It was my pleasure to open the Quirky Dovetail Market. There was such a fantastic display of local arts and crafts on sale, which demonstrated the truly incredible talents that local people have to offer.

​Our local NHS board have announced that Trinity Medical Centre will close on 31st July. The decision to close the surgery is deeply disappointing and I am concerned that it will leave thousands of local residents scrambling to find another GP, including vulnerable patients. 

At a time when local residents are already waiting weeks to see a GP, this decision is a shocking, short-sighted solution for users of the surgery. People will find themselves trying to squeeze onto the books of existing practices, travelling further to see a GP, losing the strong and trusted relationships with their GPs they've built over time.

The blame for this decision lies squarely with this Conservative Government who have imposed 13 years of underfunding and neglect on our local NHS services. I have already called on the Health Secretary, Steve Barclay, to meet with the community to see the impact of this decision first-hand and to reverse this disastrous decision.

Trinity Medical Centre serves thousands of local people but is under threat of closure. For so many local residents this is a vital service. The closure would cause real difficulties for people accessing their local GP. Many local residents already have to wait weeks for a GP appointment and waiting lists for treatment are at record highs.

This closure is a result of 13 years of government underfunding of our NHS. The local Integrated Care Board for South West London has been forced into making huge cuts to their budget and the impact of these cuts is now being felt by our community.

In recent weeks, I've been contacted by numerous local residents extremely concerned about the impact of this closure. 

That's why I am urging the Health Secretary to intervene, listen to patients and staff alike, and keep a GP surgery open at Trinity Medical Centre. 

Sign my petition here

Today,  I asked Wandsworth Police officers to join me on a walk about in Tooting Bec.

We spoke to local residents and discussed tackling anti-social behaviour in the area.

I know local residents have raised a number of concerns - about incidents targeting children and public safety in the area. I addressed these matters with the police, along with strategies already put in place aimed specifically at reducing worrying incidents of this kind and crime.

Over recent months, I have taken the following action on anti-social behaviour and crime on the Heaver Estate:

• On 9th March, I wrote to the constituency police lead to raise my concerns about a series of incidents involving school children.
• On 10th March, the local commuity policing team afreed to increase the number of officers patrolling the local area.
• On 31st March, I wrote again to the local police team to raise concerns at a number of further incidents.
• On 27th April, I held a public meeting with local police in South Balham so that local residents could raise their concerns about policing in the area.
• Today, I asked local police officers to join my for a walk about on the Heaver Estate.

​Tooting has so much to offer as a community and I was delighted to visit my friends in Tooting Market yesterday to talk about their businesses. From food to clothes to art, crafts and activities, there is a wonderful array of businesses in the market

Next time you're in the area, make sure to pop in and sample the market's delights, whether you need freshly squeezed juice3 or freshly stitched jeans. To hear from the traders themselves (and to see me in a funky hat!).

​Baroness Casey's independent findings of racist, misogynistic, and homophobic abuses of power within the Met Police are deeply shocking and will leave many residents in Tooting concerned that the trust between the police and our community has been shattered.

It is clear that there is a failure of leadership from the Home Office and today's report lays bare the scale of the challenge needed to reform the Met Police. The rot runs right through the force, so no stone can be left unturned in the push for change. I welcome the work that Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has already begun with the new Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, in addressing these deep-rooted issues and regaining the trust of residents and victims of crime in Tooting.

However, under this Home Secretary and this Conservative Government, the Met Police are lacking the leadership, ambition and resources needed to grasp the scale of this challenge. Over the last 13 years, neighbourhood policing has been decimated, whilst prosecutions for violent and sexual crimes have hit the lowest levels on record, and victims of crime are now unsure that if they report a crime, the police will even turn up.

It is clear we need a Government with a plan to overhaul policing in London which will deliver cultural and systematic change. Under a Labour Government, we will overhaul policing and raise standards, with strengthened training and mandatory vetting, and the restoration of neighbourhood policing.

I would like to thank our hardworking neighbourhood police officers who have always worked constructively with me and for their continuing efforts to keep our local community safe.

Following my letter to Network Rail regarding step-free access at Wandsworth Common Station, I was very pleased to receive confirmation that the station will be nominated for funding in the next round of the "Access for All" programme.

This programme has funded step-free access and other accessibility measures in stations across the country, including just down the line at Balham. This is a very encouraging first step in ensuring that public transport is available and convenient for everyone in the local community.

My thoughts and prayers went out to everyone affected by the recent tragic earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. I was very proud to see that Tooting Islamic Centre raised £16,000 for the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal for relief funds.

It is always incredibly touching to see the love, generosity and kindness demonstrated by our fantastic community - thank you to all those that donated and to Arshad Daud, imam at TIC, for all his hard work. Donations can still be made here

​Following reports from local residents of increased levels of speeding on Blackshaw Road, I am pleased that the police agreed to my suggestion of increased speed watches around the local area. Given that there is a nursery and St George's Hospital along this road, it is vital that speed levels are stringently enforced to ensure everyone's safety.

I will continue to work with the police, Wandsworth Council and local councillors to keep our streets safe and accessible. To this end, I am very pleased to hear that the council is currently considering implementing a zebra crossing outside the nursery to protect both children and parents.

Today, Justin Madders MP and I met with the Retail trade union Usdaw and a group of retail workers in Westminster to talk about how the cost-of-living crisis, rising violence and abuse in stores, and the impact of Christmas holiday trade is affecting the mental health of customers and colleagues.

Far too many people are facing this Christmas period worried about how to provide for their families. With so many Usdaw members having their mental health impacted as a result of the cost-of-living crisis and increased levels of abuse in the workplace, it is deeply important that we, as politicians, take the time to listen.