Dear John,

In just under two weeks time, on Thursday 4^th July - you have the opportunity to vote for change for our country.

In Harrow, I am seeking re-election as your Member of Parliament. It has been the honour of my life to represent our community in Parliament. I was brought up and have always lived in Harrow. I continue to raise my young family here. We use the same public services as you and your family.

I always enjoy election time because of the opportunity to speak to so many people across our community about what’s important to them.

As I have knocked on doors across Harrow, the message I am hearing loud and clear is that after 14 years of Conservative Government, people want to see change in Downing Street.

It’s time to end the chaos of Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss and Boris Johnson and to take positive steps to rebuild our county for the better.

Keeping Harrow Safe

During this campaign, many people have told me how worried they are about crime.

Whether it’s families worried about teenagers falling victim to knife crime, older people fearful that can’t safely walk our streets or people who want to know why we so rarely see police officers patrolling the streets anymore.

I support Labour’s ambition to halve knife crime in a decade. Currently, there are virtually no services for vulnerable teenagers at risk of being drawn into a life of violence.

So, if I am fortunate enough to be re-elected, I will be pushing for every young person caught in possession of a knife to be referred to a Youth Offending Team and receive a mandatory plan to prevent reoffending, with penalties including curfews, tagging, and custody for the most serious cases.

Labour will also ban ninja swords, lethal zombiestyle blades and machetes, and strengthen rules to prevent online sales.

Knife crime has been rising for a decade across this country, claiming far too many young lives. It is a national crisis, requiring urgent action.

I will also be campaigning for a dedicated Police Team for our Town Centre and for the number of police officers serving in our borough to increase back to the levels we saw under the last Labour Government.

The Choice is Clear for our NHS

Another issue many people are raising with me on the doorstep is their fears for our NHS.

Despite the heroic efforts of staff, our health service is struggling. People can’t get an appointment with their GP. Patients are waiting hours for ambulances to arrive. Northwick Park Hospital – one of the busiest in the country - is under intense pressure, averaging 99% bed occupancy.

Across the country, 7.5 million people are waiting for treatment, and this is forecast to rise to 10 million if we continue as we have done with this Conservative government.

The last Labour government delivered the shortest waiting times and best satisfaction rates in history. This Conservative government has delivered the longest waiting lists and the worst satisfaction rates.

I have successfully campaigned for the expansion of beds at Northwick Park; now I’m campaigning for a purpose built 36 bed Critical Care Unit to improve patient care.

Across the country, Labour are promising 40,000 more appointments each week, during evenings and weekends, paid for by cracking down on tax avoidance and non-dom loopholes. Labour will build an NHS fit for the future.

A New SEND School For Harrow Children

Regular readers of my newsletter will know that one of my proudest achievements in recent years is securing the funding for a new Special Educational Needs School in Harrow.

After successfully leading the campaign to oppose a large development of hundreds of flats at 265 The Ridgeway, I am delighted that the site will now be used for a desperately needed new SEND school for children in Harrow.

This would not have been achieved without headteachers, teachers and parents campaigning together. I was delighted to lead a successful delegation of our SEND headteachers to meet the Education Secretary at the Department for Education to set out Harrow’s case.

If I am re-elected, I will also be campaigning hard for more resources across all our schools, as well as free breakfast clubs for all primary schools and more specialist mental health support. As a former teacher, I know how important good schools are for our children.

A Fair Deal For Leaseholders

Many residents living in leasehold properties, particularly on the old Kodak site, have told me that they are deeply frustrated with rising service charges and poor customer service they’ve received.

Before the General Election was called, I spoke in Parliament about the problems people have experienced with leasehold properties and put forward proposals for a change in the law to help leaseholders who are paying exorbitant service charges.

You can view my speech here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwDjlYdsJCo 

If I am lucky enough to be re-elected, I will work with my Labour colleagues to tackle the problems experienced by leaseholders including bringing the injustice of ‘fleecehold’ private housing estates and unfair maintenance costs to an end.

Great British Energy

Another Labour commitment I’m really proud of is to set up Great British Energy, a publicly owned clean power company.

Great British Energy is part of our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030 - helping families save £300 per year off their energy bills, boosting our energy independence, and creating 650,000 good jobs.

GB Energy is part of Labour’s plan to urgently address the climate and nature crisis. A failure to act will cause environmental devastation, fuelling displacement, conflict and famine.

But by being climate leaders at home, including meeting our agreed targets, Labour will restore the strong global leadership needed to tackle the climate crisis.

International allies and competitors have already recognised the opportunities and are racing ahead, investing in innovative technology and creating the jobs of the future.

Great British Energy will invest in cheap, clean, homegrown energy, to cut bills for families, and ensure that jobs and supply chains are built here in the UK, rebuilding the strength of British industry.

It’s Going To Be Close in Harrow West

No matter what the national polls say, in Harrow it’s always been a very close contest between Labour and the Conservatives, including in last month’s London Mayoral race where they were just a few hundred votes apart. A vote for anyone but Labour just helps the Conservatives.

I hope I can count on your support in this election to continue to be your Member of Parliament and to have a chance, as part of a Labour Government, to really change Harrow for the better.

In any case, thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter. If you would like to talk to me about any of the issues raised – or anything else that concerns you  – do get in touch and feel free to leave your number on: [email protected]

Thank you,

Gareth Thomas MP

Harrow West