Westminster Life: A privilege to witness the King's Speech

There’s something deeply British about the State Opening of Parliament. It was a privilege to represent our city as the King outlined the new government’s legislative programme. This was the first King’s Speech to a Labour government. So, when us commoners had walked over to the House of Lords, it was good to hear the King highlight issues that matter to many people here in Peterborough from fixing the NHS, tackling anti-social behaviour, improving school standards and dealing with the mess of our immigration system.

Growth is at the heart of the new government’s plans, ensuring businesses and entrepreneurs have the conditions in which they can succeed. We are determined to bring back economic stability, introducing tough new rules to keep taxes, inflation, and mortgages low. It is only by growing the economy that we will generate the income to lift living standards, invest in our public services and give the next generation the opportunities to get on in life.

Every day, we are discovering more of the mess the last government has left for us to clear up. Our prisons are in crisis. Sewage has flooded our rivers and seas. And the Chancellor has warned our public finances are in the worst state since the second world war. This means that the change we need will not happen overnight, but the work to change has begun.

I pledged during the election to give businesses a seat at the table, and I’d like to thank all of those local businesses who have reached out to me or met me already. One of my first appointments was with the Road Haulage Association who are based in Peterborough. The haulage and logistics sector are key to getting goods around the country. And I will be an advocate for supporting the industry.

I’m also part of the largest ever intake of Labour and Co-operative MPs meaning that I support community ownership. I was really pleased to see action against retail crime in the King’s Speech. Only a few weeks ago, I met staff at the Co-op store in Eye who told me about the rise in shoplifting and retail crime. Abuse Is not part of the job. Retail workers deserve to work in safety and with respect. Toughening up the rules to make that happen is a change I will support as our MP.

I also asked my first questions in Parliament this week. My first intervention from the green benches was to highlight the work of Peterborough College and its new Green Technology Centre which is currently under construction. This will help to provide apprenticeships in new areas like Electric Vehicle maintenance, sustainable construction and renewable energy. I also raised the plans for a new Energy Transition Centre at our award-winning university, ARU Peterborough, which will add further to our expertise in energy and new industries like green hydrogen.

Peterborough’s industrial heritage and prosperity was built on engineering, and it is wonderful to see Peterborough College and local businesses working together to create these new opportunities for the next generation. This is what I call moving from ‘blue collar’ to ‘green collar’ jobs. We need more high-skilled jobs in the city. With this King’s Speech, I’m proud to represent Peterborough as we take the next steps to doing just that.