September news from Freddie van Mierlo MP

Parliament has returned and I'm straight back into it, already challenging the Foreign Secretary to sanction Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and calling out the Deputy Prime Minister on the hypocrisy of changing to a more proportional voting system for new mayors but not for MPs. Over the Summer I've also been out and about getting to know the constituency even better, as well as meeting with constituents at regular surgeries.

Campaigns

I met again with Oxford University Hospital Trust and Duchenne UK to demand access to new medicines Givinostat and Vamorolone. Both medicines will make a real difference to young boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy but are currently unavailable in Oxfordshire despite them being available in other parts of the country. We're making some progress with the Trust now committed to hiring the staff needed to support the treatments, but it's taken far too much precious time to get to this position - in part due to the huge £99m cuts the Government is demanding the Trust make. The Government likes to talk of the investments it is making in the NHS but sadly the reality is they are giving with one hand and taking away with the other.

Over the summer I also held meetings with Richard Phelps (chair of the Henley Royal Regatta), Hobbs of Henley and Henley Town Council to discuss all things river and river pollution. I'm saddened by the impact both river pollution and aging lock, weir and bridge infrastructure is having on the town.

At a discussion with local Airbnb hosts on the river, one told me how bookings from ramblers wanting to walk the Thames Path National Trail were down as a result of the closed Marsh Lock Bridge. I'm therefore delighted to have secured a debate in parliament on the health of National Trails and will proudly speak about both the Thames Path and Ridgeway that run through our constituency.

I was greatly disappointed about the further delay to the Watlington Relief Road following an unexpected objection by the Environment Agency. I'm urgently engaging with Oxfordshire County Council and the Environment Agency to get to the bottom of what happened and get things moving again. Residents have been waiting far too long, and with more houses now being built in Watlington, time is of the essence

In Parliament

In parliament, there is great demand among MPs to speak and hold the government to account on Gaza. There is growing frustration in parliament, reflecting the mood of the country, that not enough is being done. At Oral Questions to the Foreign Secretary and in response to a statement made by the Government to the House, my colleagues and I demanded further sanctions, a ban on arms sales, and for more humanitarian aid to urgently enter Gaza. You can see my contribution here: https://share.google/UeZ3b8WlRukIin8zR 

We have also heard from the Deputy Prime Minister on the Government's plans for English Devolution and local government reorganisation. While supporting the principle of devolution, Liberal Democrats oppose the Government's bill which will do the opposite - centralise power into a handful of mayors, who will have the power to appoint unelected 'commissioners' to oversee key policy areas. I also challenged the Government to think more closely at how reorganising boundaries of local government will impact service delivery

Around the Constituency

Residents of Chalgrove and surrounding villages will know of my strong opposition to the proposed imposition of 3,000 new homes, creating a town larger than Henley or Thame on the airfield. Last week, I joined local Councillors David Turner and Judith Edwards at a meeting with the Martin Baker Aircraft Company who have occupied the airfield site since the Second World War testing ejector seats for military aircraft. At a time of global insecurity, and a need to support high quality jobs and manufacturing I find it absurd that Martin Baker's future would be put into jeopardy. I'm standing steadfast behind the company and local residents of Chalgrove.

The summer also was an opportunity to meet with Phoenix Energy in Thame, a group campaigning and delivering on community energy projects in the Thame and wider area, as well as meeting with representatives of Big Table, the company running the Banana Tree restaurant in Henley. I heard how the Government's national insurance hike is particularly harmful to casual dining restaurants and am now raising this with the Government.

I'd like to thank Thames Valley Air Ambulance for giving me an insight into the incredible lifesaving work they do here in Henley and Thame during a visit to their base in RAF Benson in August.

I ended the Summer Recess on a high presenting prizes at the Regatta for the Disabled last weekend - it was a fantastic afternoon and I loved being part of such a wonderful event - I'm already looking forward to next year!