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New reforms are set to tighten the net on waste criminals with tougher sentences for those illegally dumping waste, and advanced background checks to help put rogue operators out of business.
As part of the major crackdown on waste criminals, underpinned by the government’s Waste Crime Action Plan, laws being laid this week will require waste handlers to prove they are qualified to transport waste.
The current registration system is broken and outdated, relying on a basic registration process with limited identity and background checks. This has been exploited by rogue operators with a poor track record of dumping waste and leaving a huge clean-up bill.
The new and tougher permit-based system will be brought into force in 2027, and require waste handlers to undergo identity, criminal record and technical checks before receiving a permit. They will also need to display their permit number in advertising, including on their vans, making it easier for the public to report unlicensed operators.
For those mishandling waste, they will now face up to five years in prison. The move to permitting will also give the Environment Agency stronger powers to revoke permits and issue enforcement notices.
The government is doubling the budget for waste crime enforcement, with a clear focus on targeting the organised criminal gangs that have exploited the Conservative’s system for years.
By combining stronger digital checks with increased enforcement capacity, these reforms will drive criminal operators out of the sector and restore confidence that waste is being handled safely and legally.
Stephen Morgan, MP for Portsmouth South, has long called for tough action on fly- tipping, which blights the city’s communities. This can be read about in further detail here.
Welcoming the action, Mr Morgan said:
“Portsmouth residents have had to put up with the eyesore of waste building up on our streets and public places for far too long. Illegal dumping blights our communities, harms our environment and costs everyone money.
“New Government reforms send a clear message that if you want to handle waste in Portsmouth, you have to prove you can do it properly”.
Waste Minister Mary Creagh said:
“Waste criminals have abused the system for too long, blighting our countryside and cities alike.
“Through our Waste Crime Action Plan, we’re introducing rigorous background checks for waste traders, shutting down corrupt operators and kicking them out of the industry for good.
“This is just one measure we’re introducing to stamp out waste crime, with law breakers now facing up to five years behind bars thanks to tougher penalties.”
The post Stephen Morgan MP welcomes crackdown on rogue waste operators as Government introduces licensing reforms appeared first on Stephen Morgan MP.
The campaign for a new health hub in South Dereham continues to gather momentum, with plans now being developed for a summit bringing together local representatives, healthcare stakeholders and community voices to discuss the town’s future healthcare needs.
As reported by the Eastern Daily Press, the proposed discussions will focus on the growing pressures facing local GP services, access to NHS dentistry and the wider need for long-term healthcare infrastructure to support Dereham’s expanding population.
George has been leading the calls for improved healthcare provision in South Dereham, writing to both the Health Minister, Stephen Kinnock, and the CEO of the Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care Board to outline the case for South Dereham, particularly as housing growth continues across the area.
The proposed neighbourhood health hub model could help bring together a range of services under one roof, including GP provision, diagnostics, community healthcare and preventative services, helping improve access for local residents while easing pressure on hospitals and existing surgeries.
Further details regarding the summit and wider campaign activity are expected in the coming weeks.
The post Heugh Street Bridge Petition appeared first on Emma Lewell MP.
Meet George – a very special award-winning pooch who supports youngsters at Ysgol Penygaer School.
George and his owner, Pat Stevens, were in Parliament last week as he was one of the winners of the National School Dog Alliance – NSDA’s Primary School Dog of the Year award!
George and Pat volunteer every week to help pupils with their reading and do a remarkable job to improve their confidence and language skills. There are so many potential benefits of young learners interacting with dogs on their social, emotional, physical, behavioural and cognitive development and I’m glad to see that here locally in Llanelli we are helping to lead the way.
Congrats to George, Pat, Penygaer Primary School and everyone who has made this nationally recognised initiative possible!

This is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about how politics really works and to build valuable skills that will help you make your voice heard. Across the two days, you will take part in a full programme of activities, including:
The post Amanda Martin’s Political Summer School 2026 appeared first on Amanda Martin MP.
It’s Mental Health Awareness Week 2026, a week to reflect on the importance of good mental health, improve understanding, challenge stigma and encourage people to seek support when they need it.
Raising awareness about mental health has always been central to this week, however awareness is not always enough, and the Mental Health Foundation theme this year is action.
You can read more about the actions we can all take to improve mental health here: Take action for good mental health | Mental Health Foundation
This week is also a reminder that support is available. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, support is available across Manchester.
Urgent Support
Local Charities and Support

On 1 May 2026, the Renters’ Rights Act officially entered into force, giving 11 million renters across Britain stronger rights, better protections and more security in their homes.
14,647 renters in Clapham & Brixton Hill will benefit from these new laws, which include a long-overdue ban on ‘No Fault’ evictions, ending the practice of tenants being evicted without a reason.
These reforms are designed to give renters greater security, stability and fairness – helping people to put down roots and feel more secure in their homes.
These changes are designed to make renting fairer and more secure, while also giving landlords clear, modernised rules to follow. 1 May 2026 marks the first phase of implementation, with additional provisions coming in later this year and beyond.
This legislation represents a significant upgrade to renters’ rights and I welcome it wholeheartedly but there is still work to do to stop renters being evicted and exploited.
The post Renters Rights Act Comes into Force appeared first on Bell Ribeiro-Addy.
What I’ve been up to throughout March March has been a busy month, both in Westminster and in the constituency. In Westminster, a lot of my time has been spent on the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee, where we have been doing pre-legislative scrutiny of commonhold and leasehold legislation. I asked constituents to
The post March Update appeared first on Sean Woodcock, MP for Banbury.
The post March Newsletter appeared first on Mohammad Yasin MP.

Nesil Caliskan, Member of Parliament for Barking, celebrates the announcement £20 million additional funding for Barking & Dagenham from the government’s Pride in Place programme after launching a campaign for more Pride in Place funding for the borough.
The government has selected Mayesbrook Park, in Mayesbrook ward, and Rippleside, in Eastbury ward, as the beneficiaries of the funding injection.
Nesil has been meeting with and speaking to constituents about where additional funding in Barking & Dagenham should go to benefit local people the most.
The Prime Minister backs UK renewal with a historic £5 billion investment into communities across the UK as part of the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Pride in Place programme.
Residents and Members of Parliament are to play a leading role in deciding the best use of the funding in their own communities. Local people decide how the money is spent, whether it is on improving local high streets, reviving green spaces or on community hubs, pubs and leisure centres.
Nesil Caliskan, Member of Parliament for Barking said:
“I was pleased with the government’s initial announcement of £1.5 million in funding for Barking & Dagenham’s high streets, but local people deserved more to make a tangible impact in our local communities.
“I’ve been campaigning for an uplift on the £1.5 million Pride in Place, speaking to Ministers and urging them to invest in Barking & Dagenham. People should feel pride in the places they live and enjoy the opportunities that emerge from revitalised community centres. That’s why I’m pleased that Barking & Dagenham will now receive £20 million which will make a real difference to our local area and economy.”
A huge thank you to every resident who is helping to organise and who will be attending our peaceful protest to protect our precious Green Belt and Green Spaces.
Setting politics aside, we are standing together to voice our total opposition to the Government’s plan to reclassify our Green Belt as “Grey Belt.”
This is about standing shoulder to shoulder and protecting our community’s future!
I am getting a huge number of messages from people about potholes across Bassetlaw. Our roads are falling apart and it cannot go on like this.
Many drivers tell me they are worried about damage to their cars. They say they have to swerve to avoid deep holes in the road. People are facing huge bills for car repairs to fix damage to tyres. I have even heard about license plates being ripped from cars by deep potholes in some areas.
Recently, I was contacted by residents who live on Sheffield Road in Blyth. The road there is in a terrible state. Large lorries hit the crater holes at speed, and the impact is so strong that nearby houses shake, day and night. Some residents are struggling to sleep through the night because the vibrations are so bad. Some have even seen cracks appear in their brickwork. That is simply not good enough.
I am pushing for the whole road to be properly resurfaced, not just patched up. I am pleased that this request has now been put forward to the County Council as part of next year’s roads budget. I will keep pressing for it to be approved.
I see the ‘dob jobs’ taking place, but this is a quick fix and not a permanent solution. In some cases, the roads crumble again within weeks. The County Council recently spent £75,000 on flags for lampposts. While I love to see our flag flying, is this really the priority when our roads are in such a bad state?
We have heard plenty of excuses. The councillor in charge of roads has even tried to blame my husband, John Mann, the former MP for Bassetlaw. But I have lived here in Bassetlaw for over 25 years, and I have never known our roads to be in such poor condition. Over the past few months, I have reported over 50 potholes across Bassetlaw. But when I go to report them, I often see that they have been reported many times before, and no action has been taken.
Many people ask me what is being done about it. Here are the facts. Nottinghamshire County Council is in charge of looking after our roads. It runs this service through its company, VIA. The Council has been given an extra £8.3 million from the government to fix roads. This is on top of the £70 million it already has for road repairs. I plan to meet with the County Council very soon, alongside other Nottinghamshire MPs of all parties to discuss the issue.
The Council is saying it plans to buy a special machine called the JCB Pothole Pro. It costs about £200,000 and is meant to repair potholes more quickly. However, I am concerned that the previous Conservative administration looked at this in 2021, and found that the machine did not save money, could damage kerbs, and had problems on narrow roads. Most importantly, it did not fix potholes any faster than normal repair methods.
I will be keeping a close eye on how this money is spent. What matters most is that our roads are maintained and properly repaired. My message is clear, use the money and get on with the job.
The post Potholes are the main concern for Bassetlaw residents appeared first on Jo White MP.
An abridged version of this article ran in The Times on 3rd February 2025
In 2007, in the pages of this newspaper, I argued that Britain should seize the moment and move Heathrow to the Thames Estuary, freeing up the congested west London site for much-needed housing while creating a world-leading transport hub fit for the 21st century. It was an ambitious plan—perhaps too ambitious for a nation that has lost its appetite for grand infrastructure. Seventeen years later, what do we have? The same tired debates, the same dithering, and now, a third runway proposal that represents the absolute minimum of what could be done. It is not a vision; it is a concession to stagnation.
Throughout history, Britain built infrastructure that transformed cities and continents. The Victorians laid thousands of miles of railways across India and Africa. British engineers built the world’s first underground railway in London, the great docks of Hong Kong, and the vast shipping hubs that made global trade possible. Ours was once a nation that saw scale and complexity as challenges to be overcome, not reasons to prevaricate. Today, while China constructs floating airports in Hong Kong and Dalian, we are still arguing over a few extra miles of tarmac at an aging airport hemmed in by suburban sprawl.
The case for expanding Heathrow is undeniable. The airport operates at near capacity, with any disruption causing delays that ripple across the global aviation network. Additional capacity is needed. But the third runway is not a bold leap forward—it is an unimaginative compromise. The design is a relic of a bygone era when Britain was still willing to approve large infrastructure projects but had already begun its slow descent into cautious incrementalism. Surely for a solution we should be looking beyond the immediate horizon, daring to create something transformative.
Compare this to the grand infrastructure ambitions of Asia. Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok, which replaced the legendary but perilous Kai Tak airport in the 1990s, was built on reclaimed land. It was a marvel of engineering (mostly British), completed in just six years. Now, China is taking the concept even further: Dalian is constructing a floating airport, pushing the boundaries of what is possible. This is a country that doesn’t simply accept geographic limitations—it overcomes them. Britain, meanwhile, is paralysed by protest groups, endless consultations, and political hand-wringing.
A floating airport in the Thames Estuary—an idea proposed and swiftly dismissed—would have been a statement of ambition. London could have had its own Chek Lap Kok, a world-class hub unencumbered by the constraints of Heathrow’s location. Instead, we are left with a piecemeal expansion of an outdated site, in a project that will take decades and still leave Britain trailing behind.
The environmental argument against expansion is often cited as a reason for delay, but it is a red herring. Modern aviation is rapidly advancing towards lower emissions and greater efficiency. If the concern is air pollution and carbon footprints, the answer is not to stifle airport expansion but to embrace new technology, support cleaner aviation fuels, and invest in modern air traffic management. Britain should be leading these efforts, not using environmental concerns as an excuse for stagnation.
The economic cost of our hesitation is immense. Aviation is a key driver of trade, tourism, and investment. Heathrow’s constraints mean we lose out to European rivals, with airlines shifting long-haul routes to Paris, Amsterdam, and Frankfurt. The third runway, even if built, will do little to reclaim lost ground. By the time it is operational—assuming it even survives the judicial challenges that will inevitably come—other nations will have long since surpassed us.
What Britain needs is a fundamental shift in mindset. We must stop viewing major infrastructure projects as necessary evils to be endured and start treating them as national priorities. This requires reforming our planning laws, streamlining approval processes, and fostering a political culture that celebrates engineering excellence rather than recoiling from it.
The third runway at Heathrow is not the answer—it is a symptom of our decline. Instead of an afterthought tacked onto an aging airport, we should be considering radical alternatives: offshore airports, high-speed rail integration to regional hubs, and a renewed commitment to infrastructure that places Britain at the forefront of global connectivity. We were once a nation that built the world’s most advanced transport networks, that pioneered engineering breakthroughs others only dreamed of. We can be that nation again—but only if we stop settling for mediocrity and start daring to think bigger.
The world is not waiting for Britain to catch up. While we squabble over a single new runway, China is building entire new airports on water. The contrast is stark, and the lesson is clear: boldness breeds success, hesitation ensures decline. If Britain truly wishes to remain a global player, we must abandon the timid incrementalism of the third runway and embrace the kind of audacity that once made us great.
Kit Malthouse 1st February 2025
Christmas is a very special time. It's when we come together with friends and family to take stock, and give thanks for what we have.
Some years – in the best of times, this is cause for celebration.
Other years – it's more complicated if we're missing loved ones,
affected by illness, or facing money worries, homelessness, or loneliness.
Sometimes – let’s be honest, for many reasons, Christmas can just be about getting through it, and that's ok!
Because regardless of the year that’s been, or the circumstances you find yourself in, Christmas offers everyone a precious gift – hope.
The post Toby Perkins MP supports Chesterfield Hedgehog Rescue and Rehabilitation appeared first on Toby Perkins Labour MP.