Richmond Park News: 7 November 2025

EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS BILL - CONSIDERATION OF LORDS AMENDMENTS: 

On Wednesday, I spoke to the Lords’ amendments to the Employment Rights Bill, as the proposed legislation had been returned to the House of Commons for further deliberation. During the debate, I highlighted my continued advocacy for strengthening the rights of employees in several ways, including increasing support for carers;  boosting Statutory Sick Pay; and giving people on zero-hours contracts more certainty over their working patterns.

However, I did also raise concerns about the specific way in which the government plans to implement many of these measures. So much of the detail that should have been on the face of the Bill has been left to secondary legislation or future consultations, making it impossible for businesses to plan ahead with certainty.

I spoke in favour of amendments which would address some of these issues, specifically measures which would allow an employee to notify their employer if they no longer wish to receive offers of guaranteed hours, while retaining the option to opt back in at any time. This would reduce the administrative burden on businesses and ensure that this legislation strikes the right balance for both workers and for business.

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

RESPONSE TO THE CONSERVATIVE OPPOSITION DAY ON HIGH STREET BUSINESSES:

Tuesday marked another Conservative Opposition Day, with the party initiating a debate regarding government support for our high street businesses, and I responded to this debate on behalf of the Liberal Democrats in my capacity as Business Spokesperson.

While there are a number of economic levers that the government can pull to help our local businesses during these challenging times, I have not heard the government raise the impact that the rise of shoplifting has had on our local stores. Whenever I speak to businesses in Richmond Park, one of the main issues that they raise with me is people repeatedly stealing from their stores. Business owners often tell me that shoplifting has become effectively decriminalised, as the police do not have the resources available to follow-up on petty thefts.

Shoplifting has risen by a shocking 104% in London over the past 5 years, but policing resources continue to be scaled back. Not only does shoplifting hit the pockets of local business owners, it can also have an emotional impact on staff members, as they are sometimes threatened with violence if they attempt to intervene.

I urged the government to take this issue seriously, and you can watch a clip of my speech by clicking here.

THE DRAFT TRADE ACT - STATUTORY INSTRUMENT:

Earlier that Tuesday, I spoke in a delegated legislation committee session on the Draft Trade Act. This Statutory Instrument (SI) extends the power of the 2021 Trade Act for a further five years, which is considered necessary to allow the UK Government and Devolved Governments to continue to implement and manage trade agreements with our trading partners.

During my remarks, I highlighted that Liberal Democrats believe the Trade Bill grants excessive power to ministers, excludes MPs from meaningful involvement, and provides no guarantee that UK standards, public services, or democratic accountability will be protected. 

And while I did not oppose this SI, I did continue to call for reforms to ensure transparency, fairness, and parliamentary scrutiny in future trade policy. 

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

THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STATUTORY INSTRUMENT ON WET WIPES CONTAINING PLASTIC:

As residents local to Barnes will know, over 5 million discarded wet wipes had built-up on the riverbed of Hammersmith Bridge, causing not only just an ugly sight, but posing a serious environmental concern. 

Despite the work of selfless volunteers who had been attempting to clear what became known as ‘wet wipe island,' there was still an estimated 180 tonnes of congealed waste on the riverbed. I was therefore extremely pleased that, this summer, the Port of London Authority took action to clear the island.

Earlier this week, I spoke in the Legislative Committee which sought to ban the sale of wet wipes containing plastic in England. While these wipes are currently marked as ‘flushable,’ many do not break down in water and end up as sewage-related debris in our waterways. These wet wipes can degrade into microplastics, and I spoke to the environmental detriment that this can have on our ecology and water quality. 

This ban is expected to come into force in the next 18 months, and you can watch a clip of me speaking in favour of this prohibition by clicking here.

BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE MEETING:

Last Friday, ahead of the return of the Employment Rights Bill to the Commons, I met with businesses in the hospitality sector to discuss their views on the Lords’ amendments to the Bill.

As mentioned, the lack of detail in the government’s Employment Rights Bill has left many businesses in the dark, and we discussed the importance of this legislation striking the right balance between ensuring that employees’ rights are protected, while also enabling our businesses to thrive in a fair and competitive environment.

Another issue which took centre stage in this discussion was the need for reform to our business rates system. It was interesting to hear from owners of chains about the disparity between the business rates they must pay on their different locations, of which, the owners suggested there was no clear reason why the business rates levied on their stores were significantly higher or lower. Successive governments have promised to reform our business rates system, and it is vital for our businesses that this promise is not walked back on.

I would like to thank UK Hospitality for helping to arrange this meeting, and to The Plough in East Sheen for being excellent hosts and even teaching me how to pull a pint!

UK POWER NETWORK MEETING:

As many Kingston residents will have seen, UK Power Network are carrying out a series of works in the borough over the next 18 months.

These works will replace out-dated underground cables and they present a large investment in our local infrastructure. The project is also designed to deliver on Kingston Council’s green commitments of carbon reduction by expanding the borough's capacity for electric vehicles.

I met with UK Power Network last week to discuss the scale of their works, and to request assurances that disruptions will be kept to a minimum. The company’s representatives stated that they have examined traffic plans for the borough prior to beginning these works, and that they will maintain open communication with residents to provide information if any serious disruptions are to be expected.

COMMUNITY NEWS:

GET CONNECTED:

Get Connected is hosting a simple, relaxed and informal meet-up for local businesses in the Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames. The event is hosted by Metro Bank Kingston and supported by Get Ahead Surrey, and it will take place on Wednesday 13 November from 9:30-11:00 at 64-66 Clarence Street. 

This event provides a great opportunity to meet others in the business community, exchange ideas and build connections in a friendly and welcoming setting. There is no charge, no elevator pitches and no pressure, just an open space to chat and connect. Everyone is welcome so if you’re looking to connect with other businesses, do drop in.

More information about the event can be found by clicking here.

DISCOVERY SESSION AT THE POPPY FACTORY:

The Poppy Factor is hosting a discovery session for those looking to explore the home of Remembrance in Richmond Borough. The guided tour will take visitors around The Poppy Factor to see how veterans still make Royal and regimental wreaths by hand today. The visit will last 90 minutes, including a 30 presentation, and 1 hour self-guided tour where visitors can explore the exhibition and get hands-on with poppy making. 

There is also a visitor centre providing delicious cakes and hot drinks. There are several sessions throughout November, but book quickly as some dates have already sold out. 

Tickets are £15 each and more information about the sessions can be found here.