Chris Coghlan MP

Alan Milburn’s recent report says that young people with SEND are 80% more likely to be NEET (not in education, employment, or training). 1/3

Leading academic, John Van Reenen, has highlighted the growth in UK productivity to an annualised rate of 1.6% and the productivity measures the government has taken, including investment in research and development (R&D). 1/3

The current student loan system is not working for graduates. Many are paying more in interest than their actual loan and the government have frozen the repayment income threshold for Plan 2 loan graduates, meaning they'll pay it back sooner. 1/2

I wrote to the Environment Agency three times in the last year after people raised environmental concerns and its proximity to a school. I’m glad the environmental permit has been revoked but those responsible should now pay for the clean-up. I spoke to the BBC about this: 2/2

Dorking needs a fast train once a day for commuters, which doesn’t impact stations up the line. 1,900 people signed my petition asking for this. South Western Railway told me they will look into it.  1/2

The OBR penalises the government for the upfront costs of long term policy making without showing the benefits because their forecast horizon is five years. 1/3

Schools in my constituency are closing because families can’t afford to move to the area. We need to build more affordable housing whilst also protecting the environment. 1/2

Today Europe is threatened by a dictator again with too many turning to fear. There is still enough time to set a new national mission: we must dramatically increase defence research and development to power economic growth and defend liberal democracy. 2/2

As we left my grandmother’s funeral, they played Fred Astaire’s “The way you look tonight”, a song she loved and danced to with British soldiers. I was so proud that she was decorated as a nurse after D- Day. 1/2

Bookham only has one train per hour to London since the pandemic. I asked South Western Railway for more trains to stop there. They told me they will look at this after a public consultation on timetable changes in the Autumn.

They have shown that they will not tolerate their children’s most fundamental human rights being denied, the right to an education and in too many cases the right to life. I know that it is an enormous responsibility for the Liberal Democrat’s to deliver on their hopes. 2/3

There are many reasons why the Liberal Democrat’s won Surrey, but one is the extraordinary courage which so many SEND families have shown sharing their private agonies with ITV, the BBC and The Times. 1/3

East Surrey Lib Dem gain!!!! So proud that Surrey has rejected the politics of division and chose the politics of hope. We know we have a particular responsibility on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and an opportunity to improve the lives of so many Surrey families. 1/2

The rubbish site in West Dorking has had its permit removed after I complained to the Environment Agency. This has been a blight for Dorking residents for years. Lib Dem councillors have already managed to get the noisiest machines removed. 1/2

Dorking Banking Hub will permanently move into the old NatWest building in the next few months. This brings a key high street site back into use and is great news for local businesses and residents. Thank you to Councillor Cooksey and the Dorking BID for your work on this.

I am writing to the government and have spoken to the BBC about this. 2/2

Investing in defence bonds is a powerful way to raise economic growth if done correctly. The Chancellor already agrees with me on the value of increasing investment in defence research and development (R&D). 1/5

Park home owners in my constituency tell me they have been pressurised into selling by site owners to collect 10% commission. Many feel the law does not go far enough to protect them from this. This commission doesn’t happen with other home sales and should be abolished.

Really pleased Betchworth Water Tower is back in service, ahead of schedule and after £600k of work by SES. I asked SES to fix the tower after people told me about frequent water outages at a village hall event. Thank you to SES.

On Friday the United States agreed to extend the partial lift on sanctions on Russian oil exports. I asked the government if they agree that this decision helps Russia fund their illegal and murderous war in Ukraine, working directly against national security interests. 1/2

I’m very grateful that the Minister came to Dorking, and I think she is serious about SEND reform, but she must listen to parents and finally act on Surrey’s routine lawbreaking. 2/3

At my SEND coffee morning, covered on ITV, parents expressed a wave of anger about cuts to their children’s legal protections from Local Authority misconduct and Surrey County Council’s lawbreaking to the School’s Minister Georgia Gould. This included a mum whose daughter lost her life. 1/3

Green innovation offers hope to tackle climate change without lowering living standards. Research from Nobel Laureate Philippe Aghion and John Van Reenen shows that green firms are short of credit. 1/2

Dorking is only 21 miles from London, yet it takes an hour to travel there by train. 1,900 people signed my petition calling for a fast train and in response, South Western Railway said they will look into it. I will also be meeting with the Rail Minister to discuss this further.

for the new Defence Security and Resilience Bank to improve this. I’m pleased to see that multilateral negotiations are now going ahead giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... . 2/2

The UK is the third highest defence spender in NATO, but our actual defence capability and output suggests otherwise. I asked the Chancellor to join Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s calls for the UK to participate in charter negotiations... 1/2

The pothole by Debbie’s house was filled last month but is already disintegrating. A new one has appeared next to it. Like many, she is sick of spending a fortune in council tax for pothole-ridden roads. 1/2

Thanks to the ferocious determination of one grieving mother if in ten, twenty or thirty years time if another little boy or little girl is born in Christopher’s circumstances they might avoid Christopher’s fate. 3/3

ITV also broadcast another family devastated by the acts failings. Thank you to Jeremy Hunt , Jake Richards MP and Hilary Benn for all their support, as well as incredible ITV journalists Romilly Weeks and Elisa Menendez. 2/3

I said that Fiona Laskaris would succeed in changing the law that prevented her from saving her autistic son Christopher from murder in my maiden speech. Tonight, on national ITV news, Wes Streeting the Health Secretary confirmed that the Mental Capacity Act will indeed be reformed. 1/3

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Christopher Laskaris was autistic and murdered aged 24. I pledged in my maiden speech that his mum Fiona would change the law that prevented her from saving his life. Last night on ITV, the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, pledged to do just that. www.itv.com/news/2026-03... 1/3

Sadly and predictably, Iran appears to have achieved escalation dominance by closing the Strait of Hormuz. I asked what plans the government have for a post-conflict region where Iran retains the upper hand because it can dictate global energy prices and continue to threaten gulf nations.

An aspiring GP from Westcott left university £44,000 in debt in 2017. She is paying more in interest than on her loan repayments. I asked Parliament how can the current student loan system be working if it deters graduates from following the very careers we desperately need in this country?

By contrast, the US equivalent uses a minimum forecast horizon of ten years, enabling the impact of these policies on growth to be shown, rather than only the upfront cost. 2/2

I asked academics why OBR forecasts are five-years, despite many government policies to boost productivity taking far longer to deliver results. 1/2

I asked the government if they agree with me that, given the fate of the Russian Black Sea fleet from maritime drones and ground forces from FPV drones, there is unlikely to be a military solution to reopening the confined waters of Hormuz, ... 1/2

Chalk Hills Bakery in Horley has lost half it’s profit because of employer’s NIC, minimum wage increase and rising business rates. They employ 35 people and are vital to the local economy. I promised Chris, the owner, that I’ll ask the Chancellor about this next week.

Greatest Hits Radio reporting this morning on Surrey County Council’s shocking lack of accountability on SEND and the council making false statements about vulnerable children

Yet, as the BBC reported last night, it has continued. Negligence by this department has been in part responsible for the deaths of Surrey children. 2/3

Conservative Cllr Helyn Clack gave a misleading statement to the BBC in relation to routine lawbreaking by Surrey County Council concerning children. Cllr Clack is head of the SEND department. Cllr Clack stated that “immediate action had been taken.” 1/3

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Their Mums asked me to speak about them in Parliament on Tuesday. They are amongst over 200 testimonies I have received related to avoidable SEND suicide. An epidemic. 2/3

Sammy Alban-Stanley aged 13, Eivie White aged 13, Jen Bridges Chalkley aged 17. All SEND children who all avoidably killed themselves in part due to failures by local authorities. 1/3

British Lance Corporal Brodie Gillon was killed by an Iranian ballistic missile in Iraq in 2020. When I arrived as a soldier three months later, our base was attacked eight times by Iranian proxy militias. The Iranian regime has gunned down tens of thousands of protesters in recent weeks. 1/2

Marbelia discovered she was registered as dead in error by the DVLA when she renewed her licence. They then sent her a provisional one without explanation after driving for decades. 1/2

I asked the managing director of SWR what can be done after the introduction of tap in/tap out caused unsustainable increases to fares for many people – some tickets almost tripling in price. 1/2

Last week I uncovered alleged illegal activity by Surrey County Council, creating a potential threat to life to some of my constituents in Horley with severe learning disabilities by severely cutting their support hours. Surrey County Council must desist immediately and obey the law.

I am glad that the Prime Minister confirmed to me last week at Prime Minister’s questions that work on this is underway.

Over the last year I have been campaigning for Christopher’s law, to tighten up legislation to protect vulnerable adults from precisely this type of negligent activity by local authorities, including enforcement against public officials responsible.

I have uncovered alleged illegal activity by Surrey County Council, creating a potential threat to life to some of my constituents in Horley. Broadcast tonight on national ITV news. The council must desist immediately and obey the law.

South Western Railway will consider bringing a fast train to Dorking. After 1,900 people signed my petition asking for faster trains I met with the managing director of SWR who told me they will start looking at this in the next few months - this would revitalise Dorking. 2/2

SES will finish fixing Betchworth water tower (dependent on weather) by the end of April. They’ve also put another generator at Headley Pumping Station to reduce the number of water outages. 1/2

Christopher Laskaris was autistic and murdered aged 24. His mother, Fiona, begged local authorities for help but was ignored as he was presumed to have had mental capacity. In my maiden speech I pledged to help Fiona in changing the law so that the lives of others are saved. 1/2

Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner (Conservative politician) is evicting police officers from their homes including a heavily pregnant woman. This would be illegal under the incoming Renters Rights Act banning no fault evictions. I’ve spoken to the BBC and will be writing to the Home Secretary.

Two weeks ago, the Foreign Secretary told me I was wrong to call Trump a threat. Since then we have seen multiple attacks by the U.S. on liberal democracy. I asked the government again to get serious about increasing defence spending. This would be good for our economy and protect the free world.

Mark Carney's speech: 2/2