PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP FRIDAY 16th JANUARY 2026 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Alistair Strathern, MP for the Hitchin constituency, today welcomed the decision by X (formerly Twitter) to regulate more strictly its controversial Grok image‑generation tools, after raising the issue in Parliament and challenging Ofcom to act.   Strathern was the first MP to raise the issue directly with Minsters in Home Office Questions  once Parliament returned in January, and has be

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP WEDNESDAY 14 th JANUARY 2026 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Ahead of the Government's forthcoming proposed reforms to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision in schools, Alistair Strathern, MP for the Hitchin constituency, has written to the Education Secretary to demand local families’ experiences are at their heart.    This follows the most recent round of SEND workshops ran by the MP, to allow local parents and educato

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP MONDAY 12 th JANUARY 2026 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Alistair Strathern, MP for Hitchin, will be leading a 4.5km walk and talk event in Hitchin on Friday 17 January, as part of a nationwide programme of events highlighting men’s mental health around Blue Monday.   The walk is being organised by the Labour Group for Men and Boys, with dozens of MPs across the country holding 4.5km walks, runs and cycling events to draw attention to the ch

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP WEDNESDAY 7 th JANUARY 2026 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Alistair Strathern, Labour and Co‑operative MP for Hitchin, was pleased to welcome colleagues from the Co‑operative Party to the Red Lion pub  in Preston, Hertfordshire – to celebrate the UK’s first ever community‑owned pub.   The visit celebrated Preston’s remarkable achievement in coming together to save a much‑loved local asset over 40 years ago, and highlighted how communities can

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP THURSDAY 18th DECEMBER 2025 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Alistair Strathern, the MP for the Hitchin constituency, has welcomed the launch of the Government’s plan to tackle the challenge of unadopted housing estates.   Unadopted housing estates are those where the local authority has not adopted shared assets like roads and public spaces. Historically, unadopted estates were a rarity, but research from the Home Builders Federation found up t

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP THURSDAY 18th DECEMBER 2025 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Alistair Strathern, MP for the Hitchin covering part of Central Bedfordshire, has welcomed new funding for Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) to create 130 additional specialist school places.   Having long campaigned on the need for greater investment in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision locally,  Strathern believes the £6.5m investment is a significant step

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP WEDNESDAY 17 th  DECEMBER FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Local Member of Parliament, Alistair Strathern, has brought 50 Labour MPs together to demand Ofcom do more to fight child sexual abuse online.   The Hitchin MP’s letter to Ofcom Chief Executive, Dame Melanie Dawes calls on her to do everything in her power to stop grooming and the sharing of child sexual abuse material online.   Perpetrators of child sexual abuse often use private messa

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP TUESDAY 16 th  DECEMBER 2025 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Alistair Strathern, MP for Hitchin and the surrounding villages in Beds and Herts, has welcomed the fantastic news that the Universal Studios Bedfordshire Theme Park has been granted planning permission.   The decision was confirmed today by Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Steve Reed.   Since his very first day as a Bedfordshire MP back in 2023, Strathern has been

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP THURSDAY 11 th  DECEMBER 2025 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Following a series of industrial waste fires in Hitchin in 2023 and 2024, local MP Alistair Strathern has convened leading experts, local authorities, and safety campaigners in Westminster to address the growing threat posed by recycling lithium-ion batteries.   The roundtable, “A Burning Issue: How Policy Can Defuse Waste Battery Fires,” took place in the House of Commons, hosted i

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP MONDAY 8 th  DECEMBER FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Alistair Strathern MP is delighted to announce the winner of his 2025 Children’s Christmas Card Competition.   This year’s top spot goes to Maximilian, age 9, from William Ransom School, whose stunning illustration of St Mary’s Church in Hitchin captured the festive spirit perfectly.   Strathern will be using his design for all his cards, for constituents to businesses and MPs. He has invit

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP WEDNESDAY 3 rd  DECEMBER 2025 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Alistair Strathern, MP for the Hitchin constituency, donned waders and joined members of the River Hiz Conservation Group (RHCG) on litter picking duties at one of Hertfordshire’s ecologically precious chalk streams.   Strathern shared the group’s concerns about the fragility of the river’s ecosystem. Invasive species, including Himalayan balsam, mink, and signal crayfish add to the

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP TUESDAY 2 nd  DECEMBER 2025 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Alistair Strathern, Member of Parliament for the Hitchin constituency, has welcomed the Government’s record funding boost for road maintenance.   Central Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire County Council combined have been allocated a minimum of £160m for maintenance over the next four years, reflecting record investment from the national Government in local road repairs.  It comes as part

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP MONDAY 1 st  DECEMBER 2025 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Alistair Strathern, the MP for the Hitchin constituency, is asking constituents to dig deep this December and support Tilehouse Counselling Services’ fundraising drive.   Tilehouse is running a ‘BigGive’ week from December 2nd - December 9th, where donations will be matched by the Hitchin Youth Trust and the Reed Foundation. They are aiming to raise £8,500.   Based on Tilehouse Street

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP WEDNESDAY 26 th NOVEMBER 2025 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Alistair Strathern, the MP for the Hitchin constituency, has welcomed tweaks to the Government’s Agricultural Inheritance Tax.   In today’s Budget statement, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced changes to agricultural property relief reform to enable spouses to transfer their allowance to a partner, and backdated the change to ensure those whose spouse has already passed away will sti

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP MONDAY 17 th  NOVEMBER 2025 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Alistair Strathern, Member of Parliament for Hitchin, has today welcomed the news that contactless ticketing at Hitchin train station will be operational from December 14 th .   Having originally been missed off the list for contactless roll out, Strathern was glad to be able to secure a place for Hitchin station on the upgrade programme after being elected. With works now nearing comp

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP FRIDAY 14 th  NOVEMBER 2025 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Alistair Strathern, Labour MP for Hitchin, was blown away by students at Hitchin Boys’ School when chairing their debate on social media rules this month.   Hitchin Boys debated the motion, “This house believes that there should be a two-hour social media screen time limit per day.”   The event, held in the school’s auditorium, brought together students across the year groups for a spir

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP THURSDAY 13th NOVEMBER 2025 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Alistair Strathern, MP for the Hitchin constituency, has welcomed reforms announced by the Government to shake up policing authorities across the country.    The Government will phase out Police and Crime Commissioners, and transfer their responsibilities to Mayors across the country. Existing Police and Crime Commissioners including those in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire will contin

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP TUESDAY 11 th  NOVEMBER 2025 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Alistair Strathern, MP for the Hitchin constituency, accompanied owner of Rose’s at Duck Lane Café, Harley Smith, to a reception for SMEs from the East of England last night held in Number 11 Downing Street.   Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, was delighted to welcome a variety of businesses from across the region into Downing Street.   The reception was an opportunity to c

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP THURSDAY 6 th  NOVEMBER 2025 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Alistair Strathern, Labour MP for Hitchin, has welcomed the creation of a new national forest in Bedfordshire, which will bring lasting environmental and economic benefits to communities across the county.   The new forest will see millions of trees planted in the years ahead, as part of Labour’s commitment to allocate over £1 billion this Parliament to tree planting and support for

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP WEDNESDAY 5 th  NOVEMBER FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Alistair Strathern, MP for Hitchin, has welcomed a major boost for local military families as the Government has announced a £9 billion Defence Housing Strategy – the most ambitious plan to fix forces housing in a generation.   Families in military homes across Hitchin and the East of England are set to benefit from the strategy. It will see 9 in 10 forces family homes across the country