Alison Bennett

The Climate Change Committee has warned that we are unprepared for drought as the climate changes. With significant housing targets in the South East, I want to know whether the government has a plan to balance the two. www.theccc.org.uk/publication/...

The CEO of South East Water, David Hinton, has finally resigned. I and my Lib Dem colleagues have been calling for this since before Christmas. South East Water now need to get a grip and clean up their act, so we can all trust our water supply again. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

On Radio 5 Live's MP Panel this morning, I set out why the Liberal Democrats were right to call for the King's visit to the USA to be cancelled. As we saw overnight, Trump embarrassed the King by divulging their conversation about Iran - a clear breach of protocol.

I raised the issue of failures in the governance of Multi-Academy Trusts with ministers. Failures at the University of Brighton Academy Trust were left unchecked for far too long. The government acknowledges that there is an issue here, which is welcome, but we need to ensure that action follows.

PVL produces the livery for 75–80% of the UK’s emergency service vehicles. However, recent changes to procurement rules have created significant challenges for PVL. I set out those challenges to the responsible minister yesterday in Parliament.

The obtaining of transcripts from family courts can be the difference between justice and injustice, and long delays are pushing people into financial hardship. I'm glad to hear the government is working on it but I will keep pushing Ministers to ensure change is achieved as fast as possible.

Rising fuel prices and soaring bills due to the conflict in the Middle East are hitting families hard, especially those in rural communities who rely on heating oil. As I said recently on BBC Politics SE, any support for rising costs must include those who aren’t connected to the National Grid.

Potholes plague our roads in Mid Sussex. The Conservatives have run West Sussex County Council for decades, leaving our roads in a mess. I recently asked the Leader of the House of Commons about our situation. He agreed the local authority simply must do better.

Young carers do incredible and often unsung work looking after disabled and seriously ill family members. But as a result, they often don't have the same opportunities as their peers to succeed at school, and beyond. That's why I think they should receive the pupil-premium.

Happy World Book Day! Books open up the world to all of us. They are such a vital part of how we learn, think and create - and reading them keeps our brains healthy. Keep reading!

The govt expect cash-strapped councils to save money by merging with other councils. But these mergers are going to cost huge amounts of time and money. Councils are going to be out of pocket as a result, and as for whether or not the long-term savings will prove real - the only time will tell.

The government's relationship with Palantir stinks. Palantir has links to Mandelson and Epstein, and it's extending its web of influence across our public sector services. That's why I think the govt must be more open about the deals between Palantir and the MoD.

The government can't legislate its way out of the PM's poor judgement. The PM's Chief Secretary outlined plans to 'improve processes', in the wake of the Mandelson scandal. Improved processes are all well and good, but they don't improve a PM's faltering judgement.

It doesn't matter where you live in Mid Sussex, you tell me about the dire state of repair of our roads. Roads were left to crumble under the previous Conservative government. I spoke in Parliament today and asked the Minister for Local Transport to do better. The Lib Dems will keep pushing.

This morning, I was on BBC Sussex talking about my petition calling for South East Water to end the hosepipe ban: www.midsussexlibdems.org.uk/news/article...

January has been anything but dry, and Ardingly Reservoir is now full. Yet Mid Sussex residents are still under a hosepipe ban. Please sign my petition calling for the hosepipe ban to be lifted. South East Water need to lift the ban now! www.midsussexlibdems.org.uk/campaigns/en...

South East Water bills are going up by 7%, despite them leaving tens of thousands of people in the region without water over winter. This is unacceptable. So, today I asked the Leader of the House of Commons for a debate on restructuring the water industry into a mutual ownership model.

Plumpton College in Sussex has pledged £500k to support skills and training for the English wine industry. During the week, I asked a Labour MP if he agreed that we need to build on this so that we have people with the right skills to support one of our rural success stories.

I was on BBC Sussex's breakfast show this morning discussing the government's cancellation of local elections. It's a farcical decision and flies in the face of democracy. You can listen to the full interview on BBC sounds playback from 7:10am.

The stronger our ties to our European partners are, the better. Cutting-edge organisations based in Mid Sussex such as CSL Behring and Roche Diagnostics have had a harder time doing business since Brexit. We should be doing everything we can to negotiate a bespoke customs union.

South East Water's handling of, and reaction to, the situation across Sussex and Kent over recent weeks has been woeful. Surely item one of their job description is to ensure tap water reaches households?

Hundreds of people have been in contact with me to share their concerns about excessive screen time for children. Anna, a child development doctor in Mid Sussex, sees children every day that have been harmed. It seems the govt. is going in the right direction, I will keep pushing for change.

Today I challenged the Water Minister to look at a duty to cooperate for neighbouring water authorities, following outages over the weekend. South East Water's response to the situation has been woeful. Please visit my Facebook page for fuller updates on the situation.

Last night I presented my petition in the House of Commons calling on the government to think again and turn down any request from West Sussex County Council to delay elections in May. @ITVMeridian ran the story on Good Morning Meridian/Britain this morning.

Thank you to everyone who signed my petition calling for elections to West Sussex County Council to go ahead in May. I am presenting it in Parliament this evening. The government cannot let elections be postponed. It would make a mockery of our democracy.

Yesterday, Labour asked the Conservatives on West Sussex County Council whether they want another (sixth) year in charge. Today, the Conservatives said yes. Elections shouldn't be cancelled at the whim of the people up for re-election. Sign my petition www.midsussexlibdems.org.uk/campaigns/st...

Labour has asked Conservative led West Sussex County Council whether they would like an extra year in power 🤔 This looks like another anti-democratic stitch up. Elections must go ahead. Sign my petition here: www.midsussexlibdems.org.uk/campaigns/st...

I spoke with BBC Sussex this morning about the need to ensure that residents in Haywards Heath and the surrounding villages have a secure water supply, and South East Water's proposal for a temporary pipeline to fill Ardingly Reservoir.

What a bizarre reply from the Health Secretary. All I asked was whether he thought enough was being done to ensure that those who want to be vaccinated at this crucial time, can be... It's a shame he couldn't provide a more constructive answer.

📶 Mobile Signal Survey There wasn't much signal in Albourne this morning, but what's mobile reception like where you are? I want to raise your experiences in Parliament in January, so do let me know by completing this short survey alisonbennett.co.uk/signal Thank you

CAE in Burgess Hill provide hundreds of high-skilled jobs. They planned to expand, but because of Brexit, they're unable to bring in the employees they need, and instead invested in Vienna. So today I asked a Minister how the govt plans to tackle damaging Brexit re-tape.

The government's family farm tax is catastrophic, and the recent budget did nothing to help. So yesterday I once again asked a Minister to re-think and act. His answer was far from reassuring.