I hope you’ve had a good start to the year and, like me, you
welcome the long-awaited arrival of February! The past month was very
busy across Harrow and Westminster, and I’ve just wrapped up my
fourth surgery of 2025, assisting residents with a range of urgent
issues. While there’s still much to do,
we’re ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏


Dear John,

 

I HOPE YOU’VE HAD A GOOD START TO THE YEAR AND, LIKE ME, YOU WELCOME
THE LONG-AWAITED ARRIVAL OF FEBRUARY! The past month was very busy
across Harrow and Westminster, and I’ve just wrapped up my FOURTH
SURGERY OF 2025, assisting residents with a range of urgent issues.
While there’s still much to do, we’re starting to see progress on
LONGSTANDING HOUSING AND HEALTHCARE CONCERNS.

 

One example: Last week, in a meeting with the RESIDENTS’ COMMITTEE
AT THE GREENWOODS ESTATE, I was pleased to hear that ANCHOR HOUSING
HAS AGREED TO REIMBURSE RESIDENTS £93,000 FROM A RESERVE FUND. This
means residents will no longer face an unfair charge for a backlog of
essential repairs—a huge relief for those affected.

 

I’ll continue working hard to deliver real results for our
community. If you’re facing an issue, please don’t hesitate to
reach out.
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Below is my newsletter covering some of my work in Parliament and
locally in Harrow too – as always, throughout the year, you can find
regular updates from me on FACEBOOK
[[link removed]], BLUESKY,
[/gareththomasmp.bsky.social] TWITTER
[[link removed]] and INSTAGRAM
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YOU WOULD LIKE TO RAISE WITH ME, CONTACT ME ON
[email protected] OR 02072194243.

 

HARROW

CAREERS FAIR

 

I WANT TO EXTEND A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL THE LOCAL RESIDENTS WHO
ANSWERED MY CALL TO GET INVOLVED WITH MY ANNUAL CAREERS FAIR! AS WELL
AS A BIG THANK YOU TO THE BRILLIANT STAFF AT ROOKS HEATH FOR THEIR
INVALUABLE SUPPORT FACILITATING ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL EVENT.

Pupils from Rooks Heath, Avanti House, and schools across Harrow met
with representatives from leading organisations such as the NHS,
British Airways, and industries spanning law, creative arts, gaming,
the Army, technology, and more, including a CV and cover letter
workshop from Google. It was a fantastic opportunity for students to
explore a range of career pathways and gain valuable insights into
their future ambitions…

 

I know these conversations about career options couldn’t come at a
more pivotal time and will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression.
Thank you to everyone made the day possible!

 

LOOKING AHEAD, I’M DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE MY ANNUAL UNIVERSITY FAIR
WILL RETURN THIS MONTH ON 28TH FEBRUARY AT WHITMORE SCHOOL. THIS EVENT
WILL ONCE AGAIN BE OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS ACROSS HARROW, OFFERING
ANOTHER GREAT CHANCE TO CONNECT WITH HIGHER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES.

 

THAI PONGAL AND TAMIL HERITAGE MONTH

Locally, I am proud to represent a constituency with one of the
largest Tamil populations in the country and it has been a joy to
celebrate Tamil Heritage Month over the past month. I was honoured to
join Pongal celebrations in Harrow and in the House of Commons too. I
remember, just over a decade ago, taking part in one of the first
Pongal celebrations in Harrow. Back then we would not have imagined
international cities like London or Toronto recognising the
achievements and contributions of the Tamil people in such a way. I
look forward to many more Pongal celebrations in Harrow and
Westminster.

 

HEADTEACHERS MEETING

 

This week, it was a real privilege to bring together some of
HARROW’S HEAD TEACHERS with SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EDUCATION,
BRIDGET PHILLIPSON.

 

We had an insightful and much-needed discussion on key challenges
facing our schools, including:

✔️ STAFF PAY AND RECRUITMENT

✔️ THE CRISIS IN SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS SUPPORT

✔️ THE POTENTIAL OF AI IN EDUCATION

…and much more.

 

Hearing directly from school leaders about their experiences is
essential in shaping policies that truly support our educators and
students. Thank you to everyone who took part—I’ll keep pushing to
ensure our schools get the support they need.

 

PARLIAMENT

 

WATER (SPECIAL MEASURES) BILL:

The Conservatives left our rivers, lakes and seas choked by record
levels of sewage. This week, I was proud to vote for Labour’s Water
(Special Measures) Bill to clean them up by placing water companies
under special measures with new powers to ban bonuses & bring criminal
charges against polluting bosses.

This bill is the first step to give new powers to:

- Block the payment of bonuses to water bosses who pollute our
waterways.

- Bring criminal charges against persistent law breaking water company
bosses; and

- Impose automatic and severe fines for wrongdoing and ensure
independent monitoring of every outlet.

This is a landmark Bill which is a vital first step ahead of an
independent Commission to consider wider changes to the water
industry, which reports in June.

 

 

POST OFFICE SCANDAL

 

This is a story I’ve been leading on at a national level in my role
as a Minister in the Department for Business & Trade. In the last
month alone, OVER 2,000 NEW COMPENSATION CLAIMS have been submitted
after the government instructed the POST OFFICE TO CONTACT FORMER
POSTMASTERS DIRECTLY.

 

Justice for those affected is LONG OVERDUE. The previous government
failed to budget for compensation, leaving many without the redress
they deserve. Now, this government is working hard to ENSURE EVERY
POSTMASTER RECEIVES THE FULL AND FAIR COMPENSATION THEY ARE OWED.

 

There’s still more to do, but I’ll keep fighting to make sure
justice is delivered.

 

 

CEASEFIRE IN GAZA

Like so many people in Harrow, I have watched with horror the
unfolding crisis in the Middle East over the last 15 months. Thousands
of people have been killed and thousands more left in despair.

 

The recent ceasefire brings a much-needed glimmer of hope. This
agreement came into force on 19 January and has several parts,
ultimately resulting in the full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the
release of all hostages and the reconstruction of Gaza.

 

The situation remains fragile, but I believe there must be no
backtracking. Both sides must implement each phase of the deal in full
and on time. It would be a tragedy to let the chance before us slip, a
chance for a lasting peace. Every hostage must be released and every
ounce of aid promised to Gaza must reach those in need.

 

Palestinians must also be free to return to their homes, where they
can rebuild homes, lives and communities. It will take time to rebuild
Gaza and rebuild trust.

 

I am pleased that the UK Government will provide £17 million to
provide healthcare, food and shelter for civilians and to restore
services in Gaza, including £2 million for the World Bank to support
the construction and restoration of critical water and energy
infrastructure.

 

The UK has already helped about 284,000 people in Gaza access water,
sanitation and hygiene services and, overall, the UK Government will
spend £129 million for the Occupied Palestinian Territories and
Palestinian refugees in the region this financial year. The coming
surge of assistance must also be properly co-ordinated and given
access and security.

 

I know that there is much negotiating left to complete, but I support
using the agreement in Gaza to establish a credible pathway to a
two-state solution to this decades-long conflict, where Israelis and
Palestinians alike receive equal measures of security, dignity and
justice.

 

 

GOVERNMENT PLAN TO CLEAR LOCAL BACKLOG OF 130,950 PATIENTS WAITING
MORE THAN 18 WEEKS FOR NHS TREATMENT

Patients in Harrow will be able to access more appointments closer to
home and get the treatment they need faster under Labour’s plan to
tackle hospital backlogs.

* Hundreds of thousands more appointments in London will be created
through a plan to get people the treatment they need quicker
* Patients in Harrow to feel the impact of greater patient choice
over follow-up care as part of a drive to open-up one million
appointments, alongside better use of tech and other action to save
another million missed appointments
* Reforms mark next step in delivering government’s Plan for
Change to deliver for working people

 

Patients in Harrow will be able to access more appointments closer to
home and get the treatment they need faster under a new plan to tackle
hospital backlogs set out by the Prime Minister this month.

 

In Harrow, there are 302,707 cases on waiting lists at huge cost to
their health.

 

Tackling the 7.5million strong waiting list inherited by the
government so that the NHS once again meets the 18 week standard for
planned treatment is a key milestone in the government’s Plan for
Change. Restoring this standard will mean patients in Harrow no longer
have to have their lives put on hold.  

 

Currently, too many patients face long waits for appointments or
surgeries and may be referred to hospitals they don’t choose at
inconvenient times, while appointments and staff time are being lost
to inefficiencies or inconsistencies in care. 

 

The Labour Government’s Elective Reform Plan, published this week by
NHS England, sets out a whole system approach to hitting the 18-week
referral to treatment target by the end of this Parliament. This
includes opening Community Diagnostic Centres on evenings and weekends
so that many more people will be able to access tests and checks while
going about their daily lives, and the NHS will also increase the
number of surgical hubs, which help protect planned care from the
impact of seasonal and other pressures.

 

The plan will drive forward progress on the government’s first steps
commitment to deliver 2 million extra appointments in its first year,
equivalent to 40,000 every week. The reforms will put patients first,
harness technology to support staff and help the NHS to do things more
efficiently.

 

Under the plan, 65% of patients will be treated within 18 weeks by the
end of next year. Based on the size of the current waiting list, that
would mean a fall of more than 450k people waiting more than 18 weeks
for treatment.

 

GARETH THOMAS, MP FOR HARROW WEST SAID:

 

_“Hundreds of residents in Harrow __are stuck on the record long
waiting lists inherited by the Labour Government at huge cost to their
health._

 

_“That’s why the reforms announced this month to cut NHS waiting
times from 18 months to 18 weeks will make such a huge difference.
With so many people waiting for treatment, it is more urgent than ever
that we reform our NHS so it will always be there for you when you
need it.”_

 

 

PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER SAID:  

 

_“This Government promised change and that is what I am fighting
every day to deliver._

_ _

_“NHS backlogs have ballooned in recent years, leaving millions of
patients languishing on waiting lists, often in pain or fear. Lives on
hold. Potential unfulfilled._

 

_“This elective reform plan will deliver on our promise to end the
backlogs. Millions more appointments. Greater choice and convenience
for patients. Staff once again able to give the standard of care they
desperately want to._

 

_“This is a key plank of our Plan for Change, which will drive
growth that puts more money in people’s pockets, secures our borders
and makes the NHS fit for the future so what working people live
longer, healthier, more prosperous lives.”_

 

 

Promoted by David Evans on behalf of the Labour Party, Labour Central
Kings Manor, Newcastle, NE1 6PA, United Kingdom

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Promoted by Hollie Ridley on behalf of the Labour Party, Labour Central Kings Manor, Newcastle, NE1 6PA, United Kingdom
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