By Clive Jones the Lib Dem PPC for Wokingham
I am continuing to speak with many neighbours and friends across Wokingham about issues that are concerning them.
Constituents have shared with me their serious worries about the way the country is being led by the current government. They continue to raise the dreadful state of the economy, the cost-of-living crisis and the crisis affecting the NHS and social care.
Cost of Living Crisis.
Food prices have gone up by 30% over the last two years, a loaf of bread is now 27% more expensive and milk is up by 57%.
We need to invest more in farming to protect us against increases in prices of imported food. In April, the government cut energy support for business by 85% forcing farmers and retailers to raise prices. Lib Dems would reverse these cuts.
Mortgages for many households in Wokingham are increasing because of the rises in interest rates which stem from the Truss/Kwarteng budget which was so strongly supported by John Redwood.
Mortgages for many households will be increasing by an eyewatering £6,000 a year, that is £500 a month that these households are unable to spend in our local economy. This seriously hurts our small businesses and retailers in Wokingham who need us to be spending money with them. Households having to give an extra £500 to their bank or building society does not help our local economy. It puts the livelihoods of these businesses and the livelihoods of the people who work in them in jeopardy.
Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to take urgent action to prevent people losing their homes as they come to the end of fixed term deals. We want support for those whose mortgage payments increase by more than 10% of their income, up to £300 a month, to help with the cost of the rise. This would be a big help to our residents and help keep money in the local economy.
Our public services need repairing.
Residents are concerned that public services are being left to crumble under successive Conservative governments. They tell me of their concerns that our education system is not getting the investment that it needs. Liberal Democrats want every child to get the support and attention they need at school so they can leave with the skills, confidence, and resilience to be happy and successful.
Extra funding is needed to tackle the crisis in special needs education. I’m especially proud that, under the Lib Dems, Wokingham Council negotiated extra funding from the government for two new Special needs schools which will open in a few years’ time. Many residents tell me that they concerned that there is a lack of police officers in our area. That anti-social behaviour is not taken seriously enough and that there is too much speeding by motorists on some of our roads, especially those around housing areas. Everyone wants the Police to be properly funded, at the moment they are simply not.
The NHS continues to be in serious trouble. Many people struggle to get a doctor’s appointment when they need one and its almost impossible to get registered with a NHS dentist in Wokingham. The backlog of much needed operations continues to rise and staff morale is at a low ebb with many health care professionals considering leaving the profession. We are losing talented and excellent staff with years of experience. It’s a real concern for the NHS.
Lib Dems will recruit, train, and retain thousands more doctors and health care professionals to fill the thousands of vacancies that we have in the NHS.
Recent prime Ministers have promised to reform Adult Social Care but fail to do anything, our current Prime Minister is following what the last few have done, nothing. Social care is in a crisis which often leads to more people going into hospital and staying there longer than is necessary because there is nowhere for them to go when they are ready to leave hospital.
Lib Dems want everyone to be able to live independently and in dignity, to support those who provide care to their loved ones and ensure no one has to sell their home to pay for their personal care.
Pensions triple lock.
The triple lock on pensions – ensuring that state pensions should rise every year by whichever is the highest of average wage growth, inflation or 2.5%, was a Liberal Democrat manifesto promise in 2010 and we led its introduction in the coalition government.
The Conservatives suspended the triple lock for 2022-23 and are at the time of writing are refusing to commit to it for 2023-24 when state pensions should rise by nearly 8%. The triple lock was designed to protect the value of pensions keeping pensioners out of poverty and I am very worried that the Conservatives are going to take this protection away.
Help me make this John Redwood’s last election.
In the past few weeks, I’ve been out and about talking with residents in Arborfield, Barkham, Charvil, Finchamsptead, Wokingham Town and Wokingham Without. I’m pleased that more and more constituents are telling me they will vote Liberal Democrat at the next general election.
They recognise that in Wokingham they have a choice between a Lib Dem MP who will stand-up for Wokingham or John Redwood. I’m very grateful that many Labour and Green party supporters have told me that they will lend me their support at the next general election to stop the Conservatives.
Thank you for reading this article and please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me or any of the local Liberal Democrat team of councillors. We work for every local community across Wokingham Borough.
Cllr Clive Jones, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Wokingham and former Leader of Wokingham Borough Council. Email: Clive.jones@wokinghamlibdems.org.uk
