May 2024 Update and Dissolution
I am pleased to bring you my May 2024 Update and Dissolution information. As ever, if you would like to sign up to my mailing list, you can do so on this page or by emailing [email protected].
Dear resident,
I am starting this newsletter with a slightly different introduction to usual. Following the Prime Minister's announcement last week, a General Election will take place in five weeks today, on 4 July.
Parliament has dissolved, which means that I am no longer your MP and am instead the Conservative Candidate for the Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner constituency following boundary changes. This means that for some, regardless of the outcome of the election, I will no longer be your Member of Parliament after 4 July. Having served the local area as a councillor for over 20 years before being elected as MP, it has been a genuine honour to represent this fantastic community.
Despite some difficult and, dare I say it, unprecedented circumstances to contend with, I am proud of what has been achieved over the past five years. Whether that is assisting with individual matters, from visas and driving licences to finding secure accommodation for residents, or championing campaigns which deliver on the priorities of residents, such as securing school places for local children to ensuring we see shovels in the ground at the new Hillingdon Hospital site, it has been both a privilege and pleasure.
I understand that residents may encounter circumstances which require urgent action or assistance over the election period and while I will not be the MP, my office will remain open to assist in these matters. On that note, I would also like to highlight the fantastic work of my team, who I refer to as the real brains of the outfit and keep the ship sailing day-to-day.
For now, I would like to share with you my final newsletter ahead of the election. All work was carried out prior to the dissolution of Parliament.
In the Constituency
Surgeries
Throughout May, my regular surgeries continued, and it has been great to help residents with their concerns and issues. Thank you to Harefield Library, as well as the teams Café Hills in Northwood Hills and Caffe Pascucci in Hatch End for hosting me this month.
At a warm and sunny surgery in Harefield Library this month
River Colne
I have spoken before about the importance of protecting our waterways and the diverse ecosystems they support. An example of this locally is the treasured River Colne, which runs through Harefield and neighbouring counties, such as Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
However, there are long-standing issues around pollution, owing to factors like an increase in rainwater and invasive species. As such, I organised a meeting with Stewart Pomeroy from the Colne Valley Park Trust, Harefield resident John Walker and neighbouring MPs Gagan Mohindra and Joy Morrissey at the Old Orchard in Harefield to discuss protection for this valued beauty spot.
As the Colne Valley Park borders multiple constituencies, one suggestion was a more joined-up approach between the local authorities of these constituencies. Although the Colne Valley Park Trust already engages with the relevant authorities, this is something that should be streamlined and harnessed further.
Furthermore, as one of only around 200 chalk streams in the world, and part of an eco-system supporting wildlife and biodiversity, it is imperative to ensure that we protect and maintain this rare environment for generations to come.
Following the meeting, I applied for a parliamentary debate to raise awareness about this issue.
Discussing how to protect the River Colne
Health Issues
As one of the top priorities for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner, health has been high on the agenda for visits and meetings this month.
Firstly, I hosted a meeting with a number of constituents with whom I had met separately at surgeries over the past few months. As experts in early years intervention, it was invaluable to get the group together to discuss their concerns and to hear possible ways forward to create a more preventative approach to care in this area.
Furthermore, readers may recall that earlier this year I attended the launch of the Brain Tumour Research 2024 manifesto in Parliament, marking a significant step forward in this long-standing campaign. Sadly, I know there are families in the constituency who have been affected by this, and so I recognise the need for more to be done to improve survival and quality of life for those impacted.
This month, I met with the team at the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre in Northwood to discuss the complex treatment of brain tumours and cancer, and to hear some really important and strong suggestions for improvement, which I promised to raise with colleagues in government.
Speaking with the team at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre about brain tumour funding, research and treatment
Finally, it was a pleasure to attend the Harefield Hospital Theatre and Catheter Lab Open Day this month. As a national hub for cardio-thoracic intervention, it was an opportunity to both hear about and see the range of procedures and equipment used to support this work.
During my visit, I was grateful to be given a tour of facilities and was interested to learn more about the amazing technology which has benefitted countless patients, many of whom live locally, but also others from across the country and world.
It was great to be able to experience and celebrate all that is great within the NHS locally.
At the Harefield Hospital open day, celebrating the success of our local NHS
In Parliament
While we went through the formalities of ending this Parliamentary term, my work hasn’t ceased as vital legislation was passed at the last minute. Important Bills received final scrutiny and approval as we delivered increased protections for homeowners, renters and animal lovers across Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner.
In addition to this work, I was delighted to attend a few important events this month which I am sure are of interest to my constituents.
Israeli Hostages
We were all appalled by the scenes we saw last October when Hamas terrorists attacked innocent Israeli citizens, killing many and taking hundreds of men, women, and children as hostages. No matter the historical actions of both sides, there is absolutely no justification or legitimacy for the atrocities of October 7 perpetuated by Hamas.
In the months that have followed, we have seen the situation in the Levant deteriorate significantly as the Israeli Government took action to free the hostages from Gaza. The actions of the IDF have become increasingly intolerable and there is a vital need to increase the amount of aid reaching the innocent civilians of Gaza. This, however, cannot detract from the fact that Hamas continue to hold innocent Israeli civilians as hostages.
Sadly, new evidence continues to come to light about the fate of the hostages and the crimes perpetrated by Hamas last October. Shortly before the Prime Minister’s decision to call the election, in my role as Co-Chair of the All-Party Group for British Jews, I hosted some of the relatives of hostages still detained.
This important meeting was a timely reminder that the fate of the hostages remains uncertain and as more time passes is increasingly worrying. I personally want to pay tribute to the courage of the families who visited parliament to remind us that the longer this conflict drags on, the more innocent civilians suffer.
The message to Members of Parliaments and Peers was clear, there must be an immediate pause in the fighting to facilitate the return of the remaining hostages and the access of aid.
Speaking with the families of Israeli hostages in Parliament this month
Grassroots Football
Residents will know my interest in supporting community sports groups in my constituency. I was therefore delighted to attend a drop-in session hosted by the Football Association (FA) and the Premier League this month.
I was honoured to meet England legend Emilie Heskey and to discuss investment into local football facilities in both Hillingdon and Harrow. With the upcoming Euros and the recent success of the Lionesses, it has never been more important to invest in the grassroots game to give children across Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner the opportunities to get involved.
Thanks to funding from the Government and the Premier League, the FA has been able to invest into local facilities here in Northwest London. This transformative funding will benefit the mental and physical wellbeing of our community, and as a parent, I know how valued these facilities are.
Meeting football legend Emilie Heskey at a drop-in session in Parliament
I would like to take this opportunity to thank residents for their support since my election as MP. I hope to be able to continue to make progress for our local area after 4 July.
In the meantime, I will be trying to speak with as many of you as possible on the doorstep in the run-up to polling day.
Kind regards,
David
