Over the last two months we have seen an unprecedented and world-leading business support package delivered by the government, designed to keep firms going during the lockdown and to preserve jobs. Over £30 billion of finance has been provided through the different business loan and support schemes. Many local firms, large and small have used […]
The Government has announced this week further measures to ease the lockdown restrictions. These important steps can be made because of the collective action we have taken to restrict the spread of the virus. This has saved lives and enabled the NHS to cope with the demands placed on it by COVID-19. We have not […]
Over the last few weeks we have seen rising numbers of migrants making illegal crossings of the Channel from France and Belgium and landing on the Kent coast. Last week I met with the Immigration Minister Chris Philp to discuss what action the Home Office intends to take to stop these journeys, which not only […]
Boris Johnson has set out new guidelines for our country, as we start to look forward to the lifting of the restrictions that have been set to help us beat the coronavirus. From Wednesday this week garden centres will be able to re-open, and on Friday in Kent the Household Waste Recycling Centres will also […]
Last week the Government met and exceeded its target of providing 100,000 tests per day for COVID-19. This achievement now gives us one of the best testing regimes in the world to help in our fight against the coronavirus. It is particularly important that front line staff in the NHS as well as those working […]
Last week the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps MP, announced that there would be direct financial support for some of the key strategic transport routes which supply the United Kingdom. This will include both Eurotunnel at Cheriton and the Port of Dover, which together process around 80% of our road freight with the […]
Last week I took part in the regular video conference meeting for the Kent MPs with leaders of our local NHS to discuss the response to the pressures created by the coronavirus crisis. I would once again like to state my thanks to all of our NHS and care workers across the county who have […]
We have experienced an Easter weekend like no other in peacetime. Whereas last year there were complaints during the bank holiday weekends that heavy traffic made it difficult for visitors and residents to get into or out of Folkestone, this year the roads, like the beaches and parks, are quiet. We have now endured three […]
We have all been concerned over the last week with the rising numbers of people across the country falling victim to the coronavirus. Nationally more than 5,000 people have died as a result of contracting COVID-19, with more than 70 deaths being recorded in Kent’s hospitals. Amongst these, we have lost some of the brave […]
Over the last week the Government has been focused on restricting the spread of the coronavirus by introducing new social distancing measures and urging people to stay at home as far as possible. The early indications are that this may be starting to slow the rate of new infections of the virus, so whilst this […]