Richmond Park News: 5 September 2025

BBC 5 LIVE PANEL:

Earlier this week, I appeared on a BBC 5 Live Panel alongside Labour MP Catherine Atkinson and Conservative MP Joe Robertson. Topics covered included shoplifting, the economy, flags and immigration. 

You can watch my full appearance on this panel interview from 1:04:30 to 1:59:30, here.

HOSPITALITY DEBATE

On Wednesday, in my role as Business spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, I spoke in the Conservative Opposition day debate on Hospitality. 

The current economic landscape is extremely difficult for many businesses and industries, and hospitality is one of the sectors facing the most acute challenges. Hospitality firms including pubs, restaurants, cafes and hotels are dealing with huge pressures, and they deserve a Government that is on their side.

During my remarks I raised some of the particular challenges the sector is facing, such as high energy bills, recruitment and retention of staff, and unfair business rates. I called on the government to take action to tackle this by scrapping the rise in employers' National Insurance contributions, introducing measures to bring down energy costs, and introducing a youth mobility scheme to address the workforce shortage which the sector is seeing. 

You can watch a clip of my speech by clicking here.

HOUSE OF LORDS (HEREDITARY PEERS) BILL: CONSIDERATION OF LORDS AMENDMENTS: 

Yesterday, I spoke in the Chamber on the Hereditary Peers Bill as it returned from the House of Lords, in my capacity as Cabinet Office spokesperson.

I welcomed this Bill as a long-awaited first step to moving towards a democratic House of Lords. A healthy, strong democracy relies on a Parliament that equally represents all citizens of the United Kingdom. That is why I was pleased to see the Government taking steps to address this issue by moving to end Hereditary peerages in the House of Lords, through this Bill.

Inherited membership of the Lords only weakens our democratic institutions and decreases public trust in our system. Hereditary peerages also reinforces the gender imbalance in the second chamber, with not a single one of the hereditary Peers currently sitting in the Lords being women.

This is why I spoke against the amendments tabled by Conservative Peers, which would only have delayed Parliament in ending this outdated system and did nothing to strengthen our upper chamber. As the Bill now progresses through the final stages of Parliament, I will continue to fight for a fairer, more democratic House of Lords, which properly represents British people.

You can find a clip of my concluding statements here. 

RESPONSE TO THE GOVERNMENT’S STATEMENT ON INSOLVENCY OF SPECIALITY STEELS UK LTD:

On Tuesday I responded to a ministerial statement on the insolvency of Speciality Steels UK, as Liberal Democrat Business Spokesperson. 

Steel is a sector of great strategic importance for our country. It provides vital materials for our national infrastructure - from defence to renewable energy - and creates thousands of jobs across the UK. The news of insolvency for yet another steelworks company has raised a number of questions which I put to the minister.

I firstly asked the minister what steps the Government is taking to treat steel as a nationally strategic asset and to ensure that more British-made steel is used to power national infrastructure and other major projects. I also asked about what the Government is doing to ensure that job losses will be avoided and what progress they have been making in bringing down industrial electricity prices through the measures announced at the 2025 industrial strategy.

You can see the clip of my questions to the Minister here. 

HEATHROW THIRD RUNWAY:

On 31^st July, proposals for the construction of a third runway at Heathrow Airport were submitted, and I met with Heathrow’s Director of Carbon Strategy earlier this week to scrutinise their plan.

The headline news from Heathrow’s proposal is that they plan to increase their capacity for arrivals and departures from 480,000 to 756,000 flights a year. While Heathrow representatives stated that noise pollution would be reduced by the introduction of new fleets, and air pollution would be limited with the move towards sustainable aviation fuel, these assertions will not mitigate the impact of an additional 276,000 flights over London.

The noise from Heathrow’s flights have been proven to have health impacts on residents, with communities around Heathrow being 4 times more likely to suffer from cardiovascular problems due to aircraft noise. 

I was also concerned that a number of my queries regarding investment in the project, the proposed flight paths for the third runway, and the impact that surface access would have on residents around Heathrow, could not be answered. I have followed-up with Heathrow’s representatives to ensure that they provide clarity on these matters.

UPCOMING EMERGENCY ALERTS SYSTEM TEST:

A UK-wide test of the government's Emergency Alerts system will take place at approximately 3pm on Sunday 7th September. Millions of phones will vibrate and emit a siren for around 10 seconds with a message confirming that residents "do not need to take any action".

These Emergency Alerts are important parts of our national security, which help promote resilience in the face of major emergencies. I also note that some organisations including Women’s Aid have raised useful guidance on how the Emergency Alert test may impact victims of domestic abuse, who may own hidden phones, and the steps victims can take to protect themselves. You can find this guidance here.

WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAMME:

Every year, I host between 5 to 6 sixth form students for my Work Experience Programme. This programme aims to teach students about the work of an MP, and give them exposure to how an MP’s office works. 

This year, the programme will run from Monday 27th October – Friday 31st October, and will be split between my Parliamentary office in Westminster and my constituency office in Mortlake.

Spaces are limited, and prioritised for those living in the Richmond Park constituency. If you are a sixth form student and are interested in applying, or know of a sixth form student from Richmond Park constituency who may be interested, please email office@saraholney.com for more details.

UNDERGROUND INDUSTRIAL ACTION:

From Sunday 7th September through to Thursday 11th September, the London Underground services are set to face disruption as a result of strikes staged by the RMT. At a time where London’s economy, industries and companies are facing high barriers to trade, the upcoming strikes are deeply concerning.

Alongside other London Liberal Democrat MPs, including our London Spokesperson and Transport Spokesperson, I have written to the Mayor of London, urging him to engage constructively and reach a solution that serves both workers and passengers. Ending the strikes must be a priority for the Mayor, with the Centre for Economics and Business Research estimating a direct £230m hit to our city’s economy.

You can find the full letter to the Mayor of London, here. To find out more information about the strikes and their impacts on TfL services, you can find out more here.

COMMUNITY NEWS:

CENTRE STAGE RICHMOND:

On Saturday 13th September, Centre Stage, a free new multi-arts festival, will take place on George Street and Whittaker Square. 

The event, which will start at 11am and finish at 7pm, involves a variety of music, theatre, food, and art. Live music, spoken word and DJ sets will perform on George Street celebrating Richmond’s rich musical legacy whilst on Whittaker Square, the Orange Tree Theatre will present an adaption of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

You can learn more about this event by clicking here.

SHEEN FOOD FEST:

On Saturday 6^th September, East Sheen is set to host its first ever Food Fest: a one day celebration of the area’s vibrant food and drink scene. 

From 10am onwards, local cafes, restaurants, bars and food retailers along the Upper Richmond Road West and Sheen Lane, SW14, will be offering a selection of food and drink ranging from free tasters to dishes and drinks priced at no more than £5. 

The event is free and you can find relevant details here.

KINGSTON CARNIVAL 2025:

Kingston Carnival 2025 will be celebrated on Sunday 7th September. The Carnival, which is in its 25th year, was set up originally to celebrate the rich culture and diversity of Kingston. This year the Carnival is continuing to embrace this with the theme of Promoting Unity in Communities and Richness in Culture.

The Carnival will be launched at 1.30pm. The Carnival Procession will start at 12.00noon

from the Guildhall, High Street in Kingston. You can find out more information here.