Today is the day the Government allows train companies to hike our fares - again. Fares have soared since 2010, when Labour was last in Government, yet the service has undeniably failed to improve. Sadiq Khan, as Mayor of London, has frozen all TfL fares since being elected, which means pay as you go fares have remained the same on the tube, train and bus. However, travel cards are set by the Government, and this year they rose by 3.1%. Another smack in the face of commuters. Commuters who use Earlsfield, Balham, Wandsworth Common and Streatham Common will be rightly frustrated by the consistently poor service. This is why I support the Labour pledge to re-nationalise our network.
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Tonight, even the wet and windy weather couldn't dampen our Christmas spirits. I had the pleasure of spending time with the people of Furzedown at the annual market. There were mince pies, carols, and lots of great independent, local stallholders. I of course took the opportunity to pick up some great last minute gifts! Over 2,700 Tooting people completed an online poll to give their views on Brexit. The survey was taken by people from across Balham, Earlsfield, Furzedown and Tooting to ensure that there was a reasonable spread of respondents across Tooting.
They were also asked which Brexit option they preferred: the Government's Brexit Deal, a Labour Brexit deal, No Deal, or a public vote. I also wanted to understand how local people felt about Brexit as a whole - so I asked if they felt living standards would decline or improve after Brexit. As a local A&E doctor, I was keen to know how Tooting residents felt about the NHS, so people were also asked if they believed the NHS would get better or worse after Brexit. The results were clear: only 7% supported the Government’s Deal, and just 6% support a No Deal Brexit. Among this group, the number of people who are optimistic about Brexit is even smaller. Of the 7% who support the Government’s deal, less than one fifth believe our NHS will improve after Brexit (18%). Of the 6% who support a No Deal Brexit, almost two thirds (59%) believe the next generation will be worse off as a result of it. The vast majority of local people who completed the survey are deeply concerned about what Brexit will bring: 97.5% believe our NHS will be worse off after Brexit and 96.9% believe living standards will drop as a result of Brexit. The wishes of Tooting, therefore, are unequivocal: 90.1% want a public vote. It was a pleasure to visit the newly refurbished Pearl Chemist in Furzedown tonight - a fantastic local business which has been serving people in the community for many years. Winter is upon us and it's due to get colder, so make sure you've got your flu jab. Remember, you don't have to visit your GP for this; pop into your local chemist and they can provide this service for you. Thanks to the team at Pearl Chemist for inviting me, and to everyone who attended. I was so pleased to work with The FA to secure England vs USA tickets for local schools, clubs and organisations. Fantastic to see so many local people enjoying this opportunity to visit Wembley, many for the first time. It has been great to receive your pictures and see the huge reaction on Twitter - so much so we got #TootingGoesToWembley trending! Today I had the pleasure of attending the Ski & Snowboard Festival in Battersea Park, hosted by SnowSport England. It was great to speak to the team about National Schools SnowSport Week and the opportunities to make it accessible to schoolchildren across the country. Every young person should have the chance to try, and be involved, in sports. The Labour Conference is always an exciting time: a chance to discuss ideas and champion Tooting as the vibrant and welcoming community it is. One key aspect of the Conference is the wonderful organisations that it brings together. It was great to support, and meet, with so many of them over the last few days! Ronald McDonald House, Tooting, house over 100 families every year whilst their children are being treated at the nearby St George's Hospital. This weekend I was honoured to be invited to the annual family reunion day and spend time with some of the bravest families and volunteers I've ever had the privilege of meeting. |
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