September 2026 Newsletter

1st September saw Parliament return for a busy few weeks after summer recess. I took part in several really interesting debates. In response to a statement which followed the new Chancellor's first major speech, I took the chance to challenge the Government on how ambitious they are being when it comes to generating economic growth.

Firstly, it will come as no surprise to hear that I asked them to drop their 'red lines' on Europe which are holding back our ability to trade; and instead negotiate an ambitious new growth and defence partnership with the EU, including joining the single market and a new customs union.

I also urged them to look at fundamentally reforming how we set our 'fiscal rules' which govern the Government's tax and spend decisions. Those rules have been easily gamed by successive Governments, who are thinking more about their short term polling numbers and less about the long-term economic strength of the country.

Sticking with the economy theme, I also spoke in a debate on the future of UK financial services. Our financial services are a national asset and it is in all our interests for the sector to thrive and support businesses, jobs and growth. However we have lost ground relative to other economies which are rapidly growing, innovating and investing. If the Government is serious about growth, they need a plan to reverse this relative decline – for example, in the short term, moving to improve financial services co-operation with Europe. The UK Government must also make AI security a top priority to safeguard not just UK financial services but the international financial markets that we're all dependent on. This is an issue I take very seriously.

A little closer to home, in a debate about biodiversity loss, I spoke up for farmers in West Oxfordshire who have come together to work on the Evenlode Landscape Recovery Project which tries to reverse biodiversity loss, manage flood risk and improve water quality. However sadly this is one of only three such projects which have been given the go-ahead by DEFRA. We clearly need much more of this across the country, to restore habitats, and I urged the Minister to look at when new funding will be brought forward for these initiatives.

This month also saw another debate on Assisted Dying. As ever, I received hundreds of letters and emails about this and I am always moved by the deeply held convictions on both sides of the debate. While I voted in favour of the Bill (as I have done throughout), this time it did not pass.

While I am disappointed by this result, I respect everyone's decision to vote as they did. Throughout its time in Parliament, the Bill underwent extremely detailed scrutiny with hundreds of potential amendments considered, and evidence heard from experts in the health, care and legal professions.

I continue to support the principle that adults who have mental capacity, are terminally ill and are in the final six months of their life should have the choice to request assistance from a doctor to end their life in order to avoid suffering in their final months (I would not have supported this Bill if I was not confident in the protections it included). I hope that we will have future opportunities to consider this issue, and that the debate around it will continue to be as respectful and well-informed as it has been throughout. Thank you to everyone who got in touch with me about this.

Alongside other Lib Dem MPs, I also took part in an interesting round-table discussion about the UK’s defence spending, with representatives from the sector. We discussed the challenge of the security environment, the need to expand defence capabilities to meet this challenge and what practical steps Government and industry a can take to unlock investment.

Something that has been concerning me a lot over the last few months, is how we as a country can be better prepared for the very rapid progress of AI. While I recognise the enormous potential of AI, for economic growth, medical advances, defence and more; I am also extremely alarmed by the threats which could be posed by such rapid progress, if regulation remains hopelessly behind.

I've been doing a lot of work with a group called ControlAI who are coordinating MPs, on a cross-party basis, to grapple with these tough questions. As a starting point, I think we need an AI Security Institute with a much stronger remit, and we need to come together with allies on an international basis to work together to stop the development of 'super intelligent' AI.

Many residents will have heard about Low Carbon's proposals for the West Oxfordshire Energy Park, a large solar and battery storage development planned for our area. At up to 500 megawatts, it is classed as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. This means the final decision will be made by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, rather than by our local council. The project is still at an early stage, but I have held several meetings with local representatives and with the Low Carbon team to raise residents' questions and concerns and to understand how the proposals are likely to develop.

On a related note, I also had one of my regular briefings with Ofwat about the proposals for the White Horse Reservoir (SESRO), alongside MPs for neighbouring constituencies. Unsurprisingly, I am extremely nervous about the spiralling costs of this project and whether Thames Water can be trusted to deliver the project, given its own precarious financial situation. Community trust is obviously low, and this needs to be addressed if the project goes ahead, and we also need to ensure that community benefits are delivered alongside.

On the Business and Trade Select Committee, we had a fascinating two-day trip to Norway and Denmark this month, where we had useful conversations with leading figures from their governments, on issues including Norway's trade deal with the EU – which is very relevant to whether the UK should be looking to secure a similar deal or pushing for something more comprehensive. I was also very interested to learn more in Denmark about their 'flexicurity' model for supporting people who are out of work, back into training and employment

Away from Witney and Westminster I also enjoyed a whirlwind few days down in Brighton for Liberal Democrat Conference this month. I had so many fascinating meetings and took part in some really interesting sessions – from a Business Day discussions with dozens of sector leaders; to a panel discussion led by Best for Britain, where I argued that the Lib Dems should be going further and being bolder in our policy on the EU. Spoiler alert: I'd like to see us making a bolder case to fully rejoin, much sooner! I also made speeches about our water sector (probably no surprise there!) and safeguarding against the threats posed by AI if we don't introduce proper regulation. It was also great to be at the launch of the new think tank, The Britain Project, who, while independent of the Lib Dem party, will be exploring ambitious, liberal solutions to some of the biggest problems facing the country. I am very excited to see what they come up with and look forward to working with them closely myself.

I had the pleasure of opening the fantastic new Green House at Wood Green School, a brand-new, purpose-built space for Science and Art lessons. After many months of hard work, it was brilliant to walk through the finished building and see just how much thought had been put into it for the students. Huge congratulations and thanks to all the staff, students, and everyone behind the scenes who made it happen - I suspect Wood Green may now hold the record for most ribbons cut in a single evening! I've no doubt the Green House will serve the students and teachers at Wood Green brilliantly for years to come.

With Parliament in recess, I was able to spend some time in Witney visiting some of our brilliant charities, businesses, and organisations. My first stop was the Witney and District Museum on the High Street. Run entirely by volunteers, the museum tells the story of Witney and the surrounding area, from our famous blanket-making heritage to local brewing, engineering, and Witney during war. It's been revamped recently with a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, so well worth a visit if you haven't been recently!

I then called in at Witney High Street Methodist Church to meet Rev Molly, who joined this month. It was lovely to hear about her plans for the church and the wider community. I also dropped into the Witney Food Revolution. What began in 2019 as a single community fridge has grown into an award-winning operation, with more than 70 volunteers collecting surplus food from local businesses that would otherwise go to waste.

Finally, I visited the Aspire Witney Youth Hub. Their team helps young people through one-to-one employment support, CV and interview help, Mathematics and English tuition and confidence-building activities. Their 'Our House' project provides safe, affordable supported housing, all aimed at breaking cycles of poverty, unemployment and homelessness. Thank you to everyone who took the time to show me around.

A long-running issue here in West Oxfordshire is how to plan for the development of the 18,000 new homes that the Government are requiring us to build in the district. I am campaigning hard to make sure we have the infrastructure – from public services to transport – in place beforehand. This links to my long-running campaign to re-establish a rail link between Witney, Carterton and Oxford – as gridlock on the A40 is already dire and will only get worse if we have so many more cars on our roads. I went along to Oxfordshire County Council's Place Scrutiny Meeting this month, to make the case that they need to ensure we have a clear plan to deliver Witney Rail in the 'Movement and Place' Plan they are currently developing for our area.

It was great to join the Battle of Britain lunch in Carterton, where I was in charge of drawing the raffle. We had a fantastic afternoon tea and heard a lovely poem written and read by Doreen. A huge thank you to Lynn for organising such a brilliant afternoon, and to everyone who came along - it was a fitting way to remember all those who served during the Battle of Britain.

I also held a surgery in Milton-under-Wychwood this month. We discussed a real range of issues, from housing issues, with developers falling short of their commitments, to SEND transport and support, assistance dogs, and Thames Water. It was lovely to meet everyone, including Lenny, the dog! My team and I will be visiting other parts of the constituency soon, so do come and see us for a chat.

I was honoured to represent our amazing local charity, Standing with Giants, at a ceremony in the Netherlands. Created by Dan Barton of Stanton Harcourt, the silhouettes can be seen around the country and on the beaches of Normandy, in remembrance of those who fell defending our freedom. The new figures honour the seven young crew members of AJ-A, part of 617 Squadron, better known as the Dambusters. In May 1943, after the daring raid on the dams of Germany's Ruhr region, they were shot down by German coastal defences off the Dutch coast while flying home. Thanks to the fantastic work of local Dutch volunteers, a permanent memorial to the crew now stands in their honour.
My wife Sophie and I laid flowers on behalf of Standing with Giants and all the people of Witney, Carterton, West Oxfordshire and Western Vale. As the world becomes more dangerous, let’s remember the bravery and selflessness of these seven young men and all stand up and do our bit to try and make it a better place.