Policy Updates - 12/01/2026
- Anna Turley
- Jan 12
- 26 min read
If you have contacted me recently regarding any policy issues, have signed your name to a campaign template or signed a petition, please know that all emails have been logged and carefully read. However, I also wanted to lay out my stance on the issues the people of Redcar care about the most. Please see here and do check back in, as I will update this blog regularly, and will aim to address as many policy queries as possible. Note - if you have written a personal email directly to me, please know it is a priority to me that I respond to these as swiftly as possible.
Animal Welfare
Many constituents got in touch with me before Christmas to raise their concerns about animal welfare. Many of you will have already received a response from me, but I wanted to provide some exciting updates following the publication of our Animal Welfare Strategy.
Hunting
As your MP from 2015-19, I brought forward the private member’s bill ‘Baby’s Law’ (Animal Welfare Sentencing Bill) to introduce stricter sentences for animal cruelty, so I can assure you that this is an issue that is particularly close to my heart. Like you, I believe that the protection and well-being of animals should be a top priority, and I am committed to advocating for stronger animal protection laws. While I am proud the last Labour Government banned fox hunting, I agree that the protections afforded to animals do not go far enough.
It is completely irresponsible that trail hunts have been allowed to take place on public land, so I am very glad that the National Trust agreed to the motion passed by its members to ban trail hunting on its land. However, I'm also so proud that our newly launched Animal Welfare strategy has explicitly pledged to ban trail hunting. We know that it is often used as a smokescreen to allow cruel, barbaric hunting practices continue, so I was very pleased to see this prioritised.
We have also banned the use of snare traps. Snares are cruel, leaving animals in extended periods without water, food or shelter, and indiscriminately harm and capture animals, including pet dogs, and other non-target species. We have taken the initiative to introduce a new close season for hares which will reduce the number of adult hares being shot in the breeding season, meaning that fewer young hares are left motherless and starving.
Cracking Down on Cages
I agree wholeheartedly that protections, especially for caged animals, do not go far enough. I therefore applaud the work that organisations like the RSPCA do in raising awareness of such horrific practices and defending the most overlooked animals in our society.
I believe animals should receive the care, respect, and protection that they rightly deserve, in whatever farming system they are kept. That's why I was equally very pleased to see our Animal Welfare strategy outline plans to phase out confinement systems for farm animals, including colony cages for hens and farrowing crates for pigs. The Strategy will also address welfare concerns linked to the use of CO2 for stunning pigs to ensure humane slaughter is prioritised.
I was also really pleased to see a specific recognition of the need to see an end to the practice of killing day-old chicks, which I know a lot of constituents have contacted me about too. 45 million male chicks are needlessly culled every year, so we are committed to encouraging industry to ending this practice. I'll be following any developments, so please keep in touch and check in on the website as I'll be sure to keep you all updated.
Environment, Climate Crisis and COP30
Planning and Infrastructure
I was elected on a commitment to improve our natural environment and enhance biodiversity. I want to see us halt species decline by 2030, reverse the decline by 2042 and reduce the risk of species extinction by 2042. As part of this, I support work to restore and create over 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitats by 2042.
We have some extremely important habitats and species in this country, and I was elected on a manifesto that committed to improving outcomes for nature. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will not only unblock key infrastructure projects that we need for our growth plan, but also provide more funding to protect and restore nature.
I understand that this new legislation aims to go further than the current approach in supporting nature recovery. The Nature Restoration Fund, which the Bill will establish, is an alternative approach for developers to meet certain environmental obligations related to protected sites and species. It allows Natural England to bring forward Environmental Delivery Plans that will set out strategic action that will need to be taken to address the impact development has on protected sites and species, and crucially how these actions go further than the current approach and support nature recovery.
I am also really pleased the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that development resulting in loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats should be refused. This is unless there are wholly exceptional reasons and a suitable compensation strategy exists. Such habitats include ancient woodland and ancient and veteran trees, as well as blanket bog and lowland fen (which are peatland habitats). These protections will continue to apply as and when the Planning and Infrastructure Bill comes into force, as it is vital our planet and natural world are equally prioritised in any planning permissions that we see in the future.
The climate crisis is real and it is worsening, but I don’t believe that we should just accept this- we must make real, lasting change now to ensure that our planet is healthy for future generations and wildlife. I therefore welcome that the NPPF makes clear that the planning system should support the transition to net zero by 2050 and take full account of all climate impacts. This includes considering the need to mitigate and adapt to climate change in preparing and assessing planning applications.
At the same time, it is time to get Britain building again. It is what working people expect and it is what I am committed to delivering. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill is critical to achieving economic growth, higher living standards and a more secure future for our country, which is equally necessary now as we enter a particularly uncertain period in global history. I am pleased that the legislation will help to facilitate the building of 1.5 million homes before the next election, and I also welcome that it will fast track 150 major infrastructure projects. This Bill is also key to making Britain a clean energy superpower, bringing down bills for working people and securing our energy supply in an increasingly uncertain world.
The legislation sets out how we will take a better approach to nature, the environment and development, achieved through collaboration between developers and the environmental sector. It will ensure that building delivers a win-win for development and for nature. I welcome that the Bill establishes a nature restoration fund that will allow developers to make a simple payment to discharge their environmental obligations. Natural England will then use that money to take the action needed not just to avoid further decline in our natural world, but to bring about improvement.
To meet our net-zero ambitions and drive growth, I want to see approvals sped up for clean energy projects. I am pleased that the Bill will achieve this. I believe that Britain’s electricity grid needs a 21st-century overhaul to connect the right power in the right places. For this reason, I support provisions in the legislation that will enable plans for vital energy projects, needed for clean power, including wind and solar projects, to be prioritised for grid connections.
I believe we must do what it takes to deliver the homes and the infrastructure our country needs. The Bill is transformative. It will fundamentally change how we build things in this country. It will help us to tackle the housing crisis and raise living standards in every part of the country, which we must do as the people of Britain deserve to feel safe, secure, and supported by their Government once more.
Our Seas
I know overfishing has been a real problem that we do not want to see happen in future. I am committed to measures to restore our fishing stocks to sustainable levels and to supporting the long-term viability of the UK fishing industry.
The Fisheries Act 2020 contains a commitment to recover stocks to sustainable levels through the development of Fisheries Management Plans. These allow our Government to assess the state of stocks and set out a series of tailored and evidence-based measures to maintain or restore fishing stocks to maximum sustainable yield. I support efforts to get as much accurate data as possible to ensure that future decisions on fishing quotas are as well informed as possible.
I know that our Government is working closely with the fishing and seafood sectors to ensure they are vibrant, profitable and sustainable, while ensuring a healthy and productive marine environment. I recognise the vital contribution of fishing and coastal communities to our economy, local communities and national heritage. I support the introduction of the Fisheries and Coastal Growth Fund, a £360 million investment to support the next generation of fishers and breathe new life into our coastal communities.
I also completely support our Government’s commitment to protecting 30% of land and sea in the UK by 2030, known as the 30by30 commitment. As part of this, Ministers are working to ensure England’s 181 Marine Protected Areas, covering 40% of English waters, are effectively managed. The more than £7 billion invested in nature recovery by this Labour Government over the course of this Parliament will make a significant contribution to this, including by improving the quality of water, air and spaces for wildlife so biodiversity can thrive.
COP30
I was really pleased to see the Prime Minister attend COP30 late last year to display Britain's absolute commitment to tackling the global climate crisis. Our Government is also committed to spending £11.6 billion in climate finance as well as pushing for the availability of additional sources of climate finance and adaption. I understand the agreement reached did not meet every hope we had, but does commit to limiting global warming to 1.5°C and tripling annual finance to help developing countries adapt to the impacts of extreme weather.
The climate crisis represents the greatest long-term threat we face globally, and we know there is no solution without transitioning away from fossil fuels. The need for this transition was agreed by all countries at COP28 in Dubai, including by the UK under the last Government. This time a broad coalition of 83 countries, backed by more than 140 global businesses and civil society groups endorsed the idea of a roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels. The Brazilian presidency announced at the conclusion of the COP that it would launch roadmaps on fossil fuels and to halt and reverse global deforestation, so I look forward to seeing further progress.
Housing Benefits
It is so important it is that everyone has access to a safe, secure, and affordable place to live. I was elected on a promise to deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation, so I was really pleased when we saw the Spending Review allocate £39 billion to a new 10-year Affordable Homes Programme early last year. This came alongside our ambitious commitment to build 1.5 million new homes by 2029.
For those struggling to meet the costs of housing, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities. The Spending Review provided the first ever multi-year settlement to reform crisis support, including DHPs, and this will give local authorities the security they need to continue to provide this vital assistance over the long term.
Regarding concerns about Local Housing Allowance, last year, LHA increased to cover the 30th percentile of local market rents for the first time since 2020 – an investment of around £7 billion over five years. Since then, our Government has taken the difficult decision – informed by rental data, the economic situation and impact assessments – to keep the rate at the same level for the current financial year.
Despite the challenging budgetary situation, most benefits, including Universal Credit, were increased in line with inflation last April, helping to protect households from rising costs. Pension Credit also saw a real-terms rise of 4.1%, supporting some of the most vulnerable pensioners, and we are going to see an increase of 4.8% to the state pension in 2026. Please be assured that the rate of LHA will continue to be reviewed annually going forward.
It is a scandal that so many people are homeless and struggling to find safe, secure housing in this country. I'm really proud that our Government has therefore increased funding for homelessness to a record £1 billion in 2025 alone. We are also working with mayors and councils across the country on a long-term strategy to get us back on track to end homelessness for good. I backed the Renters’ Rights Act in Parliament to abolish ‘no fault’ evictions, which aims to prevent renters from being exploited and empower them to challenge unreasonable rent increases. I'm excited to see these developments take shape, so please do check for updates as I'll be following the process closely.
Our NHS, Health, and Disease Awareness
Support for Hospices, and Hospice UK's Parliamentary Event
I was very lucky to be able to attend the drop-in at Parliament back in October, and was privileged to talk to the team about all the brilliant work they’ve been doing to help families across the country navigate end-of-life care. It was humbling to learn about some of the people they’ve helped, including families’ struggles to access palliative care and bereavement support. This is exactly where Hospice UK comes in, working with hospices and policy makers to champion the needs of those with terminal conditions, and give communities a voice in shaping the compassionate care everyone deserves.
Hospices play a vital role in society by providing invaluable care and support when people need it most. I want to thank all hospice staff, in my constituency and across the country, for the incredible work they do.
I am delighted that our Government is supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England, to ensure they have the best physical environment for care. This funding will also help to develop and improve outreach services to support people in their own homes when needed. I am hugely pleased that we are also providing £26 million of revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26.
Our 10 Year Health Plan for England sets out a vision for a Neighbourhood Health Service that moves care closer to home. This approach will bring together teams of professionals to provide comprehensive care in the community and improve local continuity of healthcare. We are determined to shift more care out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting. Palliative care and end-of-life care services, including hospices, will have a big role to play in that shift and were highlighted in the 10 Year Health Plan as being an integral part of neighbourhood teams.
I welcome that the rollout of Neighbourhood Health Services has already begun in 43 sites across England, backed by £10 million. Please be assured I will closely monitor developments in our local area. I am a big supporter of Teesside Hospice, which has cared for a number of my friends, and was my Charity of the Year last year. They do amazing work caring for people at the most difficult time of their lives, and I was so pleased to be able to raise donations for them last year.
Dementia Support
We are committed to improving dementia care, and I am delighted that people living with the condition will benefit from improved care planning and better services under its 10 Year Health Plan for England. We have pledged to deliver a Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia, which will seek to reduce unwarranted variation and narrow inequality for those living with the condition. People with dementia will also benefit from more joined-up care through co-created care plans.
I am really pleased that we remain committed to reforming the adult social care sector. I welcome the launch of an independent commission into adult social care, as part of the first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. I welcome that our Government is investing in dementia research across all areas, from causes, diagnosis and prevention, to treatment, care and support, including for carers. For example, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) – the Department of Health and Social Care’s research delivery arm – has invested nearly £11 million of funding to develop new digital approaches for the timely detection and diagnosis of dementia.
I know our Government are also committed to ensuring that all patients, including those with dementia, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments. I welcome that nearly £50 million is being invested into the Dementia Trials Network, which will offer people with dementia the opportunity to take part in early-phase clinical trials regardless of where they live.
Treatment for Motor Neurone Disease
My thoughts go out to all those affected by motor neurone disease (MND), whether facing the condition themselves or supporting a loved one. I myself have experienced losing loved ones to MND- it is a very cruel disease.
We must ensure that all patients have access to innovative treatments and cutting-edge clinical trials. I welcome that our Government is working to fast-track clinical trials to drive global investment into life sciences, improve health outcomes and accelerate the development of the medicines and therapies of the future. I know that we need more research into MND, so I am delighted that more than £50 million has been committed to MND research since the start of the 2022/23 financial year. I am pleased Ministers have said they will continue to invest in MND research via open competition, with no maximum funding limit.
Our Government’s 10 Year Health Plan for England envisions a healthcare system that is more proactive, personalised and digitally-enabled, leading to earlier diagnosis, more effective management and ultimately better outcomes for individuals with long-term conditions, including progressive neurological conditions.
Innovations such as genomics – the study of the genes in our DNA, their functions and their influence on the body – offer us the potential to predict and prevent illness and personalise treatment. I’m glad that the 10 Year Health Plan sets out an ambition to unlock this potential, marrying the very best of British science and innovation with a reformed NHS.
I support our Government’s plans to expand the NHS Genomic Medicine Service to create a new genomics population health service, which will eventually be made accessible to all. This new service will mean the NHS of the future will proactively maintain people’s health, identifying and responding to disease risks years before symptoms arise. Please be assured I will closely monitor any developments.
Stroke Support in Redcar and Cleveland
I sympathise profoundly with anyone affected, in Redcar and Cleveland and across the country and pay tribute to the work done by all stroke charities to ensure survivors get the best possible care and support. Here in Redcar and Cleveland, I know we have a brilliant stroke team and ward at James Cook University Hospital, so I know how vital it is that everyone should have access to top-quality care like that which they provide. It is deeply concerning that projections suggest a dramatic rise in stroke cases over the coming decade. This rise, if unaddressed, could place an immense burden on both families and the NHS. This is a direct result of years of Conservative mismanagement, where underfunding, privatisation, and lack of foresight have left the health service ill-prepared for growing health challenges, including stroke care. The areas highlighted for improvement in the Stroke Association’s Unlocking Potential report align with our Government’s existing plans to shift more care from hospitals into homes, prioritise prevention over treatment, and advance from current analogue to more modern digital solutions.
Labour recognises that fixing the NHS is crucial to ensuring better outcomes for stroke patients. Our new Government has committed to reducing deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% within the next decade, and we will do this by addressing the root causes of health inequalities and improving access to care. Reducing avoidable death and disability from heart disease and stroke is a priority. That is why our Government has set a goal for fewer lives being lost to the biggest killers and why NHS England’s long-term plan sets out a number of actions that aim to help prevent up to 150,000 heart attacks, strokes and dementia cases by 2029.
Meeting with Marie Curie and Improving Palliative Care
I was honoured to be able to meet with the Marie Curie team at Labour Party Conference last year after so many constituents got in touch asking me to do so. Their nurses and staff provide incredible end-of-life care, supporting families through the most difficult time with compassion and dignity. You may already know, but I was amazed to learn that last year alone, Marie Curie delivered over 80,000 episodes of care in homes and hospices across the UK. This is so inspiring.
Every person nearing the end of their life must feel safe in the knowledge they will have access to high-quality care and receive the dignity, compassion, and service they deserve. I want to commend the dedicated palliative care workforce who work tirelessly to support patients in hospices, homes, and hospitals across the country. We owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude, and I feel lucky to have learnt first hand the brilliant work they’re doing.
I know most adults in their final years would prioritise quality of life over living longer and would prefer to die at home. However, many in their last year of life had multiple unplanned hospital admissions, with this being more common in the most deprived communities. As part of our transformation of the NHS, healthcare will be shifted into the community, so that patients can be cared for from the comfort of their own homes. Good palliative and end of life care is an important part of this.
RNIB Report on Road Safety
I'm really pleased that the Department for Transport has recently launched an ambitious new road safety strategy. I agree that it is unacceptable that pedestrians should be ousted from the pavement that is rightfully theirs, and the potential this brings for accidents and serious injuries. I was so pleased to see new powers that will give local councils the ability to tackle problem pavement parking where it causes the most harm.
Blocked pavements aren’t a minor inconvenience. They can force parents with pushchairs, wheelchair users, blind or partially sighted people and older residents into the road, taking away independence and putting people at risk.
Under these changes from the Department for Transport, councils will be responsible for tackling pavement parking where it is a consistent issue, whilst also ensuring parking remains fair. Local leaders know their streets best, and this puts decisions closer to the communities affected.
I want to see the fullest possible access to businesses and services for those with blindness and short-sightedness, and owners of guide dogs and assistance dogs. I share our Government’s commitment to the principle that guide dogs and assistance dogs should always be allowed access, except in the most exceptional circumstances.
I believe that Britain needs a modern transport network to help kickstart economic growth and I support plans to build a truly accessible and inclusive transport system that works for everyone, so I'm excited to see the changes in our roads take place. Ensuring accessibility for all passengers must be at the heart of our passenger-focused approach to transport. I am pleased that we have managed to break down the barriers to opportunity often faced by disabled people and those with health conditions, including by improving its support offer, and I'm looking forward to seeing developments once our consultation has closed.
Improving Access to Cancer Treatment and Radiotherapy
The record of the previous Conservative Government on cancer care, and the NHS more broadly, is shocking. Waiting times for cancer diagnoses and treatment have worsened, and many NHS services are still reliant on outdated technology, making it harder to deliver timely care. Between 2013 and 2021, no progress was made in diagnosing cancers at stages one and two. Their mismanagement of the NHS has resulted in longer A&E waits and swelling waiting lists, leaving patients vulnerable and without access to the care they need. In short, under Conservative leadership, a cancer diagnosis has become more of a death sentence for patients than in many other countries, and we clearly have a long way to go.
I strongly support our Government’s commitment to reducing waiting times for those undergoing cancer treatment and across the NHS more widely. I am delighted that we have stuck to our word and delivered the promise of two million more appointments a year to cut waiting lists, having now exceeded this target with over five million additional appointments. This includes radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and diagnostic tests.
I welcome, too, that investment has already been made in radiotherapy treatment. Last year’s Budget provided £70 million for new radiotherapy machines, to ensure the most advanced healthcare is available to patients. These machines are now being rolled out to 28 NHS trusts, with all set to be operational by the end of June 2026. A total of £15 million has also been awarded to providers to replace ageing radiotherapy equipment from an underspend in the NHS’s capital settlement for 2024/25.
Faster diagnosis is vital, and figures show that 135,000 more people across the country have faced shorter waits for life-changing cancer diagnoses because of the record investment in our NHS to cut waiting times.
But I know there is still so much more to be done. That is why I am looking forward to seeing our dedicated National Cancer Plan, to unleash Britain’s potential as a world leader in saving lives from this deadly disease. The aim is to bring cancer survival rates back to the standards of the best in the world. The National Cancer Plan will be published very soon, so please be assured that I will continue to monitor developments in this area with interest, and will be keeping my website updated.
Pensions and Taxation
Fuel Duty
Before the Budget, the temporary 5p cut in fuel duty introduced in March 2022 was scheduled to end in April, and fuel duty was set to rise in line with inflation. However, I’m pleased to say our Government has now extended the temporary cut until the end of August 2026. After that, rates will then gradually return to the levels they were at in March 2022. In addition, the planned increase in fuel duty in line with inflation is being cancelled. These measures will save the average car driver £49 per year.
Together, our Government’s decisions on fuel duty and the implementation of Fuel Finder are set to save households with a car £89 per year compared with the previous plans.
Supporting Pensioners in Accessing Pension Credit
Helping low-income pensioners is a top priority. The last Labour Government halved pensioner poverty from its mid-1990s peak, and I am determined to build on that legacy. Everyone in society deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement, which is why I support maintaining the triple lock policy. This means that the State Pension will continue to increase each year at the highest level of inflation, average wage growth, or 2.5%. I welcome that, thanks to the triple lock, the State Pension has increased by £470 from April this year. Pension Credit was also uprated by more than 4%.
Our Government took immediate action to boost Pension Credit take-up shortly after coming into office. The Department for Work and Pensions has since written to around 11 million pensioners, and it has launched a campaign across radio, TV and print media. These efforts have already resulted in almost 60,000 new awards, and they will continue.
Importantly, receiving Pension Credit opens the door to a range of other financial support, including Housing Benefit, Council Tax support, help with NHS costs, assistance with fuel bills, and a free TV licence for those aged over 75. To guarantee even greater uptake, the administration of Pension Credit and pensioner Housing Benefit will be merged for new claimants, starting in 2026.
Income Tax Threshold
At present, our Government has no plans to increase the Personal Allowance to £20,000, as this would come at a significant fiscal cost of many billions of pounds per year. This would reduce tax receipts substantially, decreasing the vital funds available for hospitals, schools, and other essential public services that we all rely on. I, alongside my colleagues in the Government, think that finding the funding for such services is of utmost importance now and that was the manifesto we were elected on. It would also undermine the work that the Chancellor has done to restore fiscal responsibility and economic stability, which are critical to getting our economy growing and keeping taxes, inflation, and mortgages as low as possible.
Landfill Tax Reform
Last year, our Government consulted on proposals for the reform of Landfill Tax earlier this year following a call for evidence by the previous Government in 2021. The responses to the consultation highlighted concerns about the pace and potential consequences of proposed changes, in particular: that the proposed timeframe was too short; the potential impact on sectors including housebuilding, infrastructure and energy intensive industries (such as steelmaking and chemicals), which are critical to the supply chains of our Government’s industrial strategy; and the need for associated regulatory reform to prevent deadweight costs. After carefully listening to stakeholders’ arguments, our Government has decided not to proceed at this time with converging the two rates of Landfill Tax.
Rather, we have revised our approach to ensure the reforms to Landfill Tax are proportionate, do not impose unavoidable costs on businesses, and do not undermine targets on housebuilding or infrastructure delivery. I'm really glad that our Government will instead work to prevent the gap between the two rates of Landfill Tax from getting any wider over the coming years. We will also retain the tax exemption for backfilling quarries to ensure that housebuilders and the construction sector continue to have access to a low-cost alternative to landfill.
Nevertheless, our Government does believe that the current lower rate is too low and should provide a clearer incentive to invest in alternative waste management options for inert materials. I was pleased that we announced in the 2025 Budget that we will increase the standard rate of tax in line with Retail Prices Index, and the lower rate in line with the cash increase of the standard rate. We will monitor the impact of the lower rate alongside the development of alternative waste management solutions, and will engage further with stakeholders as the regulatory landscape evolves.
Amendments to the Pension Schemes Bill
I have been contacted a lot about amending the ongoing Pension Schemes Bill, and completely understand that everyone wants to protect their financial security – you have worked hard and deserve to enjoy your pension and know your investment is bringing some positive benefit. Pension trustees already have well-established duties under scheme rules, common law, and legislation. These include the responsibility to make decisions in the best interests of their members.
In my view, as outlined in a 2024 report from the Financial Markets Law Committee (FMLC), there is a strong case for pension trustees to consider wider matters, like climate change and other environmental factors, as ‘financial factors’ in investment decision-making. This report built on previous conclusions from the Law Commission, that there was nothing stopping pension schemes from considering environmental, social and governance factors in investment decisions, and that these should be accounted for where they are financially material.
Under existing rules, trustees may also take factors which are not strictly financial into account. This can extend to decisions which are supported by members but may involve a risk of financial detriment. Similarly, the FMLC’s report found that ‘financial factors’ are broad, and many factors that may appear at first to be ‘non-financial’ are in fact ‘financial’. This goes to show the flexibility of fiduciary duties as they currently stand.
Pensions reform is a top priority for me, and the Pension Schemes Bill explicitly recognises the fiduciary duty of trustees towards their members. The Bill will create bigger, better pension funds that can engage more effectively with companies on environmental and social issues. The consolidation of pension schemes will also enable investment in a wider range of assets, including growth sectors like green projects, and those focused on sustainability and long-term impact. This will deliver sustainable prosperity while benefitting savers.
Reforming the European Convention on Human Rights
I am pleased to confirm that it is not our Government’s policy to withdraw the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). I agree with the words of the Prime Minister, who has said that doing so would be a profound mistake.
I do believe the ECHR must evolve in order to restore public confidence in the rule of law. While the UK is resolutely committed to its membership of the ECHR, public trust is beginning to erode as at times the application of certain human rights can feel out of step with common sense. The values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, once widely assumed, now face distortion, doubt and even hostility. I believe that there is a growing perception – sometimes mistaken but sometimes grounded in reality – that human rights are no longer a shield for the vulnerable, but a tool for criminals to avoid responsibility. I understand that people feel that the law too often protects those who break the rules, rather than those who follow them.
Our Government is pursuing reforms at home and internationally, and the Prime Minister recently met with more than a dozen other ECHR members to discuss potential reform. The ECHR has evolved before, through new protocols, rights and interpretations to reflect changing times, while staying true to its purpose.
I welcome the fact that our Government has committed to introducing legislation to strengthen the public interest test to make it clear that Parliament needs to be able to control our country’s borders. This will allow us to take back control of who comes to, and stays in the UK, striking the right balance between individual family rights and the wider public interest. Ministers will bring forward a major package of reforms to the asylum system before the end of the year.
I believe that reforms can be introduced to deliver migration and criminal justice priorities without having to leave the ECHR. Its reform must be a shared political endeavour among its member states. It is one of the great international achievements of post-war politics and has endured because it has evolved. Now, I believe that it must do so again.
Our Society
Capping Political Donations
We are committed to strengthening the rules around donations to political parties to protect our democracy and uphold the integrity of elections. The rules currently in place to provide clear safeguards against foreign interference are being evaluated to protect our system from the influence of foreign money. We must ensure that any political campaigning is done in a transparent manner, to prevent any individual, company or organisation from exerting undue influence upon our elections.
There have been longstanding calls for change in this area, and while previous governments declined to act, in the 2024 General Election I stood on a manifesto which pledged to “protect democracy by strengthening the rules around donations to political parties”. I take that commitment very seriously. The effective regulation of political finance is, in my view, crucial for maintaining public trust in our electoral systems across the UK.
Back in July 2025, our Government unveiled a series of proposals to deliver on this promise. These proposals include measures to boost transparency and accountability in politics such as by closing loopholes that currently allow foreign donors via ‘shell companies’ to influence UK political parties. New requirements on unincorporated associations would mandate checks on donations over £500 to tackle foreign interference and protect UK democracy from those who attempt to undermine it. These changes will form part of an Elections and Democracy Bill, which will be presented to Parliament in due course. I am personally really looking forward to this as I truly share the concerns of every constituent who has contacted me about this, so I'll be following updates very closely.
Scope's Parliamentary Event
I was really pleased that my team were able to attend the event held by Scope back in December, as far too many disabled people who wish to work are being denied the opportunity. That must change. The Connect to Work programme will support 300,000 disabled people into work by 2030 and 1,000 new work coaches will be placed in Jobcentres across the country to provide targeted support for disabled people. These measures form part of the £1 billion Pathways to Work guarantee, which will bring together personalised work, health and skills support for all who want it. Our Government are committed to getting this right, and I will follow their progress with interest.
I recognise that disabled people often face additional costs for medication and specialist equipment. Our Government pays close attention to the evidence base on the extra costs faced by disabled people and provides a range of disability benefits to help meet them, including Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance. These benefits are tax-free, non-means-tested, and designed specifically to contribute towards the extra expenses that come with living with a disability or long-term health condition. Disability benefits were increased by 6.7% from the previous financial year, and I backed another inflation-linked increase for 2025-26.
Our Government is currently conducting the first ever full review of PIP. This will ensure the system supports disabled people to better health, higher living standards and greater independence, including through employment. The review will be genuinely co-produced with disabled people, and, importantly, it will not look to generate proposals for future savings. No changes will be made to PIP until the review concludes in Autumn 2026.
Waste Incineration
I believe, as I know many constituents do, that too much waste is still dealt with through incineration or landfill, and I have written to the Minister responsible for circular economy before to raise my own concerns, as well as pushed the previous Secretary of State for Housing to enforce stricter regulations upon waste incineration. As many of you will know, and have contacted me about, there is a planned incinerator here in Grangetown, which I have been pushing against and continue to lobby the council to express my serious concerns and reaffirm my opposition to the plan. Please know I’ll continue pushing against incineration in our area and exhaust all avenues I can.
I do not support overcapacity of incineration, but I do understand the argument that incineration is the best environmental outcome. It can both maximise the value of resources that have reached the true end of life and avoid the greater environmental impact of landfill. Energy-from-waste facilities provide around 3% of the UK’s total energy generation and can support the decarbonisation of heating our homes and businesses, helping to cut customers’ bills.
However, I support our Government’s stricter standards on new build energy from waste plants. These will only receive planning permission if they help reduce the amount of non-recyclable waste sent to landfills or enable the replacement of older, less efficient plants, and new projects must be carbon capture-ready once the requirements come into force. I am aware that the Department for the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs is working closely with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on carbon capture technology for waste incinerators. The projects will also need to show how they will make use of the heat they produce, and includes plants that produce fuels that can be used to decarbonise other sectors. New waste incinerators must meet existing high standards on air pollution and other environmental impacts. These plants must be efficient and support net zero and economic growth. This is another vital step on the pathway to a circular economy, where we reduce waste to landfill and boost the economy.
I am committed to a circular economy. Moving towards this ambition is no small task, but I support our Government’s collaborative efforts, including the creation of the circular economy taskforce. This brings together experts from industry, academia and civil society to develop a circular economy strategy for England and create an economy-wide transformation in our relationship with our precious materials and make things that are built to last. I am proud to support work in line with this aim, including our Government’s Deposit Return Scheme. This will be introduced in 2027 across England, Northern Ireland and Scotland and will include single-use drinks containers from 150ml to 3 litres made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, steel and aluminium.