Protecting children online
Last week, Parliament voted on whether to introduce a ban on social media for children under 16. I’ve received and responded to over 1,000 emails from residents, including parents, teachers, and carers, all sharing their concerns about children’s safety online.
To all the residents who took the time to write to me, I made the Liberal Democrats’ position clear: if social media platforms spread harmful content or rely on addictive algorithms, they should not be allowed anywhere near children.
The Liberal Democrats voted in favour of the ban, while all Labour MPs voted against it. The Government’s failure to commit to protecting our young people is simply not good enough.
That’s why I’ve called on residents to have their voices heard by submitting their views to the Government’s consultation on the proposed social media ban. Together, we can protect our children from harm online and persuade that the Government does the same.
Meeting with Ministers
Many residents have spoken to me about the continuing increase in demand for parking at
Twyford station, which is why Cllr Adrian Betteridge and I met with the Rail Minister, Lord Hendy.
GWR also attended the meeting and discussed their plans to add 50 new parking spaces, with a proposal expected later this year. But Twyford needs more parking now, we have waited long enough for something to be done. I will continue working with the council to ensure this becomes a reality as soon as possible.
The Government has also appointed a new Health Minister, Sharon Hodgson, who I had a similarly productive meeting with. As the Minister now responsible for implementing the National Cancer Plan that I first called for in 2024, it is essential that we work closely together to ensure better outcomes for every cancer patient.
Conservative neglect of our NHS
In Westminster this month, I raised the fact that the Conservatives pledged to build 40 new hospitals by 2030 as part of their New Hospital Building Programme.
This included the Royal Berkshire Hospital, as we know the Tories failed to deliver a new hospital.
It is a disgrace that the Conservatives left NHS hospitals across the country to fall into disrepair. Not only is this a serious safety risk, but outdated infrastructure is also forcing critical care to be cancelled.
During the recent debate in Westminster on, ‘Capital Spending on the NHS’, I asked the Conservative spokesperson whether he would apologise to the public for misleading them for years about the new hospital building programme.
I was extremely disappointed that he chose not to apologise, but I cannot say I was surprised. The Conservatives appear to have erased from their memory their disastrous years in government. Residents, however, will not forget.
Standing up for international liberties
Wokingham and Berkshire are home to many Hong Kongers who deserve to live without fear for their safety or that of their families abroad. But China’s imprisonment of Jimmy Lai, a pro-democracy journalist and British citizen, has left many pro-democracy Hong Kongers deeply concerned.
Since being elected, I have spoken in Parliament about the civil liberties of both local and international Hong Kongers and urged the Government to reassure residents that they are safe in this country.
I was honoured to attend the Reading Stands with Hong Kong vigil to show my solidarity with residents and call on Keir Starmer to make good on his promise to change outcomes for Jimmy Lai.
Four years on from Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, I attended the Ukraine Peace March in Reading, addressing the gathering and speaking to many Ukrainians.
I paid tribute to the thousands of innocent civilians who have been killed and the millions who have been displaced around the world. Alongside our allies, we must continue to support Ukraine.
Working for Wokingham
I’ve also been busy speaking to residents across the constituency, including in Barkham and Arborfield.
Whether on the doorstep, at a supermarket surgery or simply out and about, residents regularly tell me how well they think Wokingham Borough council is doing especially since the Conservatives underfunded the Council for many years and this is now being continued by the Labour government who have reduced the councils funding by £43m.
My dedicated team and I have been working to support the people of Wokingham. This month we passed a huge milestone, resolving our 10,000th case in just 18 months.
Behind each case is a local resident who needs help or wants their voice heard. My team and I are listening and ready to support the residents of Wokingham. If you have an issue you would like to raise with me, please contact me by emailing clive.jones.mp@parliament.uk.
By MP Clive Jones
