I would like to wish all Reading Central constituents a very happy New Year.
The New Year is a time to look ahead in hope for what the upcoming year may bring, but it is also a great opportunity to take stock of the year that has just passed.
2024 was a very eventful year in many regards. Primarily, I will remember it as the year that has brought us the first Labour government in 14 years.
The General Election in July was a huge turning point for the whole country, bringing about much-needed change. I am very grateful to everyone who supported my campaign for re-election in the summer, and it is an honour to once again have been selected to represent the people of Reading as the MP for the newly-formed Reading Central constituency. I have also been proud to be asked to play a role in the new Government as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Northern Ireland Secretary, the Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP.
The Government has hit the ground running in its first 6 months of office and has already made significant progress on matters of great importance to the country. I look forward to seeing the further progress that can be made in 2025 to rebuild Britain through the Government’s Plan for Change.
There have also been significant developments in Reading during the last year. In January, the Ministry of Justice confirmed the sale of the former Reading Gaol site to a non-profit organisation, the Ziran Education Foundation. Residents may be aware that I have been calling for the Gaol to be turned into an arts and heritage hub for a number of years. Since the sale I have met the new owner, Mr Channing Bi, twice to discuss his plans for this historic building. I continue to advocate for a community and heritage use for the site and I hope that positive steps will be taken in this direction in the coming year.
The last year has been challenging for fans of Reading Football Club, who have seen the Royals’ ownership and financial problems continue. Fans are extremely concerned about the club’s future, and I have been working with supporters to call for the owner to sell the club and give Reading FC a fresh start. During the year I have held a number of meetings with the EFL and relevant Ministers to discuss the issues at the club, I have raised the matter in Parliament during debates on Football Governance reform, and I have met with fans and attended fan-led demonstrations. I hope that 2025 will be the year in which Reading FC is finally sold to a responsible new owner that will take the club forward.
I have also been working on a wide range of constituency issues, including but not limited to: flooding, anti-social behaviour, water pollution, practical driving test shortages, Royal Mail delivery delays, access to banking services, and a number of local planning matters. With the aid of my constituency office team, I have been working to respond to residents’ concerns about policy issues and to support them with constituency casework. My office has received over 20,000 emails over the course of the last year and has opened over 8,500 cases for constituents.
As we look ahead, I feel positive about what the coming year will hold for residents of Reading and the country as a whole.
In 2025, Britain will play host to a range of major events and celebrations, cultural and sporting events. The year sees the 200th anniversary of the modern railway, and in the summer England will play host to the Women’s Rugby World Cup. Literary enthusiasts will also be able to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth with a number of events due to be held across the South, including in our own town where Jane Austen’s former school room in Reading’s Abbey Quarter will open for a series of special events and tours.
I would like to wish all readers and constituents of Reading Central a very Happy New Year and I hope that 2025 will be a good year for the residents of Reading and for our country.