The Middle East situation sadly worsens in front of our eyes, and we are already starting to see the impacts. Higher fuel pump prices will disproportionately hit rural areas hardest given scarce alternatives - in Government my party did all it could to help families and it’s vital Labour step in on this - no matter their diplomatic choices.
Therefore, the Chancellor’s Spring Statement just as the Chancellor herself wanted-really was a non-fiscal event with currently very little positive or concrete to say this challenging backdrop.
They’ve already downgraded this years’ growth figure and already unemployment up significantly with youth unemployment particular worrying.
Unbelievably Fuel Tax is set to rise from September as the Conservative 5p cut runs out and - barring another Government u-turn – this will hit everyone car user or not as the Chancellor chose not to prevent it.
I’m pleased the Shadow Chancellor launched a campaign to Axe the Fuel Tax and there ought to be a vote in Parliament on this. As the Opposition Party in Parliament, we’ll use these levers to hold this Government to account for the decisions they make but also to bring about change on this.
Equally shocking was the complete inaction of defence spending and this week has shown chickens coming home to roost on underfunding where we seemingly have more Royal Navy ships getting repaired than defending our country but money for more welfare -a staggering choice.
I welcome the commitment from Kemi of a clear plan to get defence spending up to 3% of GDP and tackle Labour’s burgeoning benefits bill.
Locally there has been much concern around the Crowborough Training Camp and how it impacts Uckfield and the nearby villages.
I met with the Home Office Minister responsible along with Uckfield’s Mayor and Town Clerk in Westminster to discuss the direct impact this is having on our community and ask questions on the Copthorne Hotel
We gained a key commitment from the Minister for much better communication and co-ordination on both key issues. I reiterated my view that both Crowborough and Copthorne are not suitable and I want to see progress on both. Closing Copthorne as my party locally has pushed for when the planning ceases is vital to achieve.
This weekend we also celebrated International Women’s Day – a day where we can encourage women to reach their potential. As a Conservative my own view is that it never should be about tokenism or tick boxes but rather opportunity and merit should be the mantra.
I did something extremely unusual this weekend - I left the county over IWD 2026. I had a few days off and took my youngest to Paris for her special birthday. She is born on 8th March, so it coincides and we were international women across the Channel this weekend.
IWD is usually full of marches, community and political events and so sightseeing and enjoying family time was a change. What was remarkable was seeing so much and no screen time was normal just across the water.
Writing this as I travel to Westminster the week ahead we will be challenging the social media giants on the hold they have on our young people so it was timely and helpful in its reminder that our younger generations need time outside, time with parents and loved ones, and to enjoy the more peaceful childhood we had too.
2028 is the centenary year of universal suffrage where all voters had the same right to vote as the 1918 suffrage was only eligible to women over the age of 30. It will be an important landmark which I will be using my role as co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Women in Parliament to plan for with the amazing Helen Pankhurst and many other groups and societies.
My advice to any women whatever age and career stage, whatever your goal or ambition- is just to go for it!
