Calling for action on flooding

Across the country, homes and businesses are being devastated by the current floods, and a number of people living in Patcham are sadly already among those affected.  I visited the 'hub in the pub' in Patcham last week and was incredibly impressed by the integrated service the council is providing.   I'm keeping in touch with developments, getting regular feedback on water levels, and very much hoping the worst will be avoided.   I'm also pushing for resources to be made available to reduce the risks of flooding in the future.

In a debate on the floods in parliament, I asked Eric Pickles if the Government would do more to invest in sustainable urban drainage systems, both retrofitting in existing homes and communities, as well as implementing Schedule 3 of the 2010 Water Act as soon as possible for new housing developments.

At Prime Minister’s Questions I also had an opportunity  to ask Mr Cameron whether doing “everything he can” for flood victims would include reversing cuts to the Environment Agency, and investing properly in flood protection.  Sadly, I was jeered before I was able to call on him to remove any Cabinet member who fails to take an evidence-based approach to climate change, an argument I was able to make on my blog.

New hope for a change to our drug laws

We had the welcome news that drug-related deaths in Brighton have dropped for the third year running, largely thanks to evidence-based strategies being adopted locally.  And there was hope for a change to our outdated drug laws nationally too.  With help from Russell Brand and campaigners from Avaaz, my e-petition for an impact assessment of the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act passed the 100,000 mark.  This means the issue will now be debated in Parliament, the first step towards a humane approach to drug addiction.  Thanks so much to everyone who signed.

I also asked the Home Secretary what position the UK will be taking on drugs policy at the G8 summit in June.

Health

I voted in favour of the Government being given powers to ban smoking in cars containing children, something I’ve been calling for some time.  I also met with campaigners from Target TB and chaired a parliamentary meeting of the Student Stop AIDS group.

Supporting Brighton Business

During the Westminster Hall debate on VAT  on tourism, which I helped to secure, I didn’t get the chance to say quite as much as I wanted to about Brighton and Hove’s many brilliant attractions, and how much they would benefit from a cut in VAT to 5%.  However, it was another great opportunity to make the case to end the competitive disadvantage that our tourism industry currently faces in Europe.

There are many young exciting independent shops in the Fiveways Area.   On Thursday, I had a chance to visit some of them, starting with Clare Letton at Wigwam Toys, who talked to me about some of the issues facing small businesses in the area, and their plans to form a local traders’ association.

I was very happy to open the Circus Street Bike Hub as part of Love your Bike Week.   It’s another great example of a pro-cycling initiative in Brighton and Hove, and I hope it inspires more people to get on their bikes.

Taking part in an event on Marine Parade as part of the One Billion Rising campaign was a truly inspiring experience.  It’s a global movement to empower people to take a stand against violence against women and children, and I was proud that Brighton was part of it.

I also said a few words to mark LGBT History month, by opening a Trans Week event at Jubilee Library.  People from the City’s Trans community read poems and spoke about their personal experiences, and author Persia West gave a reading from her new book.

Contacting Me