I want to start this week’s column by thanking everyone who helped to organise this year’s Remembrance Day parades and events in the constituency.
Many local communities marked Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday and I had the honour of joining in with services in St Austell and Newquay and laid a wreath to commemorate those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for King and Country.
I would just like to say that both events were well organised, as always, by the Royal British Legion, who I’d like to thank, and they were also well attended by veterans, service personnel and representatives from many parts of our communities.
I also had the opportunity to honour the fallen in St Blazey for the two minutes silence on Armistice Day and laid a wreath in memory of those who lost their lives.
It is always a privilege to play a small part in these events each year and as those who served in the last world war who are still with us become fewer, I feel it is more important than ever to remember the price that was paid for our freedom.
It was also great to see so many residents come out to watch the parades and events in memory of all those who died in service of our country during times of conflict. We will remember them.
I do also want to touch briefly on the protests we saw in London on Remembrance Day. I was concerned to see people on both sides expressing racist views and attacking the police. Whatever your views are on the situation in Israel and Palestine, I am sure we can all agree that this behaviour is not the way to express them.
People should be able to express their views peacefully, without descending to racial slurs and aggressive language. Some of what was witnessed was clearly illegal and I am pleased to see the police taking action.
Speaking of the law, last week we saw the State Opening of Parliament when King Charles III delivered his first King’s Speech, setting out the Government’s legislative agenda for the coming Parliamentary session.
The King’s Speech outlined the Government’s proposed policies and legislation for the coming parliamentary session. This focused on continuing to take action to bring down inflation to ease the cost of living for households in St Austell and Newquay and help businesses fund new jobs and investment.
The event marks the formal start of the parliamentary session and among the Bills announced for 2023-24 was the Renters Reform Bill. This aims to deliver on the Conservative’s manifesto promise to ban "no-fault" evictions while also providing certainly to landlords, through reforms, that they can regain their properties when needed.
This is something I was very pleased to see as I believe it will address many of the issues and concerns constituents, both renters and landlords, have raised with me.
The government also set out legislation to strengthen the UK’s energy security and reduce reliance on volatile international energy markets. Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine last year has put the need for energy security in stark perspective. That is why I am glad that the government is helping the country to transition to net zero by 2050, while ensuring costs do not increase for households in Mid-Cornwall and also boosting the UK’s economy.
Further bills announced in the King’s Speech included the Tobacco and Vapes Bill which will restrict the sale of tobacco so that children currently aged 14 or younger can never be sold and the Sentencing Bill which is being brought forward to ensure tougher sentences for the most serious offenders. The Criminal Justice Bill will also prevent new or complex crimes, such as digital-enabled crime and child sexual abuse, including grooming.
I am pleased to see such a wide range of new Bills coming forward which address many of the issues constituents have been in touch with me about and show the government is listening.
We cannot forget the impact of Covid and the war in Ukraine and the significant long-term challenges they have created for the country. However, the King’s Speech gave reassurances that the government is making the long-term decisions needed to support and benefit future generations as well as tackling inflation to help ease the cost of living for people in the constituency.
I understand there is more to be done and want to assure people that I and the Government will keep taking the long-term action needed so that we can ensure a better future for all households in St Austell and Newquay.
If
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