It has certainly not been a quiet start to 2026! The international situation has been volatile, and Westminster politics has been – as the political journalists like to call it – febrile. Meanwhile, the Government continues to push on with transforming the country with lots of new announcements and legislation.
This is a rather bumper newsletter, covering the second half of December (normally a quiet period, but less so this year) and January. As always, please feel free to get in touch.
Local Issues
The Council has now released the data from the EBLN trial. I’ve been critical of the process, but nonetheless, the data and public feedback is useful. It shows the trial is broadly meeting its objectives, but concerns remain about – for example – access for emergency services and the impact on local businesses. The Council has suggested some changes, broadly in line with my own proposals, but we need further tweaks to manage the increase in traffic on Troopers Hill Road and through Crews Hole.
Broadside Holdings has submitted a planning application and supporting statement for their new plans for Redcatch Quarter, formerly the Broadwalk Shopping Centre. The plans are available here on the Bristol City Council planning portal. I’d encourage everyone in the area to submit comments and feedback which you can do until 2nd March.
Time is running out to comment on the proposed development on Brislington Meadows. I have submitted my objections, and you can do so here.
The Government recently released its Pavement Parking strategy which is very positive and should give the Council the power to act more effectively.
I’ve continued to meet with local hospitality businesses, including Gorilla Pubs (who own 10 pubs locally including the George and Dragon and Stag and Hounds), The Red Church and the Rose and Crown. We discussed the upcoming revaluation of business rates, which could lead to massive hikes in their bills. I raised this in the Commons and was pleased to see the Government announce an additional support package.
I’ve been working with UK Music to press for recording studios to be included in this support. It was a pleasure to visit Grammy-award winning Optimum Mastering at Paintworks, and fascinating to hear just how much work goes into the final product. Just before Christmas, the Bull Inn in Crews Hole was deregistered by the Council as an asset of community value. This makes little sense; there are few assets with more value to a community than a pub! I’ve been talking to locals, including the Friends of Troopers Hill. The Government’s new ‘community right to buy’ could be an option here but do let me know if you’ve any ideas.
Getting out and about in Bristol East
At the Enemy of Boredom Academy, a new alternative learning provider (ALP) in Paintworks, I had a chance to demo the Snowball Game made by pupils and heard about the social and technical skills they pick-up through designing video games.
I also visited The Wheels Project where they teach car maintenance. As I said in Parliament, ALPs can have a hugely positive impact on confidence and skills.
I cut the ribbon at the re-opening of Easton Leisure Centre, after a multi-million pound revamp approved by the previous Labour Council.
I visited the Wellspring Settlement and met with CEO Beth Wilson. I also met with asylum seekers and organisations supporting them, at the Easton Christian Family Centre.
I popped into Easton Delivery Office, to see the sheer volume of mail postal workers deal with over the festive period. I was also able to raise concerns about delayed deliveries in BS5, which I was told was due to staff illness and should now be resolved.
I visited Co-exist Community Kitchen in Easton, a non-profit cookery school which also provides free community meals every Wednesday. I followed up by calling for more support for such initiatives in Parliament. I also met with Viva! to discuss what more we can do to promote plant-based food.
I met with Natural England to discuss the new Planning and Infrastructure Act and its role in drawing up Environmental Delivery Plans. It seems a very long time ago now, but I did some Christmas shopping in Sandy Park Road and caught up with the Friends of Brislington Brook while I was there. I bought one of their calendars which now has pride of place in my office.
Speaking and voting in Parliament:
I was delighted to support the Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Benefit) Bill which will come into effect in April and make a huge difference to many families in east Bristol.
I questioned the Exchequer Secretary on business rates for hospitality and pushed for longer term support. I also intervened in the debate on food price inflation.
I welcomed the Prime Minister’s strong response to Donald Trump’s threats to Greenland and pushed for a multilateral approach to critical minerals.
I spoke in a debate on the Animal Welfare Strategy, questioning whether enough was being done to reduce livestock emissions and calling for a ban on octopus farming.
I spoke briefly in the debate about court backlogs, about how intensive supervision courts – as piloted in Bristol – can steer people with drug and alcohol addictions away from crime.
The tragic death of Bristol student Natasha Abrahart has prompted calls for universities to have a statutory duty of care, which was debated in Westminster Hall. I spoke about the grey area between students’ independence and the need to keep parents informed and about student suicides among those without known histories of mental health problems. Finally, I attended a Delegated Legislation committee, which was looking at extending the Public Order Act 2023 to include animal testing sites. I don’t accept that sites such as the beagle-breeding facility at MBR Acres constitute “key national infrastructure” or that we should curb the right to protest there. I spoke against the proposals and, having joined other MPs in forcing a full Commons vote, I voted against too.
Busy in Westminster
I attended Alcohol Change UK’s Dry January event, where I met with Bristol kombucha brewers, Counter Culture Drinks and Samaritans’ Brew Monday event on Blue Monday.
The Lullaby Trust had a Campaign for Gigi drop-in. I spoke to Katie, whose 9-month-old Gigi Meehan died in nursery care, and signed a letter on safer sleep at nurseries.
I also went to Autism Action’s ‘Overlooked and In Crisis’ drop-in on spotting the signs of autism in women and girls, making sure they are correctly diagnosed and supported.
As always, MPs marked Holocaust Memorial Day by signing the Book of Remembrance.
On the international front, I went to Open Doors annual World Watch List event, to show support for freedom of religion and belief. The APPG on Polar Regions had a very interesting meeting with former Danish Cabinet Minister, Rasmus Jarlov, at which we discussed Trump’s threats to Greenland. I attended the AGM of the All-Party Britain-Palestine Group, as well as Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East’s Christmas reception. I also met with the All-Party Group on Somaliland, and spoke at a rally outside Number 10, Downing Street to call for recognition of Somaliland.
There was a Parliamentarians for Agroecology event and another on seaweed – an incredible, sustainable plant that has huge potential for clean energy, organic fertilizers, bioplastics, medicine and much more.
I hosted Parliament’s first ever reception on fungi with the Fungi Foundation, where I spoke alongside Merlin Sheldrake, author of the wonderful Entangled Life, highlighting how these amazing underground networks support plant life, soil health, food production and carbon capture – vital to the planet and our health.
On animal welfare, I had a catch-up with the Vegan Society, and went along to Cruelty Free International’s reception, to hear about the Government’s strategy to phase out animal testing. Comedian Stewart Lee was in Parliament to call for tightening the hunting ban, as was Diane Morgan (who plays Philomena Cunk), supporting honest welfare labelling on food packaging.
I had several meetings with Ministers: on youth unemployment with Pat McFadden, the Work and Pensions Secretary; SEND reform with Bridget Philipson, the Education Secretary; and the Immigration White Paper with Alex Norris, Home Office Minister.
There were also a couple of events offsite. I joined the crew on the newest Greenpeace vessel, ‘Witness’, down by Tower Bridge and after voting, made it to the Music Venue Trust’s annual report launch at the V&A, although sadly not in time to catch the set from Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook.
In the Media
I joined the panel of Times Radio in mid-January to discuss the week’s headlines as part of Ayesha Hazarika Sunday programme.
I spoke with The Independent and Hits Radio West of England about the scandal around Grok and X.com, having also written to Ministers calling for the platform to be blocked.
I signed an open letter, coordinated by my colleague Gareth Thomas, supporting credit unions. We are fortunate to have the excellent GWCU in Bristol.
I wrote for LabourList on my thoughts about the Labour Party’s present approach.
Casework Roundup
It has been a busy month for my casework team, with 179 new cases, alongside our existing workload. My team has helped constituents with social housing repairs, DVLA and DBS delays, consumer rights, leaseholder rights, access to mental health services, and much more.
As ever, housing is one of the biggest issues. I have been contacted by several constituents about poor living conditions, and my team has successfully advocated for significant damp and mould hazards to be repaired. The Government has been clear that no-one should be expected to live like this, and I was pleased to vote for Awaab’s Law, which came into force last October. There are now strict deadlines for social landlords to address damp and mould in their properties. My team and I are committed to working with Bristol City Council and social housing providers across Bristol East to ensure that they meet their legal requirements.
As always, you can reach my casework team by calling 0117 939 9901 between 10am and 1pm (Monday to Friday) or by emailing kerry.mccarthy.mp@parliament.uk. You can also request a surgery appointment using our online form. We will do our best to assist, and if we can’t help you ourselves, we will try to signpost you to someone who can.
Best wishes,
Kerry