While it’s good news that the Government is making progress on hospital waiting lists, access to social care continues to cause serious issues for people in Eastleigh and across Hampshire. At last week’s Prime Minister’s Questions I raised the issue of social care and the case of one of my constituents, 93-year-old Peter, who was unable to leave hospital because a care package could not be arranged for him. He was missing his wife of 70 years, Maureen, and desperate to return home.  

We know that social care was pushed to the brink by the Conservative Government, but until this Government gets a grip of the challenges, hospitals including Southampton General and Royal Hampshire County Hospital that serve my constituents, will continue be overwhelmed and it is patients who will pay the price. 

Recently I met with a group of headteachers to discuss the issues in local schools. Many constituents who contact me face issues getting support for children with SEND. So along with some of my Lib Dem MP colleagues, I met with the Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson in Westminster to discuss the ongoing crisis in SEND provision in Eastleigh. The Secretary of State agreed that this situation needs urgent attention and promised there would be action this year. My Liberal Democrat colleagues and I will be holding the Government to account on this. I have also been pushing the Government on the Child Poverty Strategy, delays to Winter Fuel payments and support for families in fuel poverty, asking questions to ministers and ensuring that my constituents’ voices are heard in Westminster.  

As a member of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee ensuring access to grassroots sport for everyone is very important to me, and the committee’s “Game On” inquiry into what can be done to sustain and grow sporting opportunities for all is now underway. I’m also pleased to be supporting the 3UP campaign, which aims to secure an extra promotion place from the National Football League into the EFL League Two. Eastleigh Football Club are finding success on the pitch this season and I’ll be doing all I can to support the Spitfires off the pitch through campaign to achieve fairness throughout the football pyramid.  

Parliament is currently on recess but that doesn’t mean MPs are on holiday. On Valentine’s Day I met with new Eastleigh Police District Commander, to discuss a wide range of local issues, including tackling anti-social behaviour and supporting victims of domestic abuse. 

As we know community policing is incredibly important in crime prevention, and that includes officers on our streets but also the visual reassurance of having a local police station in Eastleigh town centre. The Police and Crime Commissioner and the former Conservative MP promised Eastleigh would have a police station back in 2023, but it still has not been delivered, and this is something I will keep fighting for. 

Thank you to everyone who came along to my Supermarket Surgery in Chandler’s Ford on Valentine’s Day. Being an MP who is accessible to constituents is really important to me. Anyone who wants a surgery appointment can reach out to my office, plus you can sign up for my newsletter to hear more about what I’ve been up to in Eastleigh and Westminster.