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Stephen Morgan MP has thanked NHS staff in Portsmouth for their hard work in continuing to get waiting lists down, as the Labour government marked a year since the publication of its Elective Reform Plan designed to cut waits.
Across England, the NHS saw the waiting list fall by more than 86,000 in November to 7.31 million, as new data today shows staff faced record demand in 2025.
The progress came despite the NHS’s busiest ever year, with 27.8 million A&E attendances in 2025 – over 367,000 up on 2024, with 2.33 million attendances in December alone.
At Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, waiting lists have fallen by 6,055 since the election.
In the year since the Elective Reform Plan was launched, Labour have brought in record investment and real modernisation to cut waiting lists – including creating more evening and weekend clinics, new and expanded community diagnostic centres and surgical hubs, crack teams of experts being sent to 20 hospital trusts across England with the highest levels of economic inactivity, and cutting unnecessary appointments by sending patients “straight to test” rather than multiple clinic visits.
However, Mr Morgan warned that winter pressures continue to persist as hospitals battle the flu, and urged anyone eligible in Portsmouth that it’s not too late to take up the flu vaccine to protect themselves and others.
Commenting, Stephen Morgan, MP for Portsmouth South, said:
“NHS staff in Portsmouth have worked incredibly hard to shrink down the waiting list while seeing a record surge in patients last year.
“Thanks to the Government’s Elective Reform Plan, our record investment and modernisation, over 6,000 more patients got a faster diagnosis in Portsmouth and received quicker treatment or the all-clear since the election.
“This is despite services facing consistently high levels of pressure and experiencing another record year for A&E and ambulances.
“It will be a long road, but Labour is fixing our health service in Portsmouth and making it fit for the future and beyond”.
The post Portsmouth sees major waiting lists drop in November – as England sees second biggest drop in the waiting list in 15 years appeared first on Stephen Morgan MP.
• Llanelli MP Dame Nia Griffith hails Labour UK Government’s backing for forces families as 780 forces family homes in Wales set for a boost with landmark new legislation brought forward today.
• New Defence Housing Service to be put into law as the Armed Forces Bill is introduced to Parliament, turbocharging biggest renewal of military housing in a generation.
• UK Government also delivers on manifesto commitment to boost support for brave personnel as Armed Forces Covenant to be extended improving services for tens of thousands of serving personnel and veterans.
780 military homes across Wales will benefit from new legislation, newly introduced to Parliament, to create a new, publicly owned Defence Housing Service to renew tens of thousands of military homes and address years of underinvestment.
The new service is backed by Labour’s record £9bn Armed Forces Housing strategy to end the scandal of poor-quality military housing and build homes fit for heroes.
The legislation will establish the Defence Housing Service and turbocharge a generational renewal of nine in ten forces homes while kickstarting the development of 100,000 homes on surplus defence land, with personnel and veterans the first in line.
This announcement was made possible by Labour’s deal to bring 36,000 forces family homes back into public ownership earlier this year, including 780 homes in Wales. This ended a disastrous 1996 Tory privatisation of military housing which cost the taxpayer billions. Labour’s landmark buy-back saved over £200 million per year in rent payments, savings which are now being reinvested in fixing forces homes.
The Armed Forces Bill will also for the first time extend the Armed Forces Covenant across all areas of central government, devolved governments and local authorities – fulfilling a manifesto promise. This means social care, employment support and other public services will be legally required to consider the unique circumstances faced by forces personnel and their families.
The move will benefit hundreds of serving personnel in Wales and over 7,200 veterans in Carmarthenshire.
The plan delivers on Labour’s manifesto commitment to back Britain’s Armed Forces community after years of chronic underinvestment by the Conservatives drove down military morale driving many to leave the forces.
Confirming the major boost for local military families, Dame Nia Griffith, MP for Llanelli said:
“This new legislation will put forces and their families first, delivering the support that they rightly deserve.”
“Thousands of current and former service personnel will benefit from improved access to local services, delivering on our manifesto commitment, and through our new publicly-owned Defence Housing Service, we will be deliver the biggest boost to military homes in a generation.”
Sickle cell anaemia remains the UK’s fastest growing genetic condition, with nearly 300 babies born with it every year. Instead of seeing an increase in capacity for specialist treatment to meet this growing demand, we are now seeing the trial closure of the Sickle Cell Day Unit at the Royal London Hospital. The loss of this service will put further pressure on neighbouring services, extend emergency travel time, and place patients at serious risk during a crisis. Please consider signing the petition to protect this vital service.
The last government failed to heed the advice of the Sickle Cell APPG’s landmark report, ‘No One’s Listening’. I asked ministers to remedy this failure and deliver a national strategy for specialised sickle cell treatment.
The post Business Question on the Sickle Cell Day Unit’s Closure appeared first on Bell Ribeiro-Addy.
The impact of the Government’s changes to business rates on pubs and hospitality businesses threatens the viability of many pubs, cafes, B+Bs and small hotels in Mid Norfolk.
Rachel Reeves’s stealth tax on pubs, with the average town or village pub facing an additional £6,000-£7,000 per year in business rates represents a huge 63% rise in business rates bills with some pubs seeing their rateable valuations double or even triple.
The impact? With households also reeling from the wave of Budget taxes on working people meaning less disposable income, and unemployment rising fast, we are going to see more & more hospitality businesses lost across Norfolk.
Nationwide forecasts show 000’s of hospitality business closures and the loss of c*15,000* jobs.
Many small and self employed hospitality businesses closed with the pandemic and Ukraine War cost of energy surge.
The survivors are even more vital to our local towns and villages.
The Government’s hike in business rates simply must be stopped if we want to save our last local pubs, cafes and hospitality businesses.
While there is growing speculation that ministers will change course, any decision must properly recognise the enormous contribution pubs and hospitality businesses make - not just to the local economy, but to the wider community.
Across this Mid Norfolk rural constituency, pubs are quite literally the beating heart. They create jobs, bring people together, support tourism, and sustain our high streets and villages.
At a time when landlords are already grappling with rising energy costs, staffing pressures and high taxes, this increase in business rates could not have come at a worse moment.
The confusion and uncertainty created by last year’s Budget has been deeply damaging for many pub operators.
Tourism is the number one earner for Norfolk; Treasury decisions are basically hammering this industry and they must think again. Driving people out of business with bad taxes does not support growth or the UK economy.
That’s why I’ve been a longstanding supporter of The Pubs The Hub campaign and in 2024 launched the All Party Fair Funding for Rural Areas Campaign and Manifesto.
Ministers and policymakers in London don’t seem to understand that in rural areas our family farms and small businesses, pubs and cafes are the lifeblood of our local economy.
That’s why I have written this letter to Ministers asking them to
urgently review the impact of the revaluation on pubs
bring forward targeted relief to safeguard this vital sector
meet me & delegation of hospitality businesses and publicans from Mid Norfolk to hear what these proposals will mean on the ground
Details of my Fair Funding for Rural Areas campaigns here: https://www.georgefreeman.co.uk/rural_premium
Jeff Smith MP has welcomed the Labour Government’s response to the consultation on pavement parking, following years of delay from the previous government.
Pavement parking has been raised repeatedly with Jeff by Manchester Withington constituents, particularly disabled people, older residents, parents with pushchairs and those who rely on pavements being clear and safe. Jeff has pressed the Government for action, including raising the issue in Parliament.
The consultation on pavement parking closed over five years ago, but no action was taken under the previous Conservative government. The Labour Government has now published its response and set out a clear route forward.
Under the proposals, local authorities will be given stronger and clearer powers to tackle pavement parking at a local level, rather than through a one-size-fits-all national ban. New enforcement powers will also be introduced through secondary legislation in 2026 to deal with unnecessary obstruction of pavements, alongside statutory guidance to support councils in applying the rules fairly and consistently.
Jeff Smith MP said:
“Residents in Manchester Withington have been raising pavement parking with me for a long time, particularly those who face real barriers getting around safely when pavements are blocked.
“This consultation sat unanswered for years under the Conservatives. I’m pleased that the Labour Government is now taking action and giving councils the tools they need to deal with this problem locally, so pavements are safer and more accessible for everyone.”
The measures are intended to improve accessibility, safety and confidence for people using pavements, while allowing councils to reflect local street layouts and community needs when applying the new powers.
Families in Portsmouth North are more than £1,500 better off when taking out a typical mortgage since Labour came to office, new analysis has found.
A household taking out a new, representative, mortgage on a £245,000 house in December 2025 – the median price in Portsmouth – will pay £1,570 a year less than if they took out an identical mortgage in June 2024, at the time of the election.
This means that families taking out a new mortgage are saving around £130 each month – putting money back in people’s pockets.
These savings have been felt by households in every corner of Portsmouth North.
If quoted mortgage rates fall by a further 0.5ppts over the coming year, that saving will rise to £1,960.
Following the disastrous Liz Truss mini-budget, two-year fixed mortgage rates shot up to over six per cent in October 2022. That piled misery onto families, adding hundreds of pounds onto their monthly bills when buying a home or remortgaging in the period that followed.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ management of the economy since the General Election has meant that interest rates on typical mortgages fell from 5.16% in June 2024 to 3.97% in December 2025.
That stands in stark contrast to the Tories’ catastrophic record which saw the economy crashed and family finances fleeced.
Nigel Farage’s Reform have promised to go further than the Tories’ disastrous policies, splurging billions on unfunded pledges, which risks interest rates rising again, and putting up every mortgage in the country.
The news on mortgages comes alongside a wider package of measures introduced by the Labour government that will give security to and protect the pockets of working people in their living arrangements.
As mortgage holders benefit from reduced costs, the Renters’ Rights Act – coming into force on 1 May 2026 – will see ‘no fault’ evictions banned, and it will become illegal for landlords and letting agents to:
Commenting, Amanda Martin, MP for Portsmouth North said: “I am proud to be part of a Labour Government that is delivering upon its manifesto commitments to tackle the issues that matter most for people across Britain.
“These figures clearly demonstrate that our approach to bringing down the cost of living is working, and I am happy to see that change is being felt across the country and including here in Portsmouth.
“I know that this will make a meaningful difference to many people across this city.”
James Murray MP, Labour’s Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said: “The Tories dealt a hammer blow to family finances when they crashed the economy and sent mortgages, rents and bills soaring.
“Labour is bringing the cost of living down. We’ve stabilised the economy, leading to six interest rate cuts and lower mortgage costs.
“We’re also cutting £150 off average energy bills, freezing rail fares, freezing prescription fees, raising the minimum wage and lifting over half a million children out of poverty. This is the year when working people across Britain will start to feel the benefit of the change Labour is delivering.”
The post Families securing cheaper mortgages across Portsmouth South as costs fall by over £1,500 annually since the election appeared first on Amanda Martin MP.
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The closure of Banbury Museum would be a devastating blow for our town. I have created this petition to urge Cherwell District Council to find alternative funding, so the museum can continue to serve our community. Please see the petition below: https://www.change.org/p/save-banbury-museum-and-gallery-urge-cherwell-to-source-alternative-funding
The post Banbury Museum Petition appeared first on Sean Woodcock, MP for Banbury.
This Budget is about making fair choices for the British people.
We’re stabilising the economy and doubling down on driving growth.
We’re supporting our high streets and tackling the cost of living.
We’re building a stronger, fairer country – one where child poverty falls and living standards rise.
After years of decline, there is a lot of work to do. But this government is committed to making the right choices for our country.

The post Budget 2025: Reaction from Liz appeared first on Liz Kendall.
Local beauty businesses and students showcased their contribution at a special event in Westminster.
Nesil Caliskan, Member of Parliament for Barking, helped local beauty businesses “take over Parliament” to celebrate this year’s British Beauty Week. Hairdressers, nail salons and beauty academy students – all from Barking and Dagenham – were invited to Parliament by the MP for a special reception and tour.
British Beauty Week is promoted by the British Beauty Council every year to celebrate the contribution of beauty businesses to our economy and high streets.
The theme of this year’s Beauty Week is the future of beauty, highlighting the industry’s innovation and sustainability. The UK beauty industry contributes over £31 billion to the economy each year and supports more than 85,000 jobs in London.

Commenting on the takeover, Nesil Caliskan, Member of Parliament for Barking said: “I invited local beauty businesses and students to takeover Parliament to celebrate their contribution, let them know how important they are for our community, and how much this government values them.
“They employ hundreds of local people, bring life to our high streets, and help people feel great every day. They are vital for our local economy, and today’s takeover proved the future of beauty is undoubtedly in Barking and Dagenham.”
Victoria Brownlie, Chief of Policy & Sustainability at the British Beauty Council, who was at the event, said: “The hair and beauty industry provides so much to so many and events like this help those working in the industry to feel seen, recognised and appreciated, just as they deserve to. Their social, cultural and economic contribution cements them as serious businesses, not just fluffy stuff that girls do, and we’re so grateful to Nesil for shining a light on this during British Beauty Week.”

Erica Brobbey, from Empress Hair and Beauty, a business in Barking, said: “It was an honour to join fellow beauty professionals in Parliament and proudly represent Barking and Dagenham’s thriving beauty community. Meeting other business owners and speaking with Victoria from the British Beauty Council was truly inspiring. The event highlighted the real impact our industry has, not just economically, but in the confidence and wellbeing it brings to people every day.
“I’m proud to be part of a community that continues to empower others and contribute so positively to the local economy. Events like this show that the future of beauty is bright, and it’s happening right here in Barking and Dagenham.”
Sure Start was life-changing for so many people in Bassetlaw, transforming the lives of children by putting in place family support in the earliest years of life. Sure Start, introduced by the last Labour government, helped level the playing field for children from lower income families, with research showing that children who attended a Sure Start centre were much more likely to perform better at school.
The previous Government cut community services, scrapping Sure Start, leaving a gaping hole in family services. When they left government, one in four families with children under five couldn’t access local children’s centres, rising to one in three lower income families. Speaking to local families in Bassetlaw, I hear time and again an ask for more support around SEND, youth services, and early development.
I welcome the news that the Government are building on the proud legacy of Sure Start, and reviving family services by rolling out 1,000 ‘Best Start Family Hubs’ by April 2026, including here in Bassetlaw.
Best Start Family Hubs will be a one stop shop for parents needing support, including on difficulty breastfeeding, housing issues or children’s early development, and other services such as:
The post Giving Children in Bassetlaw the Best Start in Life appeared first on Jo White MP.
It was great to call into Neighbourhood Watch in Pelsall again and catch up with Edwin and Andrew.
We discussed a range of local issues across the Rushall, Shelfield, Pelsall, and Brownhills Neighbourhood Watch area. Our focus was on how we can work together as one community to address these challenges.
It was also fantastic to hear about Project Phoenix – a pilot community-run initiative launched by Walsall Council! This project is dedicated to building a stronger community right across our Borough, and I’m really keen to see the positive impact it will have.
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.
Last week I was sworn in as the MP for South Shields for the fifth time, and each time it strikes me how incredibly honoured I feel that you have put your faith in me as the first female MP to represent you in Parliament. It was a truly historic night as the UK elected […]
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