 As 2024 draws to a close, I wanted to take this opportunity to look back on the events of the past year. It has been a year of change and renewal - full of ups and downs - but as I enter into my ninth year as your Member of Parliament for Balham, Earlsfield, Furzedown and Tooting, it remains the greatest honour of my life to represent the community in which I was born and raised. Entering the new year, I would like to pay tribute to the incredible frontline workers working around the clock to keep the country going through the festive period. From our NHS services to local hospitality staff to food bank volunteers - you all have my heartfelt gratitude for your tireless work this Christmas and throughout the year. A year for democracyWhat a year it has been for elections, both locally and across the country. We began the year with a fantastic win in the Tooting Broadway by-election, increasing the Labour vote share by nearly 7% to a whopping 58% majority. Then came the Mayoral elections in May, when we kept London red by electing my Tooting predecessor Sadiq Khan to a historic third term as Mayor of London. Finally - and most importantly - we finally elected a new Labour Government after 14 long years, with areas up and down the country voting Labour for the very first time. It was humbling to receive the most votes of any Labour MP and thanks must go to everyone who voted for me - your support means the world. £100m to fix Wandsworth PrisonAfter years of campaigning - and countless stories of mismanagement and scandal - the Ministry of Justice announced a £100 million funding package for HMP Wandsworth. This will go a long way to reduce the impact of overcrowding, repair crumbling cell blocks and facilities, and ensure that prison guards can work in a safe environment. Delivering for everyone in TootingThousands of local people have contacted me this year regarding a variety of issues, I have dealt with 15,000 cases. I reclaimed tens of thousands in unpaid pensions or benefits for local people, got decisions on hundreds of delayed passport or visa applications, and helped countless local residents get repairs to their homes. My door is always open and please get in touch if there is anything I can help with. On the NHS frontline
Speaking up for Gaza It has now been over a year since the horrific 7th October attacks and Israel's subsequent invasion of Gaza. The humanitarian disaster we have seen unfold there in the time since, has been truly heartwrenching. This year, I've raised the issue numerous times in Parliament, visited the region in the spring, and held evidence sessions with humanitarian experts. Revitalising Tooting town centre
This Morning and Loose Women Using my background as an NHS doctor, I have enjoyed trying my hand at being a TV medic this year! The lovely people at This Morning and Loose Women have had me on many times to talk about a range of topics from mental health to medical emergencies and even gave me space to open up about my own childhood challenges with speech, in a bid to end stigma and help others. Work in Parliament
Keeping our streets safe in 2024, I successfully campaigned for a tripling of the Tooting neighbourhood policing team, putting more bobbies on our streets. In the summer, Operation Kenny run by the Metropolitan Police resulted in a 70% reduction in crime in Tooting town centre. This work will continue with the new Government's plans to recruit 13,000 new officers and return policing to communities. Cleaning up the local area I have never stopped campaigning for cleaner streets. This year saw a 15% reduction in fly-tipping in Wandsworth, with thousands of fines issued to people dumping their bulky rubbish on our streets. Meanwhile, Wandsworth Labour introduced food recycling for the first time ever in the borough. Free School Meals roll-out
Mental health reform Mental health is incredibly important to me and, for far too long, much-needed reforms were swept under the rug by a Conservative Government that simply wasn't interested. After much hard work, it was fantastic to see reform of the Mental Health Act announced in the King's Speech in July - this was long overdue.
Following a recent spot inspection of HMP Wandsworth by the Chief Inspector of Prisons. an Urgent Notification was issued to the Secretary of State for Justice, meaning that the Chief Inspector has serious and immediate concerns about the day-to-day operation of the prison.
The report was damning and laid the blame for the deficiencies squarely at the Government's door, citing a lack of leadership at the very highest levels. I have been raising these issues for years now and my concerns have gone unheeded by this Tory Government, even after a high-profile alleged escape last autumn. Read my Twitter thread on the subject below:
Today I met with the Prison Officers Assocation from Wandsworth Prison and Battersea and Wandsworth TUC to discuss the brutal conditions officers face. They told me about appalling conditions with three assaults on staff every day. This simply can’t go on - the Govt must get a grip on the crisis in our prisons.  Tonight, I spoke to Channel 4 News about the appalling conditions faced by staff and inmates in Wandsworth Prison. This can't go on. The Government urgently needs to get a grip on the crisis in our prison system instead of pretending that nothing is wrong. With 80 prison officers unavailable on the day Daniel Khalife escaped from Wandsworth Prison - it beggars belief that he was even allowed to work in the kitchen. The Government need to explain themselves. Today, I've been speaking about the very serious concerns I have regarding the prisoner escape from Wandsworth Prison. The Government need to provide answers regarding how this was allowed to happen. With schools crumbling, our prisons falling apart, and the NHS on it's knees, you can't trust the Tories with the NHS. |
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