As we enter December is is a joy to see the lights come on and the decorations go up as the community around Tooting, Balham, Furzedown and Earlsfield prepare for Christmas. Switch-on events are happening for Christmas lights at the following locations:

The energy this weekend for the Wandsworth Labour campaign launch was fantastic. A brilliant turnout of local people showed the incredible spirit and determination we have to take the fight to the Tories and secure a better future for our community. It is always inspiring to see so many neighbours and friends ready to stand up for the values we share.

Our campaign is built on a proven record of delivery. The Wandsworth Labour council has proudly kept council tax the lowest in the country, a vital support for families struggling through a cost-of-living crisis. This is what Labour in power looks like: competence, compassion, and a focus on putting residents first.

In the Chancellor's budget announced today, I was pleased to see this Labour Government finally scrap the two child benefit cap. This announcement will massively alleviate child poverty, instantly taking almost half a million children out of poverty. 

This is a change that I and many others have campaigned for a long time to achieve.

Today, on White Ribbon Day, I stood in solidarity with all those women and girls who have experienced vile violence and abuse.

Violence against women and girls does not occur in a vacuum; it is born out of misogyny that goes unaddressed on our streets, in workplaces, and in schools. We must all work to end this issue once and for all.

Over the summer, Rosena brought together the council and local police to address concerns about crime, antisocial behaviour and the general condition of the area. Since then, several steps have been taken.

Joint operations have taken place around Tooting Bec Underground Station to tackle drugs and weapons. Cameras have been installed in trouble spots, and work is underway to remove problem phone boxes and reduce street drinking. The area outside the old telephone exchange on the A24 has been cleaned, benches removed, and new cycle racks installed.

There is also a focus on safety for women and girls. Walk, Talk and Do events on Tooting Bec Common are helping officers understand where people feel unsafe, and training on being an active bystander will be offered locally.

Business engagement has increased, with more shops joining the Wandsworth Business Against Crime scheme. Waste enforcement has also been stepped up, with more than two hundred notices issued to improve disposal practices.
​
Partners will continue working together through winter, with more joint operations planned and regular meetings to respond to concerns from residents.

The annual Balham and Tooting Community Association (BATCA) interfaith peace ceremony is always a powerful moment for our community. This week, it was an honour to join so many local people to reflect on the importance of unity and understanding. Here in Tooting, our diversity is one of our greatest strengths, and events like this showcase the incredible spirit that brings us all together.

Our community is defined by its deep-rooted tolerance and mutual respect. Now more than ever, it is vital that we continue this tradition, listen to one another, and build bridges between different faiths and cultures. 

By continuing to work together, we can ensure that understanding triumphs over discord and build a more peaceful future for everyone.

This morning at the Battersea Park War Memorial was a truly poignant moment as I joined our local community to pay our respects. Representing Tooting, it is always a profound honour to stand in remembrance of those who gave everything in service of our country. 

Today serves as a vital reminder of the immense cost of conflict and the sacrifices made for the freedoms we cherish. These are not just names etched in stone, but individuals with families and stories from across our community that must never be forgotten. 

​Through my shifts in A&E, the sight of vulnerable patients on trolleys lining a busy corridor has become all too familiar. This is not the standard of care anyone should expect. Stripped of privacy and dignity, often in pain or distressed, patients are being failed at their most vulnerable. This practice, known as ‘corridor care’, is not just unsafe and undignified; it is a stark visual representation of an NHS pushed beyond its limits after years of neglect from previous Governments.

That is why, as Chair of a cross-party Parliamentary Group on Emergency Care, I was proud to launch our new report on this issue today. It sets out the scale of the problem and provides solutions. Patients in Tooting and across the country deserve better. It is time for real action to restore dignity to our emergency departments. Read the report below:

The reports emerging from Sudan detailing massacres and other atrocities are utterly horrifying. This senseless violence against innocent civilians demands an immediate and robust response from the global community. As a nation, we cannot simply stand by.

The UK must work urgently with partners to protect civilians and secure humanitarian access for those in desperate need. I will continue to press  for an end to  the bloodshed and to ensure aid reaches the vulnerable.

​The news that two prisoners were mistakenly released from HMP Wandsworth is profoundly alarming. For residents across Tooting and the wider community, this incident raises urgent questions about public safety and undermines confidence in the justice system.

Following these deeply concerning reports, I have immediately written to the Justice Secretary and the Home Secretary demanding a thorough investigation into this serious security failure. Local people deserve answers and to know what measures will be implemented to prevent this happening again.