Fight for our NHS

In Didcot and Wantage, seeing a doctor is the number one priority across our constituency. I would focus on building new surgeries in the area, and expanding our existing ones to cope with increased demand. 

Additionally, local hospitals can do so much with a small amount of investment, as we have seen in the council-led scheme in Wantage to reopen clinics. I want to win funding for additional local hospital services across the constituency. 

I fully back the Lib Dem plan for for 10 steps to get Britain healthy again:  

1. Focus on Prevention and People’s Health: Make the improvement of the nation’s health a key priority for government, emphasising prevention, addressing inequalities, and adopting an 'invest to save' funding model.

2. Empowering Communities: Progressively restore the Public Health Grant to 2015 levels, with a proportion of these funds set aside for local communities experiencing the worst health inequalities to co-produce plans on how the money should be spent in their area.

3. Children's Health: Ban energy drink sales to under 16s, only allowing junk-food advertising after 9pm, and grant local authorities powers to restrict junk-food advertising and unhealthy food outlets near schools.

4. Promoting Movement: Launch a government-backed nationwide campaign to encourage exercise and healthier habits, dedicating an existing bank holiday for wellness events.

5. Schools and Hospitals: Implement higher food standards in schools and hospitals to ensure every child and patient receives a healthy balanced diet.

6. Vaping: Tackle vaping and smoking among children with standardised packaging, advertising restrictions and banning disposable vapes. Reduce vaping among non-smokers, while recognising the important role vaping plays in helping adults quit smoking.

7. Blood Pressure Checks: Widen access to blood pressure tests in community spaces like pharmacies and libraries to reach underserved populations.

8. Social Prescribing: Invest in community projects that counter loneliness and share best practice across local authorities, the NHS, GPs, and primary care services.

9. Digital Health: Introduce a new kite-mark for clinically proven health apps, enabling individuals to manage their own health.

10. Critical Health Infrastructure: Consider a new national designation to safeguard local health facilities in times of crisis.

End Sewage Scandal 

Thames Water has been plunged into chaos with the sacking of a CEO, debts rising to a reported £18bn, and now in talks with the government over its possible collapse. 

It is the biggest water firm in the country, supplying over 15 million people, and its collapse has been codenamed “Project Timber” within the government due to the catastrophic impact it could have. A Special Administration would ensure those damaging effects would not happen.

I support the Lib Dem proposal to reform Thames Water into a Public Benefit Company with a special adminstrator in the meantime. The taxpayer would not be liable for the firm's debts, which stay with the holding company. The Special Administrator could ensure: 

• The taps keep running for millions of households across the capital and South of England 

• The company would become stable again and no longer be reliant on its failing board, working in the public interest.

• The company would re-start efforts to stop harmful sewage discharges into rivers and lakes

• Executive bonuses would no longer be paid, after the firm paid out £8 million to senior officials in recent years

The Liberal Democrats’ proposal for Thames Water would lead to the firm being reformed as a Public Benefit Company, which includes an environmentalist on the company board. The company would work in the public interest as well as for shareholders. 

Action on Cost of Living

Many continue to struggle with high prices and lack of support. I belive in action to tackle food and energy price rises head on. 

1. Subsidies to insulate all Britain’s homes, cutting emissions and fuel bills

2. End fuel poverty by providing free energy retrofits for low-income homes.

3. Invest an extra billion pounds in British farms, to boost food production

4. Cut energy bills for farms and businesses

5. Free school meals for every child in poverty

6. Windfall Tax on the continued super-profits of large energy corporations to reduce customer prices.