@tonyvaughanmp.bsky.social
Proud to be the Labour MP for Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh. King's Counsel. Doing my best. tonyvaughan.co.uk
Local services in our area are on their knees having suffered from historical funding neglect for decades.
The IMD figures that were recently released are especially shocking.
I will continue to push relentlessly for a better deal for #Folkestone, #Hythe and #RomneyMarsh.
which values immigration - all of which requires public confidence in the border control system. Rhetoric, and harsh and expensive distractions like temporary refugee status, won't impact dangerous crossings. A relentless focus on workable solutions will.
Check out my interview in The Guardian.
people seeking asylum should apply before they get here, not come on a small boat. I agree with her. The UK-France pilot is making this happen. It needs to be prioritized, scaled up and replicated with other EU partners.
The Britain I want to live in is a welcoming, compassionate country... 2/3
I believe the majority of my constituents in #Folkestone #Hythe & #RomneyMarsh agree we should grant asylum to those fleeing war and persecution – provided the system is fair and managed.
I spoke to one constituent, Janice, this week, who thinks that... 1/2
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
The root cause of the small boats challenge is Brexit.
Read my article in the New Statesman on the real political dividing line on border control between Labour and Reform, and my thoughts on how we restore it.
#asylum #immigration #ECHR
t.co/Cbh3ogqH7g
"Labour must fix the asylum system - but I have two very real concerns with Mahmood's plans"
My op-ed in LBC on the Government's asylum plan
t.co/06PtJfT4NJ
The UK isn’t a “soft touch” on asylum.
UK asylum seeker benefits are similar to European neighbours
No right to work before 12 months (it’s 6 months in France, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands)
UK settlement after 5 years (it’s 3 or 4 in Germany)
Let’s cut out the alarmist rhetoric.
..work as it should - by cutting initial decision delays and the appeals backlog, sorting out asylum accommodation, making the UK-France deal work, removing those whose claims fail etc.
The Government must think again on this.
The Government is wrong to think that reviews of safety in the person's country every few years will mean refugees can be returned at scale. That hasn't happened in Denmark. Brutal dictators tend to hang onto power. It would just move huge amounts of resource away from making our asylum system...
16.11.2025 17:46 — 👍 212 🔁 32 💬 3 📌 0We absolutely need immigration controls. And where those controls decide to grant asylum, we should welcome and integrate, not create perpetual limbo and alienation.
The rhetoric around these reforms encourages the same culture of divisiveness that sees racism and abuse growing in our communities.
The Prime Minister said in September that we are at a fork in the road. These asylum proposals suggest we have taken the wrong turning.
The idea that recognised refugees need to be deported is wrong.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
It is unacceptable that Littlestone and Dymchurch beaches still have “no swim” warnings in place. Dymchurch has seen big improvements this year, so I wrote to the Environment Agency asking to upgrade Dymchurch’s rating.
I will be meeting the Water Minister to press the situation next week.
Our #BBC is a vital national asset.
It supports our democratic culture, is a lifeline to UK creative industries and globally is trusted by hundreds of millions.
Ironically, recent events highlight the importance of well researched, balanced public broadcasting.
We must stand by the BBC resolutely
It was an honour to hold a minute's silence to commemorate the incredible contribution of Gurkha communities.
In Folkestone, we are lucky to have the Royal Gurkha Rifles 1st Battalion situated at the heart of our community.
Thank you Alex Baker for organising a beautiful ceremony.
#Gurkhas
Our military personnel put their lives on the line to keep Britain safe.
This Labour Government is upgrading 9 in 10 military residences across the UK with a £9 billion investment through the Defence Housing Strategy.
Homes fit for heroes. Delivered by Labour. 🇬🇧
For decades, too many renters have lived at the mercy of rogue landlords.
Labour have rebalanced that relationship with the Renters Rights Act.
Interesting that Reform backed the landlords, rather than voting to give renters the security they deserve...
#RentersRightsBill #Labour
Support for LGBT people is fundamental to my British values
When a ReformUK MP compares that to backing Hamas, it needs calling out
Since July 2024, Kent Labour MPs have been pulling out all the stops to bring international rail back to Ashford.
This is a key hurdle that we have cleared, and we will carry on fighting.
#AshfordInternational #ORR #Ashford #eurostar #virgintrains #virgin
The whole speech was built on nonsense; on the same flawed Brexit logic.
The PM has made it clear that the UK will never withdraw from the ECHR under Labour. May that long be the case.
#ECHR #Farage #Britishvalues
I voted against Farage’s “Brexit 2.0” bill today.
It had 0% chance of becoming law.
But his lie that Parliament is not sovereign had to be slapped down.
PARLIAMENT IS ALREADY SOVEREIGN. It’s ALREADY in control. NO court can overrule Acts of Parliament.
1/2
It is an honour to have been elected to serve on the Justice Select Committee.
I will use my new position to:
- Defend the ECHR,
- Protect the rule of law,
- Improve the sentencing, probation and prison system,
- Get the Hillsborough Law implemented in full.
#justice #justiceselectcommittee
🚨OUT NOW 🚨 Can government solve its China problem?
Host @alaintolhurst.bsky.social looks at the state of the Anglo-Sino relationship and the challenges therein with Labour MP @tonyvaughanmp.bsky.social, ex-Asia minister Mark Field, Prof Kerry Brown and Luke de Pulford
podfollow.com/politicshome...
"If we took the position of the Conservative Party, which is to withdraw from the European Convention and other international instruments, who is going to work with us upstream? It's Brexit 2.0 from the party opposite."
@tonyvaughanmp.bsky.social having a very good debate on the asylum system. ~AA
Major pension funds just announced £3 Billion of investment into UK rental homes, infrastructure and fast-growing companies providing 10s of thousands of new jobs and houses.
This is a huge vote of confidence in our regions and our long-term plan to unlock sustainable economic growth.
V-Levels will streamline the confusing vocational qualification system with rigorous, flexible courses linked to real jobs.
I’m proud to support the introduction of V-Levels, so we can build an opportunity society for our young people.
#education #V-Levels
Reform's leader in Kent said that Reform councils were ‘the biggest advert’ for what a Nigel Farage government would look like.
Unfortunately, its a bad advert.
This video shows us what's really under the bonnet of Reform's chaotic operation in Kent.
The ceasefire agreement in Gaza is a source of immense hope.
Hope that we can see an end to the suffering. Hope that we can see hostages returned to their loved ones. Hope that we are on a path to a just and lasting peace.
The UK Government will play it's full part to secure this peace.
Our judiciary is world renowned.
Yet this man wants to hand pick our judges and destroy centuries of judicial independence. It would be a full-scale assault on British democracy and our values. Judges should be picked on merit, not ideology - and Jenrick knows it.
#Jenrick
Two years on from Hamas's horrific terrorist attack on Israel, we remember those who lost their lives. We also remember the victims’ families, and those still held hostage.
I am committed to a lasting peace, a two-state solution, and a secure future for both Israelis and Palestinians.
- Improving water quality: £104 billion nationally
- New nuclear projects: £30 billion nationally
More is yet to come, such as the hopeful restoration of international rail at Ashford International.
This is a Government not procrastinating, but acting.
#Labour #Folkestone #Hythe #RomneyMarsh
