This past month in Parliament has seen truly significant legislative changes—particularly on abortion and assisted dying—that will have a profound societal and cultural impact for decades to come. While these are deeply important issues, I’m increasingly concerned by the speed at which they are being pushed through, with little time for proper debate or scrutiny.
Take, for example, the amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill. New Clause 1 seeks to remove criminal liability for women ending a pregnancy at any stage, while New Clause 2 would require in-person consultations before abortion medication is prescribed. These complex and sensitive proposals were debated in just 45 minutes—wholly inadequate for matters of such gravity.
Similarly, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill represents a major shift in our approach to death and end of life care. Yet it is evident that the legislation is not fit for purpose—not least because it removes the safeguard of requiring a High Court judge to approve life-ending applications. These are not decisions to rush through; they demand careful thought, consultation, and accountability as laws which might affect us all.
Away from Westminster, I remain alarmed by the Mayor of London’s plans to allow development on our precious Green Belt. This land is a vital environmental and community asset—once it’s gone, it’s gone forever and I realise how precious this is for constituents. Instead of bulldozing protected green space, the Mayor should focus on delivering the thousands of homes across London that already have planning permission but remain unbuilt.
As your MP, I will continue to push for rigorous scrutiny in Parliament and defend our Green Belt from short-sighted decisions that sacrifice the long-term wellbeing of Londoners.
First published: My Local News, July 2025
