Latest news with #MattTurmaine
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Watford MP welcomes government showing necessary nerves of steel
I hope you enjoy the Easter break and grab some downtime with friends and family. I'm in Westminster when the House of Commons is sitting, and that sees the working day on Mondays go on until 10pm and sometimes after that. The latest I've spoken, so far, is around 10.45pm. However, the Easter recess means MPs spend more time in their constituencies, but with a difference this year. I had intended a few days away myself, but that was curtailed by the recall of Parliament last Saturday. It was only the second Saturday in over 40 years that's happened and one of those was for a national emergency too – the invasion of the Falkland Islands. I am sure you will have seen and heard on the news and in the papers, the plight of British Steel at Scunthorpe. That's a vital national issue, I'm not complaining, it goes with the territory and after all, plenty of workers across Britain do Saturday shifts. I was in London supporting the Government's drive to preserve the last remaining maker of mass-produced virgin steel by taking the plant out of the Chinese owner's hands. It was extremely rash of Boris Johnson's government to flog it off for a quid. It is a race against time in an uncertain world to protect an industry which helps to keep our country safe. The blast furnaces must be kept alive, as once the temperature drops, they become damaged and that's reliant upon sourcing the raw materials necessary and speedily. It would have been a mistake to allow this country to be dependent on foreign steel, much of it produced in China, especially in the present climate. I am glad the Government took the decisive initial action it has. Matt Turmaine is Labour MP for Watford
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Yahoo
Watch police smash through doors and seize drugs in raids
Herts Police bashed through Watford doors in a video from early morning raids carried out last week. The force conducted five simultaneous raids on Friday morning (February 28) after receiving intelligence and complaints from residents about suspected drug dealing and anti-social behaviour. Police forced their way into the properties, supported by colleagues from the neighbourhood policing team, operational support group, digital media investigation team, and the tri-force dog but one of the addresses were in Sydney Road, with the other in Raphael Drive. In the video shared via the Herts Police social media page, officers are seen knocking through the doors of multiple flats and gathering items from inside, including what appears to be drugs, in evidence bags. Cannabis, phones, cash, weighing scales and packaging were recovered as police arrested five people on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug. Watford chief Inspector Andy Wiseman and Matt Turmaine MP with officers at George Street police station, prior to the operation. (Image: Herts Police) These were a 27-year-old, a 42-year-old, a 34-year-old, a 28-year-old, and a 22-year-old, all of which are from Watford. PC Richard Fielding, from Watford's Operation Scorpion team, said: 'This morning's activity is a continuation of our work to combat drug-related crime in Watford, which we know first-hand has a detrimental impact on both those involved and innocent parties who live nearby. 'If you have any information or concerns about this type of crime, please continue to report them to us. Every call helps us to build an intelligence picture for us to take action. Information can also be reported anonymously via Crimestoppers.'
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Providing a path forward to rebuilding Watford General
I happened to be sitting waiting for an appointment recently and two ladies were talking generally about the hospital rebuild. As you do, I couldn't help but overhear them chatting. They had no idea who I was sitting reading my newspaper. Their viewpoints were interesting. One expressing frustration that Watford General wasn't going be rebuilt sooner (we can all share that) and the other retorting positively that there's confirmation the rebuild will happen and a delivery date. As Watford's MP, you take the rough with the smooth, but criticism, certainly on the hospital issue, can be ill-informed or just politically malevolent. 'We are where we are' as the phase goes. The history of how we got here perhaps allows the first lady above, and us all, to better understand the way forward. The town doesn't have its new hospital, because over 14 years the Conservatives and their Liberal Democrat allies in the coalition government didn't build it. It's that simple. People sometimes say, 'well you're just blaming the last lot!' That's rather lame as its fair to point out the reality of the situation. There was no 'fully-funded' plan to build our hospital. The required investment of £1.5-£2 billion, amid 39 other competing schemes, wasn't there. Not a penny budgeted beyond next month. Total disarray. It needed and got proper organisation with a costed timetable. The second lady sees, as we all can, the path forward. I'll continue to champion our hospital's cause in the corridors of power. In other news this week I was glad to see the NHS delivering two million more appointments compared with the same period before Labour took office. We promised change. Well done all the staff involved in delivering it. Matt Turmaine is Labour MP for Watford
