Westminster Life: Honouring our Armed Forces

This Saturday (27th June) is Armed Forces Day, marking a week of activities around the county in recognition of the men and women who make up the Armed Forces community, writes Andrew Pakes MP.

This week began with the Armed Forces flag being raised outside the Town Hall, a simple but moving ceremony led by the Mayor. As a proud, working city, we know the value of people who roll up their sleeves and serve, whether in uniform or in our public services. It was a privilege to stand alongside our Armed Forces Champion, Councillor Jason McNally, and others who work year-round to support forces families in our community.

One of the most valuable days I have had as an MP was meeting the Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment in Aldershot as part of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme. Seeing Gurkha soldiers at work and even spotting Perkins engines from Peterborough still powering military equipment, brings home how our city is woven into the story of our Armed Forces. The values we celebrate on Armed Forces Day, duty, service and quiet professionalism, are the same values that built our engineering heritage and still shape our future.

Please also spare a thought for our public service and emergency workers who have been keeping us safe this week in the prolonged hot weather. All of us have felt uncomfortable at moments in the heat, but for many of our more vulnerable neighbours they are the frontline keeping us safe and well, Thank you.

We are beginning to see signs that some long-promised investment plans are making progress in the city centre. You may have seen the new NHS Community Diagnostic Centre going up by Wellington Street. This will provide seven-day-a-week tests and scans to help speed up help for patients and take pressure off the hospital. It was originally due to open in 2024 but now, with help from the Government, it will finally open later this year.

Work on the first phase of the Station Quarter will also begin shortly. This will cause some short-term pain around the roundabout, but it will be worth it. The prize is a new welcome to Peterborough with a new station building and better access to the city. I am not a politician who claims this is all down to me. The Station Quarter is a team effort between Network Rail, LNER, the City Council and Combined Authority. This is about “we”, not “I”. The project was started under my predecessor and the previous Mayor, and now has its funding agreed by this Government.

This goes to the type of collaboration I want to see more of. We need to work together to secure the investment Peterborough needs and deserves. After a decade of austerity many of our public services are still under immense pressure, even though Labour is increasing investment. But we need to do more –and we do it at our best when we work together.