Just over a hundred days ago, I was honoured and humbled to be elected as the first Member of Parliament for Reading West and Mid Berkshire. Since then, my team has set up our office and we’ve been responding to constituents’ enquiries. I’ve been proud to stand with schools against the unfair clawback of funds by West Berkshire Council and I have been working to tackle anti-social behaviour in Tilehurst. And, I am incredibly proud to have supported the work of our Labour Government. In the first hundred days, we have achieved more than the Conservatives delivered over years. We’ve ended one-word Ofsted judgements, set up Great British Energy, ended the doctor’s strikes and we’ve started the work of putting our country back on track.
In just last couple of weeks we have: introduced the Employment Rights Bill to make work pay and fix the labour market that has seen too many people in poorly paid insecure work; delivered £63 billion of private investment through the International Investment Summit, which will create nearly 38,000 UK jobs; and, introduced new legislation to give renters greater security and stability so they can stay in their homes for longer, build lives in their communities, and avoid the risk of homelessness.
We have also brought forward a Bill to remove the right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords – something that I am particularly passionate about. Recently, I met with A Level politics students from Little Heath School, who were knowledgeable and passionate about the power of politics to deliver positive change. Those students should have an equal chance to be able to make the laws of this country in both Houses of Parliament.
Alongside MP colleagues from across Berkshire, I recently attended a meeting of the Berkshire Prosperity Board at Shinfield Studios. I am really pleased that all the councils across Berkshire are working together, in partnership with the Government, to deliver economic growth for our area alongside improving health outcomes, tackling inequality, delivering net zero and ensuring that there is access to affordable housing within our communities.
In the period before Remembrance Sunday, it was a privilege to be able to join the Reading ex-British Gurkha Association recently. It was extremely moving to hear about their service from many of the former Gurkha’s at the event and I was pleased to commit myself to supporting them and their families moving forward.
