Max Wilkinson MP

The government promised to hand power back to communities. But their current approach to devolution involves scrapping local councils like Cheltenham and placing power in the hands of regional mayors who will be more distant from communities. 1/2

Our democracy can only work if every vote counts. Five-party politics is firmly established in the UK (6 in Scotland & Wales). Labour & Conservatives must face reality: people demand proportional voting. I challenged the government on electoral reform so voices are heard equally & seats match votes.

It’s time for a grown up discussion about the future of our nation and our role in the world. My contribution to the King’s Speech debates focused on the problems we are still being caused by the Brexit given to us by Nigel Farage and the Conservatives. 1/3

It was kind of Robert Jenrick to set me up for an obvious joke at his expense.

🤰🏻Maternity campaign win 👶 This week, after a board meeting of the local health trust, we got the news we’ve been waiting to hear for a long time: the labour & births service at Cheltenham General Hospital will be restored this year. Well done to everyone who has been involved in our campaign.

Many centre ground voters have traditionally voted Conservative, but I know how horrified many are by the prospect of Nigel Farage and the Reform party entering Downing Street. It seems MPs from the Tories and Reform are friends and are now admitting... 1/2

BBC Politics asked me about Liberal Democrats’ chances at the elections on the 7th of May. We’re going to be strong contenders where we’re competitive against the Conservatives, & in many parts of the country we are now the only contenders against the divisive politics of Nigel Farage & Reform.

It was wonderful to join Albie on his climb this morning as he raises money for the National Autistic Society. If you can, please support him here: justgiving.com/page/albieclimbs

An update on last night’s votes in the House of Commons.

🚨Campaign progress🚨 After working hard in Parliament to lobby ministers for the £71.5m funding needed to upgrade J10 of the M5, I visited the construction compound. The project will unlock thousands of jobs at Golden Valley & help our town thrive in future. It’s brilliant to see work underway.

🌞Sunshine Bill Win!🌞 Today, the government announced that from 2028 all newbuild homes will come with solar panels as standard. This follows my private member’s bill last year calling for exactly that. I’m so pleased to have contributed to a meaningful law change law so early in my term as an MP.

Last week I shared my concerns about the confusion around impending Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and devolution for our area. I asked the Leader of the House of Commons if he agreed with me that current proposals don't make sense. 1/3

I asked business ministers for their views on the future of Cavendish House. It’s not right that outside investors sit on valuable property while our high streets are crying out for regeneration and investment. I’m pleased ministers agreed with me that sites should not be left vacant.

I was invited to appear on GBNews for PMQs Live this week. While the channel is not to my taste, I agreed to attend in the spirit of open debate. It also gave me a chance to challenge the channel on its pro-Reform party agenda. The discussion was in good spirits, though I think I touched a nerve.

Interference in our democracy, foreign or domestic, is something we must move quicker on. Recent cases, including disgraced Reform politician Nathan Gill working for the Russian government and Peter Mandelson sharing information with Epstein, are two examples of where current processes failed. 1/3

🏇 Race week brings huge investment to Cheltenham and sustains a lot of our local businesses. But it also presents challenges. I have been working for years to clean up bad behaviour by a minority of racegoers. My message to racegoers this week - have fun, spend money, and please respect our town.

Potholes, potholes & more potholes… I’ve asked the county council to come to Cheltenham for a public meeting to talk about what they’re doing to improve road maintenance. In the meantime, let me know areas that need attention in the comments below or by emailing max.wilkinson.mp@parliament.uk

I run the Cheltenham MP and Business Forum to ensure I have an open channel with local businesses. Yesterday, I raised an urgent concern with ministers on behalf of Rendesco, in the hope of securing contracts to make our area more prosperous. 1/2

Experts left and right have warned about the impact rapidly decreasing net migration will have on our economy and public services. I agree that we need a controlled system, but we can’t afford to put our economy or NHS at risk.

Tories & Reform are toying with the idea of a Trump-style ICE force for Britain. I asked the Labour Home Secretary to reassure British people there wouldn’t be a UK ICE force & to condemn Trump's tactics. She said she didn’t pay attention to what happens in America. I’m shocked at her blasé answer.

It’s time to end the Peter Mandelson charade. The government should boot him out of the House of Lords for good. I asked the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister to bring forward legislation to do just that.

The damage caused by Brexit was never going to be confined to one area of policy. It’s now clear that potential defence investment is being hobbled by the failed Brexit deal. For the sake of our economy and our security, we badly need a much more urgent approach to reintegration with the EU.

The ‘temporary’ closure of the Aveta Birth Centre in Cheltenham to labour and births almost four years ago continues to impact the choices of women who want to give birth locally. Today at Women and Equalities Questions I asked ministers to look again at the issue and to push for a full reopening.

At one of my surgery appointments last week, a constituent came to see me to discuss her long-term issues with the Child Maintenance Service. I am pleased to share that earlier this week I raised the issue with Ministers in Parliament and they have agreed to look into her case. 1/2

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Another Tory has defected to Reform. What a surprise! The two parties share the same agenda (that’s no secret). But the characters who have joined Reform won’t provide any platform for government, or do anything to improve our country, as I told @lbc.co.uk earlier today. 1/2

Where we have led on calling for closer integration with Europe, others are following - including senior members of government. Our allies are more important than ever. Liberal Democrats will continue to make the case for closer relations with Europe to boost our economy, defence and security.

I'm hoping for "spades in the ground sometime this summer” – that’s what I told BBC Radio Gloucestershire when we spoke about the latest progress towards the Golden Valley development. Final planning for the first phase of the Golden Valley development was submitted last week. 1/3

It's been nearly a year since I presented my Sunshine Bill to Parliament, gaining widespread cross-party and industry support. Ministers accepted the principle that solar panels come as standard on all new build homes. I asked Ministers when the government will follow through on their commitment.

There’s a big debate in this country about immigration, but it’s missing one important point. I asked the Home Secretary why she thought such large numbers of working age Brits were leaving the country. The failed Tory Brexit, a fear of Farage’s Reform or Labour’s poor record? 1/2

.@gbnewsonline.bsky.social claims it’s the home of free speech, but they do lean heavily to the right. Will they commit to allowing a Liberal Democrat to host a show next year to balance out Farage, Rees-Mogg and Anderson? I challenged Christopher ‘Chopper’ Hope to set an ambitious goal for 2026.

Violence against women & girls is a stain on society. Misogyny online continues to spread, all while Nigel Farage publicly describes Andrew Tate as an "important voice" for men. I asked the Home Secretary what steps she and the Minister are taking to progress halving violence against women & girls.

Our democracy is under threat. Unless we ditch our outdated voting system, the next election risks allowing Nigel Farage into Number 10 on the “pull of a one-armed bandit” gambling machine. I asked the Leader of the House to back the Lib Dem elections bill when it returns to Parliament in January.

Small & medium sized businesses in Cheltenham shouldn’t shoulder the burden of national economic failures anymore. Last week’s budget ignored Brexit’s impact & chose to penalise business owners even more. I shared stories of two Cheltenham business owners during my Budget Debate speech yesterday 1/2

The government is ignoring the massive Brexit problem while putting up taxes and attacking businesses. Who is benefitting? Nigel Farage as usual. My speech in today's budget debate 👇

She chickened out of answering the question and passed it to her junior minister instead. Are you convinced by his answer? 2/2

Polls suggest that Nigel Farage is heading for 10 Downing Street on a vote share of just 30%. It beggars belief that Labour is still committed to an outdated, undemocratic voting system that would see the hard right stroll into government on a minority of the vote.

People have had enough of delays through Charlton Kings caused by crucial work on the A40 at Spring Bridge. I asked the Transport Secretary whether there’s help for councils that discover big problems during this work and if she would join me in asking for one lane to be reopened ASAP.

There’s been too much pre-budget speculation. That’s bad for business. I raised the concerns of Cheltenham businesses with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in Parliament.

I’ve been speaking up for local maternity services since before I was elected as Cheltenham’s MP. Today, I asked the Prime Minister for reassurance that a temporary downgrade of the Aveta Birth Centre in 2022 under a Conservative government will not become permanent under Labour. 1/2

I was invited to appear on Sky News Politics Hub earlier this week. I challenged the idea that drilling in the North Sea would make our energy bills cheaper. It will make almost no difference to our bills. The Lib Dem plan to decouple wholesale gas prices from our energy bills would do so much more.

Nigel Farage has just flip-flopped on the vague and unrealistic economic plan he had. But the main thing we must all remember is that his last big idea was Brexit and that was a disaster for the economy, as I reminded Sky’s Politics Hub this week.