Chris Grayling doesn’t exactly have a great record when I comes to striking deals with transport operators. Now his Department for Transport appears derailed whilst handling the bids for the Southeastern franchise to run our local train service. Southeastern, which is run by Govia, holds the Integrated Kent franchise. However, the franchise was due to […]
Category: News
Greek Solidarity Campaign – support from Thanet
I travelled to Athens recently as part of the U.K. delegation to the Greek Solidarity Campaign. We met with many people, from Government ministers to trade union officials and refugee groups to forge solidarity and links, to exchange information, to assess what is happening on the ground, and to better understand the risks emerging from the […]
Fighting for Ramsgate Town Centre
A number of productive meetings have now taken place between myself, Ramsgate businesses and Kent Police with regards the state of Ramsgate Town Centre. Continued concerns about disruption and damage caused by the area’s late night drinking culture have led to calls for a better Police presence and more responsibility to be taken by the […]
Mental health services shortfall costing lives?
Today, 13th June, Kathy Bailes in The Isle Of Thanet News covered the tragic story of Ben Stone and his brother, Lee Thrumble. Both local men were victims of suicide, the rates for which are higher for men in Kent than elsewhere in the country. The story highlights the problems of accessing mental health services […]
Stroke unit: judicial review progress
After amazing support from Thanet residents who wish to keep a stroke unit locally, we raised £5k in days, we were able to begin a formal Judicial Review. This is now at the High Court and we are waiting to hear when it will be heard. We are hopeful that it will be called in […]
Think local, not Brexit on May 2
Have politics around Brexit affected how we might vote on May 2nd? BBC South East News Political Editor, Helen Catt invited myself and district council candidates to a round table discussion. Gathered on the terrace of Ramsgate’s Wetherspoon’s pub, the group, representing the mainstream parties were open about the challenges in the forthcoming local elections. […]
Documenting Thanet gentrification
Sean Gallen is studying to be a journalist. The university student is about to complete his degree and recently submitted a film about Thanet as part of his course. Having received a request from Sean for an interview and local insight, he and I spent a few hours criss-crossing the Isle as he researched his […]
Brexit siege looms for Isle
At Kent County Council full Council meeting last week. I raised a number of key issues relating to Brexit preparations. Ramsgate Port is not ‘ship ready’ and there is no infrastructure in place. Government at all levels has made no progress forward at all and the Port has other significant limitations. The Manston site has […]
NHS satisfaction survey shows historic low
A damning NHS satisfaction report has been published this month by The Kings Fund and Nuffield Trust. The public and those that work in the organisation are feeling the least satisfied in many years. I was interviewed by Ian Collins on BBC Radio Kent about this latest shocking report. Joining me as a guest on the […]
Ambulance service crisis
I was very pleased to be able to contribute to the important Ambulance Service debate on Radio Kent this Morning. Adding my voice and Labour’s perspective along with Charlie Elphicke, Conservative MP for Dover. The Ambulance service is an extremely important part of our NHS. However, like a great of deal of the NHS, it […]