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Alistair Strathern

12 March 2024: My week in Parliament and Mid Bedfordshire

I continued to my campaign for more investment in GPs in parliament and with local stakeholders. In parliament, I challenged ministers over the suggestion that our local NHS should cut hospital refurbishment programmes to fund GP investment. Unsurprisingly, they wouldn’t say what part of local services they’d cut… https://fb.watch/qMcA9pEuYJ/


I was delighted to host a debate on how we can do more to support the fantastic work undertaken by kinship carers across the country. It was great to see MPs from all parties welcoming the debate and supporting the issues I raised, and I hope this cross party sprit can finally push the government to act with the urgency the issue deserves. https://fb.watch/qMczd0cr4Q/


In my role as part of Labour’s shadow treasury team I supported the teams work on last week's Budget, which promised much but delivered little for our towns and villages. From stealth taxes leaving families worse off to a lack of investment in key public services, there was a lot to be disappointed in. https://fb.watch/qMcybarX-G/


In Parliament I continued to press Ministers to act on the unnecessary and unacceptable issues caused by unadopted estates and private management companies. Despite the CMA recommending action back in November, the Government are still to act. https://fb.watch/qMcAXly1qz/


I raised the dire state of roads in Meppershall and surrounding towns and villages with the Government, and urged them to act to ensure ongoing developments are not allowed to delay much needed road resurfacing over and over again. https://fb.watch/qMcFL3PidI/


Back in Bedfordshire, it was great to visit Meppershall academy to hear first hand the issues the current pause in the transition is causing for the school, and take a brilliant range of questions from pupils about my work as our MP.


In last weeks farming debate, it was great to celebrate the fantastic work of our farmers across Bedfordshire, and call on ministers to do more to support them. https://fb.watch/qMcI4JG5oa/


I visited Monkey Puzzle nursery in Shefford to hear about the challenges facing childcare settings in Bedfordshire, and the areas where our local council and Government need to do more to support them.


I held my latest constituency surgery in Ridgemont, picking up lots of important local issues and campaigns for my office to assist with. It was great to see Bedford Today covering my campaign for action to address the dire state of roads on James Place in Flitwick: MP demands "atrocious" Flitwick road be fixed by housing developers (bedfordtoday.co.uk).


Finally my food and drink recommendation for the week has to go to the great coffee at The Loft Shefford which reopened its doors last week!

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