Peter Fortune MP's latest column in the News Shopper.
A new year means new resolutions for the months ahead. For 2025, I'm avoiding the easily breakable personal ones. Instead, I'm resolving to embark on new campaigns to deliver for you as the Member of Parliament for Bromley and Biggin Hill.
There are three things I'll be working on this year.
Firstly, I want to be a strong voice for local businesses and charities in Parliament. The Labour government shocked employers by breaking its pledge not to increase national insurance.
I've spoken to charities who either have to raise £140,000 more to pay the higher tax bill or cut essential local charitable services. Meanwhile, businesses locally are debating whether to increase prices, delay expansion plans, or make redundancies.
The Government doesn't understand the result of their tax changes. That's why I'm reaching out to even more charities and businesses in 2025 and arranging a roundtable with employers locally to hear from them so I can raise their concerns in Parliament.
Secondly, we need improved local public transport services. While we enjoy fast train services to central London from Bromley South, Hayes, and Bickley, navigating our borough without a car is too tricky.
The Superloop—the express bus service Sadiq Khan promised when he expanded Ulez against our borough's wishes—isn't working for many in Bromley. Its services start and stop at Bromley North, connecting people to Croydon and Bexley, but they miss places like Hayes, Plaistow, and Biggin Hill.
With local London Assembly Member Thomas Turrell, I'm campaigning for the upcoming Superloop route to Canary Wharf to be extended into Bromley. I'm also pushing for improved bus services to Biggin Hill, new metro trains to make Southeastern services more reliable, and a drop-off point at Bromley South to help disabled passengers and families access the station.
Finally, I'll oppose Labour's housing plans, which will not deliver the sustainable development we need.
Instead of unlocking brownfield sites for development, the Government is determined to bulldoze fields that keep our borough green and unique. In December, they unveiled enormous changes to national planning rules, nearly quadrupling Bromley's housing target while weakening green belt rules.
While imposing undeliverable targets on our communities, Labour also worsens the housing shortage. Labour has increased stamp duty on first-time buyers locally by up to £11,250. They've also scrapped a review into Sadiq Khan's failing London Plan, which independent experts warned was frustrating rather than facilitating housebuilding. And they've cut Sadiq Khan's housing targets while raising Bromley's.
We need more homes. But Labour's housing policies won't deliver.
These are three ambitious resolutions for 2025, and it will be an uphill fight against a Labour government and mayor. But I'm determined to stand up for Bromley and Biggin Hill and do everything in my power to deliver for our community.
I'll keep you updated on these campaigns throughout the year in this column for the News Shopper. If you are a constituent and need assistance, please email me at [email protected]. But until then, I wish you and your family a happy New Year.
