One of my favourite things on Christmas Day is popping into local community lunches for people who would otherwise be alone. Always balled over by the generosity of our local community and the hordes of volunteers. First stop Cocoon- Care After Care care leavers' Christmas Day lunch 1/2

Now that the Met Police have finally published their long-delayed Estates Strategy, I’ve written to the Mayor of London reiterating my calls for him to back my campaign to repurpose the derelict Teddington Police Station for community use.

I recently wrote to the head of the Environment Agency to ask for greater clarity around what flood mitigation measures are being considered in our area, given concerns that our area sits in a gap between major flood defence programmes that are currently underway.

A lovely afternoon with some of my team and other volunteers at the Cocoon Care after Care wrapathon. Thank you to all who donated gifts for their Christmas Day event for young care leavers in our area. These special gifts mean so much. buff.ly/n9F7AVA

Pleasure to pop into Nationwide’s Twickenham branch to celebrate 60 years on our local high street. With so many high street banks closing their branches, including in our area, I know many residents value Nationwide’s presence on our high street.

Great to meet with Student Ambassadors & pupils at Richmond upon Thames School to talk about the issues on their minds, including smartphones, social media, mental health & cross-cultural understanding. Special honour to be interviewed for the inaugural edition of the new student magazine!

Honoured to attend unveiling of the War Memorial at First Bus UK's Fulwell Garage with Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill. Rediscovered & restored thanks to the tireless efforts of engineer Daniel Morris, it honours 50 men from Fulwell & the former Hounslow Tram Depot who gave their lives.

Popped in to say thank you to the brilliant local posties at Royal Mail's bustling Teddington Delivery Office. They’re all working incredibly hard at this time of year to get the Christmas post to its destination – including, of course, the many letters to Father Christmas!

No parent should worry about the safety of their child at nursery, yet last week's harrowing headlines of sexual abuse in a nursery left many feeling physically sick. We need urgent changes to our early years sector to make sure this never happens again. You can read my op-ed for the Guardian below👇

The Transport Secretary’s defence of SWR will ring hollow for local residents. We need to see a better service as soon as possible, and I will keep pressing for it at every opportunity.

Wonderful to join the inspirational Dr Iman Ali on #SmallBusinessSaturday at the opening of her new dental and aesthetics practice in Hampton Road, Twickenham. A true family business with Iman's mum cutting the ribbon!

Right across our local area, SWR is delaying and cancelling more and more services. While I look forward to meeting with SWR's Managing Director to press these issues in person, I have, today, also called for a debate in Parliament to discuss SWR's poor service.

An honour to join Richmond Borough Mind and local carers in our community at The Exchange in Twickenham to mark #CarersRightsDay. Unpaid carers do such important work supporting those with mental health needs – and it’s important that we support & recognise them in turn.

My thoughts are with the families affected in the harrowing sexual abuse case uncovered at a Camden nursery. I hope they're receiving the support they need. This follows awful cases of abuse in nurseries in Twickenham and Cheadle. We must work together to make our nurseries safer.

Tis the season! Great to join the Mayor & councillors for festive fun as local businesses & residents gathered for the Hampton Hill Christmas Parade, and to switch on the lights in East Twickenham. A wonderful way to kick off the holiday season!

Lovely to meet some Twickenham Rainbows and Brownies as part of #UKParliamentWeek. Great to learn about all of the wonderful activities they engage in & take their insightful questions!

Udney Park Playing Fields continue to lie derelict in the heart of Teddington despite growing demand from local groups. If this Government is serious about tackling our obesity and mental health crisis, it must do so much more to encourage access to playing field space. (1/2)

The Government's attempt to override local councils is as undemocratic as it is destructive. I spoke out in Parliament to criticise this blatant abuse of power and call for councils like Richmond upon Thames to be left alone to run themselves in the most effective way possible.

Another slap in the face for children, parents & teachers up and down the country with the Budget revealing real terms cuts for education. This is on top of not properly funding teacher pay rises, breakfast clubs and free school meals. School budgets are already cut to the bone.

This Budget shows exactly how little this Government cares about London. Whether it's kicking Sadiq Khan out of no. 11, failing to fund the DLR extension or introducing an unworkable so-called "mansion tax", this Chancellor has failed to invest in our city.

Good to see my campaign to sell unused public sites for community benefit and affordable homes being picked up on the Labour backbenches. I hope the Minister will take note of the new cross-party support and be bold enough to tackle the crisis in housing across London!

Ahead of the budget tomorrow, we asked some of our MPs what they want to see from Reeves’ announcement 👇

Especially galling after COP 30, where Net Zero Secretary said UK will go “all in” to tackle the climate crisis. Yet Heathrow is the UK’s single biggest polluter & both UK Climate Change Committee & Environmental Audit Committee say 3rd runway puts UK climate goals at risk. tinyurl.com/kdcemjec

I share residents’ anger at SWR’s poor service. I’ve written again to demand answers and set out the real cost of the unreliable trains. I’m pleased to have already had a response and will meet SWR’s Managing Director soon to make our voices heard.

📢 Commuters take note: The new SWR timetable takes effect on 14 December. Whilst there are no significant changes to train times, some timings may shift slightly. You can check the new timetables here:

Pleased to speak to BBC London News about my campaign to turn Teddington Police Station into a new home for Park Road Surgery - where patients & GPs have been struggling for years - and new social homes for our community. It's a no-brainer, so let's make it happen @london.gov.uk

Our children’s education should be rich and varied, but while I welcome the Education Secretary adopting Lib Dem policies, I am concerned at the lack of thought given to how schools will be able to deliver the new curriculum on a shoe-string budget and with a teacher shortage.

Before the Gvt’s last reshuffle, then-Environment Secretary Steve Reed had provisionally agreed to meet residents in Teddington about Thames Water's controversial sewage recycling proposals. I’ve written to the current Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds to follow up on the invitation.

Thank you to the 459 residents of Twickenham for signing such an important petition on Parkinson's disease. Better specialist care and ongoing support would help those living with Parkinsons to manage their condition and reduce unplanned hospital visits. I hope the Govt listens!

It’s been so inspiring to see young people’s interest in the latest #UKParliamentWeek. Wonderful to join the 10th Teddington Beavers as they held a mock election, made posters & asked me about my work as their MP!

Shocking that the Met, the Mayor and ministers think that one meeting inviting 15 people is fair consultation when closing Twickenham's police station front counter. I'm calling for these plans to be immediately stopped so the people of Twickenham can have their say!

The volunteers and staff at Anstee Bridge work wonders to support young people who are struggling with school. Wonderful to visit their new site in Fulwell and see their creative workshops in action, helping young people build confidence and resilience.

My ongoing campaign to release publicly owned sites like Teddington Police Station for a GP surgery and affordable housing continues - I called on the Government again to work with me to develop this idea so we can make the most of the unused land available.

I've heard from too many constituents who have had awful experiences with rogue builders. Last night, I called on the Government to explore a proper licensing scheme, and to ensure the justice system helps people to get the compensation and redress they deserve.

I regularly meet local families who've been on the housing waiting list for years. Yet the Mayor's recent decision to cut affordable housing targets will mean fewer social rent homes and will hurt councils like Richmond which will lose significant chunks of infrastructure funding.

The abuse at Twickenham Green Nursery should have never happened. I’m grateful to the affected parents, @oliviabailey.bsky.social, @ruthcadbury.bsky.social and sector experts for joining our roundtable to discuss the changes needed to safeguarding in nurseries so that every child is safe.

"The BBC belongs to Britain." "We cant allow the Trumpification of our politics and our media landscape." @munirawilson.bsky.social

I’ve written to Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage urging them to condemn Donald Trump’s attack on the BBC. The BBC belongs to Britain, not Trump. We must defend it together.

We will remember them. An absolute honour to lay wreaths at services at St Stephen's - East Twickenham, Teddington and Hampton. Wonderful to see so many children and young people remembering the sacrifice so many gave for our freedoms. #RemembranceSunday

41% of children experience verbal abuse from adults in their lives. With research showing it can alter the developing brain and cause lasting damage to both mental and physical health, it's time we realised Words Matter .

Great to beat my score from last year! And make it higher up the leaderboard! All in support of #poppyappeal ahead of Remembrance Day #IPTPoppyRide

I’m supporting the local campaign for Bathing Water Designation along our stretch of the River Thames. Thank you to Ham and Kingston Bathers, Teddington Bluetits & others for their efforts. People deserve to swim, paddle & row in clean, healthy water.

It was great to meet with @childrenssociety.bsky.social Young Advisors for the annual Good Childhood Report. This year's report focuses on reclaiming hope in a changing world. We must take our young people's wellbeing seriously, and I'm glad to see their call for a national wellbeing measurement!

Honoured to place a cross at the House of Commons Garden of Remembrance to recognise the service of those in Twickenham, past and present. We must never forget their sacrifice.

In 1999, 24-year-old PC Kulwant Sidhu tragically lost his life in the line of duty in Twickenham. Last week, I joined Sid’s family, members of the community and Met Police officers to honour Sid’s memory and his bravery in service of our community.

Lovely to join Nigel, Aaron and other members of Strawberry Hill Golf Club for their 125th anniversary celebrations. Golf is such a great activity for young and old alike – such fun to have a lesson and meet some of the club’s youngest golfers! Photos @ Alan Plumb

6m people exposed to potentially dangerous levels of forever chemicals in their drinking water is 6m too many. Unlike the EU, UK guidelines aren’t legally binding – which is why I introduced a Bill last year to regulate PFAS levels in drinking water by law tinyurl.com/3958jcxu

Pleasure to join Jeremy DeSouza, Director of Adult Social Care and Public Health, at Richmond Council's Full of Life Fair. Great to see new & familiar faces at this wonderful event to provide our older residents with resources & info to keep them happy & healthy.

Like many constituents, I am more and more frustrated with the shocking quality of train service in our area. Yesterday, I challenged SWR to do better, including delivering a better service and fixing the mess that is Teddington Station’s lifts.

Parents deserve real choice when it comes to deciding whether to stay at home or go back to work, especially in those precious early years. Despite what Kemi Badenoch says, maternity pay being at less than half the minimum wage after 6 weeks is far from "excessive".