Our planning system is critical for delivering on some of the most important challenges we face.  The urgent need for new homes to address the housing crisis and the urgent need to tackle the climate and ecological emergency, decarbonise our economy and protect and enrich our natural environment.

To meet these challenges, we must have a planning system that establishes a strong vision, sets high standards for design and environmental performance, gives strong protections to the buildings, spaces and landscapes which people value, and actively supports the involvement and engagement of a diverse range of voices in decision-making.

Yet the Tories are not concerned with reforming the planning system so that it can address these urgent challenges.  They are applying the usual natural Tory instinct to deregulate, regarding the planning system as red tape to be cut through, rather than as a valuable toolkit which must be further improved to secure genuinely progressive, sustainable planning outcomes, particularly in terms of the provision of new genuinely affordable homes to rent and to buy.

Over the past few weeks I have been contacted by many constituents who are deeply concerned about the implications of the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill.

This Bill is hugely damaging to the UK.  It undermines the Withdrawal Agreement with the EU, signed by Boris Johnson just a few months ago, it reopens the discussions about the Northern Ireland Protocol which had previously been settled, and it breaches international law, gravely damaging our global reputation as a law-abiding nation.

I have been contacted by many constituents who are deeply concerned about the Government’s Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill.

The government says that the Overseas Operations Bill has been introduced to address the issue of prosecution of former members of the armed forces in relation to events which took place whilst on service overseas, many years after the period of service.  There is certainly some evidence that this is an issue which needs to be addressed.  However, the Bill as currently drafted does not deal with the core objective effectively, and introduces a range of measures which are deeply concerning.  This is an appalling piece of legislation which is deeply flawed.

Many constituents have contacted me regarding disruption to their postal service during the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic has undoubtedly been very challenging for Royal Mail staff who have faced illness, and the need to adopt new working practices to be safe in the workplace, while the number of parcels for delivery has increased hugely in many areas as residents have stayed at home and ordered online.  I know that Royal Mail staff have been working tirelessly to sustain delivery services, East Dulwich residents in the SE22 area have experienced particular difficulties with deliveries.  I have been raising these issues with Royal Mail and last week I visited the delivery office for SE22 which is now based in Peckham following the closure of the SE22 delivery office in 2017. 

Throughout the pandemic many SE22 residents have gone weeks without post and parcels, and this is not acceptable.  It is clear that the closure of the Silvester Road delivery office has been disastrous.  The SE15 office is too far away from the further reaches of SE22 on foot, and there is too little space for both postcode areas to be sorted with adequate social distancing, contributing to delays. Royal Mail has sold the Silvester Road delivery office for millions of pounds and it is now being developed as luxury flats.  They must provide a fit for purpose delivery office in the SE22 postcode area so that their hardworking staff can provide the service residents rely on.