The Folkestone and Hythe district currently has the lowest COVID-19 infection rate in England, with just 17 reported cases per 100,000 people. This compares to over 100 cases in some London Boroughs, and over 400 cases per 100,000 people in Greater Manchester, where the imposition of Tier 3 restrictions is being considered. The Folkestone and […]
The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has this week announced further measures to protect jobs in local businesses legally required by COVID-19 restrictions to close, by introducing a new wage support through the Job Support Scheme. This means that the government will provide a grant for employees unable to work, covering two-thirds of their usual wages and […]
This week at the online Conservative Party conference the Home Secretary Priti Patel set out her priorities to reform the ‘broken’ asylum system in our country. Next year, we could see new legislation that would deliver safe routes to the UK for those in genuine need, faster processing of claims, and accelerating removals for those […]
On Friday last week I joined a special meeting organised by Folkestone and Hythe District Council to discuss the use of Napier Barracks at Shorncliffe as temporary accommodation for people who are having their asylum claims assessed. I have expressed my concerns about this decision before, and in particular the lack of notice or consultation […]
On Tuesday this week the Prime Minister announced new restrictions to try and slow down the spread of the coronavirus. These include requiring all staff in shops and hospitality businesses like pubs and cafes to wear masks from Monday, as must their customers unless they are eating and drinking, and they must also order and […]
This week the House of Commons has been debating the Internal Market Bill, which seeks to establish the rules for trade within the United Kingdom after we leave the EU Single Market at the end of this year. There has been considerable controversy surrounding this Bill because it contains measures which would allow Ministers to […]
The economic shock of the coronavirus is affecting many local businesses, and particularly those that work in the tourism, travel and hospitality sectors. Whilst there have been government schemes to support both jobs and businesses that have been unable to trade as a consequence of the COVID lockdown, we need to look at what more […]
The beginning of September marks the start of the new school year, and few can have been as eagerly anticipated as this one. COVID-19 has disrupted our lives and the education of our children for most of the last sixth months, and its vital that students get back into the classroom, so they can continue […]
Nearly nineteen years ago, on 15th September 2001 I watched along with a group of friends the Last Night of the Proms, broadcast from the Royal Albert Hall to giant screens in London’s Hyde Park. This was just four days after the tragic 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States and the decision was correctly […]
August has always been an anxious month for students waiting for the results of public examinations like A levels, GCSEs and B-TECs. I still remember the feeling going into school to collect my grades. It’s not just a matter of personal pride to see the work that has been put in over the previous years […]