Chris Hinchliff MP

A pleasure to attend the Royston Allotments Open Day and meet so many dedicated growers last weekend.

Allotments are vital community spaces that promote sustainability, wellbeing, and connection.

We need far more of them to meet demand. I'll be championing them every step of the way in Parliament.

Government moves to end discriminatory age bands and unfair pay The Government’s manifesto commitment to deliver a genuine living wage for working people took a step closer today as it set out new considerations for the Low Pay Commission when recommending next ye...

This is an important change by Labour to deliver a genuine living wage.

Young people often struggle with the considerable pay gap—especially care leavers and those who can't rely on their family to subsidise their livelihoods.

Fantastic turnout in Buntingford at my Town Hall event last night. Great to speak to so many residents.

We covered some really important issues including:
🏘️ Genuinely affordable housing for local people
🌱 Truly sustainable development
and
🏤 The loss of vital public services

Carers play a hugely important and often overlooked role in our society.

It was really valuable to hear first hand the range of experiences of carers in North East Hertfordshire.

I will be taking their concerns to Ministers so that they get the support they need and deserve.

I’ve joined @neilduncanjordan.bsky.social and others in urging action to end the cruelty still happening under the guise of trail hunting.

The law must better protect our wildlife.

Now is the time to end the suffering of animals across our countryside.

Full letter below.👇

Recognition of the State of Palestine is long overdue.

The killing and starvation of civilians in Gaza must end immediately.

My statement on yesterday's announcements. 👇

Thanks to North Herts Minority Ethnic Forum for hosting @alistrathern.bsky.social and I last week.

It was particularly powerful to hear first hand the concerns facing those who have come from Hong Kong to become such an important part of our local community.

The housing crisis is robbing thousands of children of the space to play, learn and grow.

The opportunities they are denied and the barriers to their talent impoverish our whole society.

We need a new generation of council housing, for those the profit-led sector leaves behind.

Our wealth lies in young people; their success shapes all our lives.

Stable housing is the foundation of a healthy life.

Record numbers of children in temporary accommodation shames us all.

Profit-driven developers caused this crisis.

The solution is more council housing.

The killing of children queueing for aid and deliberate starvation of Palestinian people is utterly evil.

The Government must act to stop Israeli war crimes. I've signed a letter calling to:

▪️ Impose sanctions.
▪️ Ban trade with illegal settlements
▪️ End arms sales to Israel

I warmly welcome the government’s response to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

Thank you to all the constituents and nature charities who stood up for wildlife—this is a big win.

Let’s now end the developer-led model to deliver a genuine win-win for housing and nature.

A good example of serious thinking about win-wins for housing and nature that the Government’s amendments to the Planning Bill will secure.

Really informative session at the Growing Baldock consultation yesterday re 3000+ new local plan led homes.

Very important discussions about delivering social housing + improving biodiversity and helping restore the local chalk stream.

I warmly welcome the news that the Government has accepted the validity of concerns about the potential impact of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on nature. Ministers have now tabled amendments in the House of Lords that address many of the issues I raised. The key function of Amendment 69—which I tabled in the Commons—was to ensure Environmental Delivery Plans result in genuine improvements to the specific environmental features identified as at risk. Last night’s announcement from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government confirms that the Government is directly tackling this point. Before the Report Stage of the Bill in the Commons, I requested a meeting with the Minister to raise these concerns through the proper channels. Unfortunately, that offer was declined.

I wanted to engage constructively with the Government, to raise views shared by millions of members of nature organisations, and to find solutions through dialogue. I hope in the future we can find consensus ahead of time and avoid confrontations. I look forward to voting with the Government on a significantly improved Bill when it returns to the Commons. This episode underscores the need for a collaborative approach to politics—one that respects the role of parliamentary democracy and listens to experts, campaigners, and the public. I want to pay tribute to The Wildlife Trusts and all those who fought tirelessly to defend our natural environment. Nature is not a nuisance to be traded away for developer profits - it is our national inheritance, cherished by millions. I will continue to advocate for reform of the developer-led housing model—one that has enriched a handful of major corporations while failing to deliver secure, affordable homes for North East Hertfordshire’s communities.

My statement on the on Government's amendments to Planning and Infrastructure Bill. 👇

Now let’s smash the developer-led model and deliver a win-win for homes and nature.

New Government planning amendments in response to campaigning efforts New Government planning amendments in response to campaigning efforts

This looks like really positive news. Very happy to be proven posthumously correct and see many of my concerns addressed.

Well done to @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social @wclnews.bsky.social, @rspb.bsky.social and everyone who fought for proper nature protections in planning.

And to those who ask how we can afford a fairer, greener future, I again say let's look at:
• The 100+ tax breaks which are costing HMRC over £200bn every year
• The £20bn+ we shell out in corporate subsidies annually
and
• Whether we should be maintaining the lowest corporation tax in the G7

I'm committed to continuing to fight for an end to poverty, reducing inequality and restoring our natural environment for future generations.

Away from the Westminster circus it remains an honour to serve as the MP for NE Herts.

This morning I visited the superb Millfield School. As I said yesterday in Parliament, the students’ talent and optimism is always a powerful antidote to the cynicism and pettiness that can pervade our politics.

My statement on today's news. 👇

Warming chalk streams a 'perfect environmental storm' - BBC News Chalk streams are home to many species, including the endangered white clawed crayfish.

Chalk streams are vital habitats—85% are in England, 10% in Herts. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

Nature bodies are warning they're in danger—even before the Planning and Infra Bill passes.

I'll keep working with @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social to ensure they get the protection they need.

Dairy farmers face crisis as drought causes grass fails - BBC News One farmer says she has never seen a spring and summer with so little rain.

The driest spring since 1893.

Evidence keeps growing that the climate emergency is an existential threat to our food security, nature, and the rural way of life.

Those who recklessly argue we should go slow on tackling this challenge would do irreparable damage to our country.

English water firm doubles CEO’s pay despite ‘elevated concern’ over finances Boss of Affinity Water, which serves 3.9 million customers in London and south-east, receives £1.6m

The only thing rising faster than your bills is water bosses’ pay.

Affinity Water’s CEO is pocketing £1.6 million while the firm leaks billions of litres every year.

Time for public ownership.

The Government’s steps on solar for new builds are welcome—but we’re missing a huge opportunity with existing rooftops.

Today I urged Ministers to introduce a scheme offering free rooftop solar installation for commercial and residential properties, paid back via energy savings.

I signed @lfpme.bsky.social's letter to the Foreign Secretary.

The Israeli Defence Minister’s plan to forcibly transfer civilians in Gaza is not a humanitarian act—it’s ethnic cleansing.

The UK must act now: recognise Palestine, protect aid, restrict trade, and secure the release of hostages.

Labour housing plans could destroy 215,000 hectares of nature in England, analysis shows Critics say change in biodiversity protections would harm environmental recovery and make scheme ineffective

Devastating for nature. Wholly unhelpful for responsible house builders. The government should steer well clear of these daft proposals.

UK builders to pay 100 million pounds to housing programmes after competition probe Seven housing developers have agreed to pay a total of 100 million pounds ($136 million) to affordable housing programmes in Britain following a competition watchdog investigation into potentially anticompetitive behaviour.

Time for a windfall tax on profiteering developers.

'There have been highs and lows - Chris Hinchliff reflects on first year as MP Last Friday marked the end of the first year of the Labour government – and a year since North East Hertfordshire welcomed its first Labour MP,…

One year as North East Hertfordshire's first Labour MP: 9,000+ cases closed, 20 surgeries held, and real progress made on housing, energy and the environment.

In year two, I’ll keep fighting for SEND reform, better buses and a planning system that puts people and nature before profit.

Millions of leaseholders backed with strengthened rights Leaseholders to be better protected and more able to challenge excessive service charges to address cost of living concerns

After 14 years of Tory failure, Labour is fixing the broken leasehold system:

📄 Standardised service charge forms & clear accounts
🏣 Transparent buildings insurance info
⚖️ Fairer legal costs
🔧 Section 20 reform to stop shock bills
🎓 Qualified managing agents

Labour is backing leaseholders.

As a former workplace rep I know just how important this is to working parents who have experienced the tragedy of a miscarriage.

Protecting time off work to mourn no matter what stage a pregnancy loss takes place is the fair thing to do, granting dignity to grieving parents.