Welcome to this week's newsletter!
I’m delighted to open this week’s newsletter by announcing that Jack, from Bodiam CE Primary School, is the winner of my Christmas Card competition! It was a pleasure to visit the school last week to congratulate him – he should be incredibly proud.
And a special congratulations as well to the runners-up, Elsie and Abigail from Chantry Community Primary School, for their wonderful contributions.
A highlight of the competition each year is presenting the winning design to The Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle. Jack’s card will also be sent to the King!
I run this competition to give even the youngest pupils a fun, creative way to engage with their local MP, helping spark an interest in politics. Jack’s winning card is now on sale at Jempsons’ Peasmarsh store, with all proceeds supporting St Michael’s Hospice. Thank you to Jempsons and British Gypsum for supporting this year’s event!
On the topic of Christmas, I will be sending out a special Christmas edition newsletter in the lead up to Christmas Day and I want to be able to share as many different local Christmas events! Please make sure to see the article below for details on how to get in touch.
Earlier this week, I spoke in a debate on Labour’s plans for mandatory digital ID. Many constituents feel this policy is heavy-handed, costly, and raises real worries about data security. The Government should listen and rethink its approach. You can share your views through the survey on my website linked in the article.
I recently took part in the BBC Question Time immigration special – a lively debate and an opportunity to outline Conservative proposals for proper border control. With small boat crossings and asylum hotel numbers rising, we need an honest discussion on the legal barriers to us deporting people that should rightly be deported, including the role of the ECHR. This will allow us to help genuine refugees in a controlled and lawful way.
Last Saturday was ‘Small Business Saturday.’ I joined local Cllr Ian Hollidge for a tour of local businesses in Bexhill. Our vibrant community of independent shops is impressive, though many shared that recent government decisions have made growth harder. Thank you to all the fantastic businesses who welcomed us!
While in Parliament, I was pleased to donate blood at a special event. If you’re able to, donating blood literally saves lives – more information is linked below.
I also attended a Blood Pressure UK and Kidney Care UK event, taking the opportunity to check my own blood pressure. High blood pressure often has no symptoms but greatly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney problems. Regular checks are one of the simplest ways to protect your health.
Scope held a Parliamentary event to mark International Day of Disabled People, which several constituents invited me to attend. Disabilities should never be a barrier to living a full, independent life. Employment is key, and local organisations like Littlegate are doing excellent work to help people find meaningful opportunities.
I recently visited Bexhill Fire Station to meet Chief Fire Officer Mark Matthews, senior ESFRS leaders, and the on-call crew to discuss how the service is adapting to new fire regulations and changing risks. Much of their work now involves prevention and supporting police and ambulance teams, but the current funding model doesn’t reflect these growing demands. Their role is vital, and I’ve assured them of my continued support for fair funding so they can keep delivering essential life-saving services.
I’m delighted that the Mint House in Pevensey has been awarded more than £21,000 from Historic England. Having visited earlier this year, I was struck by its remarkable heritage, and this grant will be a major boost to the Friends of the Mint House as they continue their great work to restore the building and secure its long-term future. I’m proud to support their efforts to protect this important part of Pevensey’s history.
It’s been a lovely start to the festive season visiting local Christmas fairs. I enjoyed popping into Sedlescombe Primary School, then headed over to the Veterans’ Growth Christmas Fayre to raise funds for an important cause before visiting St Mary’s Church Christmas Fair in Ticehurst. These events are a wonderful reminder of the strong community spirit that makes our area so special – thank you to all the volunteers who made them possible!
I visited constituents in Hurst Green to see how the new A21 safety works have left them unable to access their fields with agricultural vehicles. While the improvements are welcome, the design overlooks local farming needs. I’ve raised this with National Highways and am hopeful a practical solution can be found quickly
I know that the Budget has been felt hard by so many hard-working people – I do not agree that many of the Chancellor’s decisions are in the public interest. However, I welcome good decisions, whatever the party, and extending NIC relief for veterans is positive news. Labour has continued the previous Conservative government’s scheme until 5 April 2028, allowing employers to save 15% on NICs for eligible veterans in their first year of civilian work and helping veterans transition their skills into new roles.
The Government is consulting on plans to reorganise local councils in East Sussex, Brighton & Hove, and West Sussex into new unitary authorities. I don’t think this is a good idea, but the decision is being made without us being given a choice. Residents, businesses, and community groups can share their views until 11 January 2026 – the survey is linked below.
And lastly, please see the end of this newsletter for up-to-date information on local road closures.
Have a great weekend.
This week's newsletter:
- Jack - Winner Of This Year's Christmas Card Competition
- Speaker of The House Christmas Card Showcase
- Call for Local Christmas Events
- Digital ID Debate
- Question Time - Immigration Special
- Small Business Saturday
- NHS Blood Donation
- Blood Pressure UK & Kidney Care UK Drop-in
- SCOPE - International Day of Disabled People
- East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service
- Funding Granted for Mint House
- Visiting Local Christmas Fairs
- A21 Farm Access
- Veterans NIC Relief Extended to 2028
- Government Consultation on Local Government Reorganisation
- Local Road Closures
Jack - Winner Of This Year's Christmas Card Competition
It was a pleasure to visit Bodiam CE Primary School to congratulate Jack, the winner of this years Christmas card competition, in person - he should be very proud!
And a special congratulations as well to the runners-up, Elsie and Abigail from Chantry Community Primary School, for their wonderful contributions.
I organise the annual Christmas Card competition to give even the youngest school children an opportunity to get involved with their local MP.
This early engagement through creativity is a fun way to start things off, so as they grow older, they’re more likely to take an interest in political issues and feel empowered to have their voices heard.
If you would like to buy some of my Christmas Cards with Jack's design to send to friends and family, they are now on sale at Jempsons Peamarsh store. If you’re passing through Peasmarsh, do pop in and pick one up!
Even better, every card sold will raise money for St Michael’s Hospice, which does such brilliant work supporting local families.
Thank you to Jempsons and British Gypsum for being sponsors and helping to make this years Christmas Card competition happen. The winners and runners up schools get a donation for creative arts supplies thanks to their generosity.
Speaker of The House Christmas Card Showcase
A real highlight of my Christmas Card competition is being able to present the winning design to the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle!
It was a lovely moment and a great way to celebrate the creativity of young people from our local schools.
Well done again to Jack for a brilliant design, and to everyone who helped make this possible.
Call for Local Christmas Events
With the festive season upon us, this year I wanted to send out a special Christmas newsletter to share as many local Christmas events as possible!
That's why I'm asking if you are aware of an event, no matter how small, please get in contact with my Office through my email address - [email protected].
I will do my best to make sure I can share as much as possible when the letter goes out!
Digital ID Debate
I spoke in a debate on Labour’s plans to introduce mandatory digital ID, opened by my Conservative colleague Robbie Moore MP.
It was a heavily oversubscribed debate, so there was limited time to speak, but I wanted to make sure the concerns being raised by my constituents were clearly represented.
Nearly 5,000 people in Bexhill and Battle have signed the petition opposing compulsory digital ID, and I’ve received hundreds of emails raising serious concerns. The scale of opposition nationally is clear.
Mandatory digital ID feels like an overreach. It risks burdening law-abiding people and businesses, while doing little to stop illegal working by those who already ignore the rules. Many constituents are also worried about data security, especially given recent cyber-attacks on government systems.
This is a costly and heavy-handed proposal that is unlikely to solve the problem it claims to address. The Government should listen to the strength of public opposition and drop this approach.
If you would like to have your voice heard, please make sure to take a look at the survey I have set up on my website linked here.
Question Time - Immigration Special
Last week I took part in the BBC Question Time immigration special. It was a particularly heated programme, with strong views on all sides, but I felt it was important to set out clearly and calmly what Conservatives are actually proposing.
The Labour Immigration Minister failed to mention that there are now more people in asylum hotels than when Labour took over and the number of small boat crossings is higher than at this point last year. That tells us the system is getting worse, not better.
The Conservatives believe the only way to fix this is to restore proper control of our borders. That means being honest about what is and is not working, including the legal barriers that currently prevent action.
We have proposed leaving the European Convention on Human Rights as part of the solution. There is a lot of misinformation about what this would mean. If the ECHR makes a ruling, our courts must follow it and we cannot appeal the precedent it sets. As things stand, it can prevent the UK from removing people who have arrived illegally, even where Parliament has agreed they should not be allowed to stay.
In practice, there are cases where people have been allowed to remain because courts have decided that returning them could worsen their physical or mental health, even when they no longer face a risk of torture or persecution. In some cases, the issue is simply that healthcare in another country is worse than in the UK. These are judgments made by courts interpreting international law, not by elected MPs.
We should at least have an honest debate about what our membership of the ECHR means in practice. Countries like Australia, Canada and New Zealand have strong protections for human rights, but are not members of the ECHR and are still able to run firm but fair immigration systems.
In the end, unless we are able to tell people who cross by boat that they cannot stay and send them to a safe third country or back to their home country, we are never going to get a grip on the boat crossings.
We should always help genuine refugees, but we must be able to do so in a controlled and lawful way.
That is the case I made on the programme, and it is one I will continue to make on behalf of my constituents.
You can watch the full debate here.
Small Business Saturday
It was great to join Bexhill Cllr Ian Hollidge for a tour of some small business in Bexhill!
We are so lucky to have our local independent businesses. Imagine what our high streets would be like without them so we must support them when possible. Many high street businesses tell me some of the recent decisions by the government has made life more difficult for them.
I know that measures in the past two Budgets are not what people voted for - they are stunting growth, not encouraging it.
Thanks for having me:
- Emily at Picturecrafts
- Jenny and Izzy at Mad Expectations card and gift shop
- Neil and Fran at Galleon Games
- Janine at Jaadu Boutique
- Lisa and Norman at Jacobs Haberdashery
- Kitchen Supplies
- La Collina Gardens
- Eggs to Apples Farm Shop
And a top tip - owners and staff told me just how much it means when a customer thanks them for good service!
NHS Blood Donation
Last week, I donated blood at a special event in Parliament with NHS Blood and Transplant - it doesn't take long and can really help.
Why give blood? For more information visit NHS Blood Donation.
Blood Pressure UK & Kidney Care UK Drop-in
I recently attended the Blood Pressure UK and Kidney Care UK event in Parliament, where I also took the opportunity to have my own blood pressure checked.
High blood pressure rarely shows symptoms, yet it significantly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney problems. Speaking with individuals affected by high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease was a powerful reminder of how these conditions can impact daily life.
Regular blood pressure checks are one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect your health. Raising awareness and encouraging everyone to take this small but vital action is essential for prevention and better long-term outcomes.
Find out how to get checked here
SCOPE - International Day of Disabled People
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending Scope’s Parliamentary event to mark International Day of Disabled People.
I was invited by several constituents because this issue matters deeply to them - and to me. A disability should never be an obstacle to living a full, independent life. It was inspiring to hear from CEO Mark Hodgkinson about Scope's work and the steps they have taken to push for better support.
This conversation also highlights the importance of employment, which plays a crucial role in independence and wellbeing, and the need to ensure that disabled people have real access to meaningful work. Locally, organisations like Little Gate are doing fantastic work to help people overcome barriers and move into employment.
A flexible approach - giving individuals the chance to try new things, develop skills, and find roles that suit their abilities and aspirations - is essential.
East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service
I visited Bexhill Fire Station to meet Chief Fire Officer, Mark Matthews, senior leaders of East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (ESFRS) and on-call crew to discuss how the service has adapted to meet the priorities of new building fire regulations following the Grenfell Tower fire and changing fire risks.
Increasingly their work involves preventative measures and regularly supporting the police and ambulance services in rescue and support operations, and the funding model doesn’t well match the additional work this creates locally.
The work they do is essential in protecting and saving lives as well as in supporting the other emergency services. I have assured them of my ongoing support for fair funding for the ESFRS to ensure they can continue to deliver their essential life-saving services for our communities.
Funding Granted for Mint House
I’m absolutely delighted that the Mint House in Pevensey has been awarded more than £21,000 from Historic England.
I visited the Mint House earlier this year and was struck by what a remarkable and important part of our local heritage it is. Dating back to the early 1500s, with rare wall paintings and one of the largest surviving detached 16th-century kitchens in East Sussex, it’s a treasure that deserves real care and attention.
The Friends of the Mint House are doing fantastic work to restore it and to make sure it continues to grow as a thriving cultural hub for the community.
This new £21,120 grant will be a huge boost to their efforts. It will fund essential work including a structural engineer’s report, a conservation management plan, and a detailed condition report, helping secure the building’s long-term future as the Home of Sussex Folklore.
Historic England has already supported important research, including dendrochronological testing which confirmed much of the building dates back to the 1520s–30s, with later sections from the 1560s–70s. The Mint House also contains nationally significant wall paintings, now being carefully assessed so they can be properly protected.
I’m proud to support the brilliant volunteers at Friends of the Mint House for safeguarding this incredible piece of Pevensey’s history.
Visiting Local Christmas Fairs
It’s been a lovely start to the festive season with visits to several brilliant Christmas fairs across our local communities. I was delighted to pop into the Sedlescombe Primary School Christmas Fair and speak with some local small businesses.
I also had the pleasure of visiting the Veterans’ Growth Christmas Fayre, supporting their fantastic work and helping raise money for a truly important cause. Of course, I couldn’t resist having another go at guessing the weight of the cake!
Later I stopped by St Mary’s Church Christmas Fair in Ticehurst – thank you to all the volunteers whose hard work made the event such a warm and welcoming occasion. (And another “guess the cake weight” competition awaited me there too!)
These events are a reminder of the wonderful community spirit that makes our area so special.
A21 Farm Access
I visited constituents, Julie and Kevin, who own land in Hurst Green with Cllr Eleanor Kirby-Green to see for myself how access to their fields has been effectively been lost as a result of the new A21 Road Safety Package works near Ashdene Garages.
Whilst its good to see further safety improvements on this road which will reduce accidents, it appears that the engineering designs did not take into account that tractors and large agricultural vehicles need to enter and leave the fields.
I have raised this with the Area Director for National Highways and I am hopeful that a solution which is acceptable to the landowners can be agreed and implemented as soon as possible.
Veterans NIC Relief Extended to 2028
I believe in welcoming good decisions whatever the party and despite there being lots wrong with the Budget this is good news.
Labour has extended the previous Conservatives government’s NIC relief for veterans until 5 April 2028.
This lets employers continue saving 15% employer NICs on eligible veterans in their first year of civilian work, while helping veterans use their skills and experience in new jobs.
Government Consultation on Local Government Reorganisation
The Government is consulting on major proposals for how local councils in East Sussex, Brighton & Hove and West Sussex could be reorganised into new unitary authorities.
These changes would affect how local services are delivered across our area. I don't think that this is a good idea but we aren't being given a choice.
Residents, businesses and community groups are invited to share their views. The consultation is open until 11 January 2026 - have your say here.
Local Road Closures (please note this information is provided by third parties):
Bexhill
- Ellerslie Lane – 18 December to 19 December
- Cooden Drive – 3 February 2025 to 1 February 2026
Battle
- High Street – 26 December, 11:00 to 11:30
- Netherfield Hill – 12 December, 03:07 to 16 December, 17:00
Herstmonceux
- Wartling Road – 18 December to 19 December
- Chapel Row – 15 December to 20 December
Crowhurst
- Swainham Lane – 16 December to 17 December
Sedlescombe
- Marley Lane – 16 December to 17 December
Ticehurst
- Dale Hill – 22 December, 08:00 to 23 December, 17:00
