With Brexit negotiations entering a critical phase, there are still plenty of questions over the likely character of our future relationship with the EU and I wanted to give residents an opportunity to raise any concerns about the negotiation process at a high level. As such, I invited prominent Leave campaigner and Public Administration Committee Chairman, Bernard Jenkin MP, to Upminster for the evening to speak to local people about the ins and outs of the negotiation and the impact of the parliamentary dynamics on the final deal. With representatives from the police, schools, businesses and local churches in attendance, we were also able to cover a much broader range of topics including education funding and the impact of London’s growth on local communities.
I see part of my role as your MP as being a bridge between Upminster and Westminster. In bringing parliamentarians to local people and encouraging discussion and debate, I hope the community will feel more engaged with the important issues affecting us all and, most importantly, play a role in writing our nation’s next chapter. I hope to arrange more such events over the course of the next four years, so do look out for opportunities to engage.