MP View: Time to have a sensible, thoughtful debate on NHS and pensions Monday, 8 April, 2024 This week is the first full week of the new tax year, bringing in a 2% cut in national insurance contributions for working aged people, whilst pensioners see an 8.5% increase, to £221.20 per week. But also, this week, Labour have started to talk about their plans for the NHS. Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting is an individual I respect. He and I worked closely together on the Treasury Select... Local News
MP View: From fruit pickers to electric car batteries 19th May 2023 In a relatively quiet week for politics, there is probably just two things of particular interest. The first is a couple of side-line conferences by those on... Local News
MP View: Bad local election results nationally, but trend defying night in Wyre Forest 9th May 2023 The district elections are behind us. I won’t pretend it wasn’t a bad night for my party. Our losses were higher than expected, as were Labour’s gains. But in a... Local News
MP View: Vote on Thursday and have your say your community 2nd May 2023 It’s a big week! For the first time in 70 years in we have a coronation. As ever, we in Britain do these things rather well. It is expected that the economic... Local News
MP View: Public sector pay and the spectacle of strikes 20th April 2023 The spectacle of strikes is becoming more and more frequent. Having thought the nurses strikes had come to end with the RCN accepting the government’s offer, a... Local News
MP View: Playing the man, not the ball poisons the well of political discourse 13th April 2023 I found myself, last week, agreeing with former hard left shadow chancellor of the Exchequer John McDonell MP. Responding to a Labour Party tweet, he said the... Local News
MP View: Joining CPTPP perfect example of seizing Brexit opportunities 4th April 2023 We signed a big trade deal last week. The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, known more simply as CPTPP, is a trading block... Local News
MP View: Decision to ban nitrous oxide sends unequivocal message on lifetime harm 28th March 2023 Readers will be aware that I have been working with BBC Hereford and Worcester to end the blight of nitrous oxide. A gas that is familiar to both birthing... Local News
MP View: Rishi Sunak is delivering on his promises 13th March 2023 Rishi Sunak is delivering his promises. The Windsor framework is seen as a good solution to the Northern Ireland Protocol. Last week’s Illegal Immigration Bill... Local News
MP View: Hancock's WhatsApp messages not a pretty sight 8th March 2023 There’s an old saying in politics: you should avoid watching sausages and policy being made. Both will put you off for life. Thanks to Matt Hancock’s sharing of... Local NewsWestminster News