Clive Jones MP

Growing up in the online world: a national consultation We are consulting on further measures to prepare children for the future in an age of rapid technological change. This includes potential age restrictions on social media and other services such as ga...

www.gov.uk/government/c...

I’ve responded to over 1,000 constituents’ emails about banning social media for children. Today, the Government has opened a public consultation, and I urge everyone to have their voices heard. Please raise your concerns and together, we can protect our children from harmful online content.

Wokingham Town Council put on a wonderful celebration to ring in the New Lunar New Year yesterday, and I was delighted to celebrate alongside residents and Lib Dem councillors including Andy Ng.
I’d like to wish a happy Lunar New Year to those who celebrate – Kung Hei Fat Choy.

I know many people are worried about the Government’s new “earned settlement” rules and what it means for them and their families, especially if the rules are changed for people already living here. That’s why I have signed this letter to the Government alongside other Lib Dem MPs.

I was very happy to attend the first concert of the newly formed Wokingham Philharmonic Orchestra with the founders of the orchestra James Weitz and the conductor Richard Bishop.

It was a lovely evening and I was so pleased it was sold out performance. I'm looking forward to their next concert.

I hear regularly from people who are frustrated by how complicated the NHS is and feel bounced between departments.

That’s why I attended the Royal College of General Practitioners & the Patients Association’s launch of a joint report calling for an NHS that’s easier to navigate for all.

Many residents have spoken to me about the increasing demand for parking at Twyford Station. Cllr Adrian Betteridge and I took this directly to the Rail Minister and GWR in our meeting this week.
GWR plans to add 50 new spaces with a proposal due later this year, but Twyford needs more parking now.

In Wokingham, teachers and parents have told me how hard it is to secure the SEND support local children need.

Today, the Government published its Schools White Paper, but failed to guarantee universal SEND screening for every child.

The Lib Dems will keep fighting until that becomes a reality.

The Eco Skills Learning Centre helps residents recycle materials donated by local businesses into eco-friendly creations, allowing local people to learn new skills and form new connections.

The centre hosted another one of their fantastic volunteer-led sessions and I was delighted to join them.

It’s been another busy week working for our community. I urged for better support for court staff and our local justice system, and had constructive meetings about parking at Twyford Station ahead of talks with Ministers.
Here’s what else I did this week:

The Liberal Democrats are the only party willing to take a stand against Reform, as we have proved every week in council by-elections around the country.

We have been fighting for the Government to stop needlessly postponing local elections, and they’ve finally listened.

Residents told me how fewer late trains stopping in Wokingham were affecting them, especially those travelling back from London late at night.

I raised this with South Western Railway and I’m pleased late services will now stop at Wokingham, Winnersh Triangle and Winnersh.

I’d like to wish all those observing Ramadan a happy and healthy period of observing this holy month.

To those fasting and praying in Wokingham and around the world, I am sending my warmest wishes.

I’d like to wish a Happy Lunar New Year to all residents who celebrate it, and to the millions around the world who will come together to celebrate the Year of the Fire Horse in the coming days.

The Government is set to take £43m from our local council over the next three years yet expects Wokingham's council to maintain and improve our roads.

That’s why I questioned how the Government expects councils to deliver the new Road Safety Strategy while slashing their budgets.

There is an urgent need for action from Thames Water after the sewage pump failure in Swallowfield. Residents are being failed by Thames Water who have failed to resolve ongoing issues.

Here’s what else I’ve been working on this week:

It was an honour to lead the Page-Turning Ceremony in Westminster this week, honouring those who made the ultimate sacrifice in World War One.

The freedoms we all enjoy every day are owed to the military personnel and veterans who fought for our country, and they will not be forgotten.

Today in Parliament I called for a return to proper community policing with more bobbies on the beat here in Wokingham. Many business owners I’ve visited have told me that increasingly frequent and targeted shoplifting is hitting their customers and threatening their livelihoods.

This was an important week in Parliament, as the National Cancer Plan was launched.

I am proud to have been the first MP to call for the plan, and I’ve pushed the Government to guarantee better funding to meet its aims.

Here’s what else I’ve done this week:

I am delighted that the National Cancer Plan has a concentration on children and young people’s cancers, less survivable and rarer cancers, and better cancer screening.

These reforms need the proper funding if they are to be successful and save lives, which the Government must commit to.

Ahead of the National Cancer Plan launch, I visited Imperial College London's incredible cancer research lab at Hammersmith Hospital.

Prof. Hanna and I discussed his work developing new breath tests to detect 5 gastrointestinal cancers, and spoke to the lab's hardworking team.

The Government’s National Cancer Plan, that I first called for in October 2024, has set out ambitious targets for improving cancer care for UK patients.

But these aims won't be met if the plan isn't properly funded. The Government must pledge the correct funding to make these targets a reality.

Only 33.7% of cancer patients in the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire Integrated Care Board area can access radiotherapy treatment. Today, on World Cancer Day, I joined Radiotherapy UK to raise awareness of the need to improve access to radiotherapy and deliver life-saving treatment.

With the National Cancer Plan being announced tomorrow, the Government has an opportunity to transform cancer care across the UK.

That’s why Cllr Melanie De Jong and I spoke with ITV Meridian about our experiences of cancer and why getting this plan right matters so much for patients and families.

Since calling for the National Cancer Plan in October 2024, I've worked closely with Cancer Research UK to ensure the plan improves outcomes for all cancer patients. It was a pleasure to co-sponsor their event in Parliament ahead of World Cancer Day and this week's National Cancer Plan announcement.

It’s been another busy week supporting residents and charities across Wokingham. I thanked our brilliant local charities and volunteers at the Wokingham Borough Volunteer Fair and showed my support for the new Berkshire Charity Collaboration Collective.

Here is what else I have done this week

It was a pleasure to visit Emmbrook Junior School last week and meet such dedicated staff and fantastic pupils.

A highlight was answering thoughtful questions from the School Council about my role as an MP, supporting local schools, and online safety.

I look forward to visiting again soon.

This week, I visited Emmbrook Junior School to meet its amazing staff and pupils, signed the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment, and raised issues on water policy and online child safety. Here’s what else I’ve been up to

The Liberal Democrats are calling for online platforms to have a film-style rating based on the risk they pose to children in the UK.

If the platforms of social media giants rely on addictive algorithms or spread harmful content, then they should not be allowed to be anywhere near children.

The Government must urgently come clean, release the relevant information, and put the protection of civil liberties, national security and the safety of Hong Kongers living in the UK first.

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