2025 - A Better Year Than You Might Have Thought

As 2025 draws to a close, I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight some of the more positive developments that have taken place both locally and nationally over the last 12 months.  So much of the news has been dominated by war, scandal, humanitarian crises, international turbulence and economic gloom this year, that some of the changes that have changed all our lives for the better risk passing us by unnoticed.  

AWAAB’S LAW:

I have a small, but extremely hardworking, team of caseworkers who assist constituents with a range of issues, and the problems created by poor housing make up a great deal of their workload. At this time of year, we always hear from significant numbers of tenants suffering from damp and mould in their rented properties.

Almost exactly 5 years ago, Awaab Ishak, a two-year-old living in Rochdale, tragically died following prolonged exposure to mould in his family’s home. 

In response, last October saw the implementation of  Awaab’s Law, which requires social landlords to investigate reports of damp and mould within 10 working days. If a serious hazard is found, repairs must be completed within 5 working days, and in emergencies, action must be taken within 24 hours. 

At a recent meeting with Richmond Housing Partnership, who manage the majority of social homes in Richmond Borough, the CEO, Sarah Thomas, told me that they were meeting 100% of their Awaab’s Law targets, meaning that their tenants were no longer having to wait weeks, or even months, for mould issues to be rectified.

It’s tragic that it took the death of a little boy to make this difference, but I’ve already seen the positive effects when handling casework in Richmond Park. If your social housing provider is not adhering to these new regulations, please do reach out to me as my team would be more than happy to look into your case.

SAFER STREETS IN LONDON:

It might surprise you to learn, especially amidst some fairly extreme online discourse alleging the opposite, that - in some respects - London’s streets are more safe than they have ever been.

In a meeting last month with the Commissioner of the Met, Sir Mark Rowley, he told me that this year was due to see the lowest number of homicides in the capital since records began, while violence against women and girls has fallen significantly.

Policing challenges remain - not least the cuts in police station front counters, and the additional demands on local policing from the abolition of the Royal Parks Police, but the fact that fewer Londoners have lost their lives to homicide this year, than in any other year, is a reason to be thankful. I want to extend my thanks to our local police forces here in the South West London BCU who work so hard all year round to keep us safe.

FREE SENTENCING REMARKS:

For the past several years, I have been campaigning for victims of rape and sexual assault to be provided with free court transcripts following their trial. I pushed both Conservative and Labour governments to take this step, and this year’s announcement that sentencing remarks will be free for victims of rape and sexual assault is a significant step towards enhancing victims’ rights. 

While I brought this campaign to Parliament, many campaign groups and victims have fought for free sentencing remarks alongside me. It has been a privilege to amplify the voices of victims, and I would like to especially thank Juliana Terlizzi, who bravely shared her story and permitted me to raise her case in Parliament on behalf of thousands of other people who have been in her position.

Juliana was quoted over £7,000 for her court transcript, and other individuals have been quoted figures exceeding £20,000. Providing free sentencing remarks enables victims to gain a level of closure following the trauma that they experienced, and reading over such remarks is often recommended by psychologists. 

While full court transcripts remain costly, making sentencing remarks accessible is an excellent step towards ensuring that victims are prioritised in our justice system.

ARTERIO TRAINS:

With 8 stations and seven commuter lines running through the constituency, the standard and reliability of our train services has a major impact on the quality of life of my constituents. The introduction of the new Arterio trains along the South Western Railways routes has been a huge improvement to the experience of train travel - the air conditioning was particularly welcome during the warm days of the summer, and the charging sockets, toilets and increased capacity make train travel easier and more convenient.

The transfer of South Western Railways into public ownership in May this year has not yet seen the improvements that we might have expected to reliability, and I have written to the Managing Director of SWR to ask for an explanation regarding the frequent delays and cancellations.

CLOSER TIES WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION:

During my time as the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for the Cabinet Office, I frequently pressed the government to pursue a Youth Mobility Scheme, for the benefit both of young people in this country to enable them to take up opportunities across Europe, but also for hospitality and tourism businesses in the UK who could take advantage of young people from Europe looking for short-term work.  

This summer, the government announced that they were actively seeking to agree a Youth Mobility Scheme with the EU, and just earlier this month an agreement was reached for the UK to re-join the Erasmus Study Scheme. 

Of course, I would like to see the government go a few steps further and announce their intent to join a new UK-EU Customs Union, which was recently supported via a vote in the Chamber, but it is at least positive to see that the government are beginning to recognise the benefits that closer ties with Europe will have for the UK.

QUEEN MARY’S ENHANCED PRIMARY CARE HUB:

In the summer of this year, myself and Local Ward Councillors began to hear rumours about the planned closure of Queen Mary’s Enhanced Primary Care Hub (formally known as the minor injuries unit). The unit has been an important care centre for those living closer to the Putney side of Richmond Borough, and the excellent nurses at the unit work extremely hard to see patients in a quick and efficient manner, which takes the strain off of local GPs and A&E services.

After hearing about the rumoured closures, I lobbied heavily, with the support of other local MPs, Paul Kohler in Wimbledon and Fleur Anderson in Putney, to keep the unit open. Following a meeting the Managing Director of St George’s Trust, I was delighted to announce that the Trust had listened to the strong public opposition to the closure, as they stated that the Hub would remain open.

The reversal of the Trust’s proposal showed the importance of community engagement in local matters, and I was proud to play a part in ensuring that the Hub remained open.

THAMES TIDEWAY TUNNEL:

The Thames Tideway tunnel was completed in February of 2025. This tunnel will reduce sewage overflows, improve our water quality and generate renewable energy from the collected sewage waste.

The 25km long tunnel, which stretches between east to west London, will provide additional capacity to capture sewage from storm overflows, and prevent the waste from being pumped directly into the Thames. In fact, the tunnel is expected to capture 95% of storm overflows in the area.

I have repeatedly raised my concerns in Parliament and to Thames Water about the levels of pollution in our rivers and waterways, and while so much more needs to be done to keep our rivers clean, the Thames Tideway tunnel is a step towards addressing this significant issue.

AIR QUALITY IN RICHMOND:

Earlier this year, Richmond Council won ‘Air Quality Strategy of the Year,’ which recognised the Council’s excellent environmental record and plan to import air quality in the borough. 

Richmond’s ‘Air Quality Plan 2024-29’ seeks to reduce emissions, improve health, and create a cleaner borough. The judges for the award specifically praised the Council’s work promoting the use of electric cars in the borough via the introduction of 200 new charging points in just one quarter and the work that the Council has done to tackle idling by schools and level crossings.

Nitrogen oxide levels have fallen significantly in Richmond Borough in the past 6 years, and the Council is continuing to work to ensure that we are living and breathing in clean air.

KINGFISHER LEISURE CENTRE:

In February 2025, Kingston Council announced their commitment to replacing the Kingsfisher Leisure Centre with a new leisure centre which will include: an eight-lane swimming pool, four-court sports hall, two squash courts, a gym, group cycling studio and three activity studios - to just name a few of the new facilities.

The delays to renovating the centre has been a source of frustration to residents, myself and the Council, as a series of complications delayed the repairs from being pursued. However, construction is now under way and the centre is expected to be open in spring 2027.

SUMMARY:

I hope that my round-up of some of the year’s more uplifting developments has helped to put you in an optimistic frame of mind as we approach 2026. There are still considerable challenges to overcome, but positive change is happening, and much more is possible.

Much of the work I have done in Parliament and the constituency this year has been inspired by my constituents, from the conversations and meetings I have had, and from the emails I have received.  Every contact matters hugely to me and I’m grateful to everyone who has been in touch.

I’d like to end 2025 by extending a massive thanks to the team of staff who have assisted me throughout the year - answering emails, arranging visits and surgeries, carrying out casework, organising the diary and helping me with my Parliamentary duties.  Throughout the year, I have been assisted at various times by Ece, Theo, Massimo, Nancy, Mark, Scarlett, Anna, Marilyn, Richard, Ulysse, Alice, Patricia, Sam and Louis, and I’m enormously grateful to all of them for their dedicated support of my constituents.