bureaucracy when seeking permission to fix other agencies property, and having rapid response teams available so that the fault can be identified and repaired with a minimum of disruption.
I have urged their senior management to do everything they can to ensure this section of the track is made more reliable, and their team has offered to provide a full update on all the works that are taking place to ensure the tracks' resilience. I will be sharing this with residents as soon as I can but in the meantime if you have any further concerns, please don't hesitate to write to me.
CHILDREN'S CANCER CARE: LONDON AND THE SOUTH EAST
Earlier this week, alongside my colleagues Munira Wilson, Paul Kohler, Ed Davey and Bobby Dean, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Health, Wes Streeting MP, to reiterate our request that the decision to move Children's Cancer Care services to the Evelina Hospital be reviewed.
While the Evelina is an excellent hospital, we have argued that it is not in parents or children's best interests to be treated there. Alongside being easier to reach by private transport (essential for immuno-compromised children), St George's Hospital has delivered paediatric cancer care for more than two decades, and has teams specialised in treating some of the most common complications children with cancer face.
As I have touched on in previous newsletters, the decision behind the move seems to have been based on a flawed process that ignored the benefits of St George's and over stated the positive features of the Evelina. You can read our letter to the Secretary of State here.
KINGFISHER LEISURE CENTRE CONSULTATION
Late on Friday, I visited one of the information sessions being held to inform residents about the new designs for the replacement Kingfisher Leisure Centre. While the planned amenities are impressive and the new design offers a significant upgrade on the old, unsafe building, I know that the key question on everyone's minds is when the facility will be built.
The developers should break ground in the spring of 2025 with an estimated completion date in 2027. My concern with any large project of this kind is further delays, but I was reassured by their team that this timeline is well within their ability to deliver and they are now on track.
If you would like to respond to the consultation yourself, or learn more about the project, you can do so online here.
RICHMOND MUSEUM: WISH YOU WERE HERE - FROM HORACE WALPOLE TO TED LASSO
Earlier this week, I was very pleased to be able to attend the opening of Richmond Museum's latest gallery exploring the history of tourism in Richmond over the past 300 years. This fascinating picture of life in our community is a delightful reminder that for generations people have travelled from across the capital and England to see our beautiful corner of the world.
While a great deal has changed in the last 300 years, I was surprised to see that a great many of the issues we face today were present throughout the town's history. From unreliable train services to sewage floating through the river, it appears that we might have more in common with our history than we might often think.
The gallery is open until December and is well worth a visit if you are interested in learning more about our local history.
COMMUNITY NEWS
TEDDINGTON LOCK: WARNING TO ALL PARENTS AND CHILDREN
During the summer period, many young people gather near Teddington Lock to enjoy the river, with some choosing to jump from the footbridge into the water. This is incredibly dangerous, serious injuries happen far too regularly, and tragically some young people have lost their lives in past years.
Anyone considering swimming in this stretch should also be aware that harmful levels of E-Coli may be present in the water. While this changes from day to day, it is important to take all necessary precautions and to avoid ingesting any of the river water.
For more information on swimming in the river safely, visit the Council's website here.
MAKERS UNITED
Makers United are a social enterprise who seek to help aspiring crafters to take the next step in their careers by developing a range of skills from photography to the marketing of their crafts.
The enterprise is launching a 12-week course which aims to help their students make repairs and alterations to our community. The course is an immersive experience which provides local crafters with the opportunity to network with each other and to take part in hands on activities.
The workshop begins on 23 September, and the classes are held every Monday between 10:30am to 12:30pm at the Museum of Richmond. If you are interested in signing-up for the course, you can do so via the following link.
DONATE BLOOD TODAY
I'd like to reiterate the call I made in last week's newsletter for anyone willing to donate blood to come forward.
The NHS has put out an urgent call for O-negative blood donors amid a national shortage. After a serious cyber attack hit the NHS in June, blood checks could not be carried out as quickly as normal. This means that the demand for O-negative blood (which is a universal match for people of all blood types) has skyrocketed, as it has become the only option for many doctors treating urgent medical issues.
Giving blood is an easy way to help support our NHS and local community. You can find your local donation centre with the link here.
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