Congratulations to everyone who has received their exam results over the last month - I want to wish you all the best of luck with your next steps.
There’s not long to go until we find out who the next Prime Minister will be. From the get-go I have supported Rishi Sunak, as I believe he is the best person for the job. That said, I know that both candidates will work incredibly hard to navigate us through some of the most challenging times both at home and abroad.
I have been assured by both camps that they will be bringing forward emergency support to help people with the cost of living. I know many people are really struggling at the moment- we’ve all noticed price hikes at the petrol pump, supermarkets, and on household bills. There is no silver bullet to end the inflationary pressures we are feeling as they are, by and large, driven by external forces, principally the hangover from the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. On my website (www.gilliankeegan.com) within the contact pages, you will find information on what help and support is available and where you can go to get it. As new measures are brought into place, I will keep these pages updated.
You may have recently read about some of my work on the River Ems, a chalk stream in the constituency, that is currently under threat due to the springs that feed it being over-abstracted by Portsmouth Water. I recently appealed to my colleague, the Environment Minister, Steve Double, for his intervention as the current drought conditions are only exacerbating the issue. Chalk streams are rare with only 200 in the world – so the habitats they support are extremely important. In our area, the Ems is particularly vital as a wildlife corridor connecting the South Downs to Chichester Harbour.
I have been supporting the efforts of the community group Friends of the Ems and local councillor, Roy Briscoe, to reduce the amount of water taken from the river’s springs. This week I wrote again to the CEO of Portsmouth Water to request a meeting to discuss the water company’s plans to safeguard this important habitat.
You can keep up to date with my work on the River Ems, and much more on my website, where you can also sign up to my monthly newsletter.
