Helen Morgan urges Government to ‘rural proof’ all new legislation in King’s Speech debate

Helen Morgan spoke about Planning, Greenbelt and Rural Affairs in the King's Speech debate as both the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Local Government, and as a rural MP. She urged the new Government to consider rural priorities in all new legislation.

This comes after Helen noted the King’s Speech did not include any reference to rural areas.

After years of campaigning for better public transport in North Shropshire, Helen was glad to see plans for a Better Buses Bill, however Helen encouraged the Government to explain how this will be funded.

Helen welcomed the plans to tackle the crisis in mental health services but called on the Government to take action to deal with the crisis in GP and A and E services after she revealed over 10,000 pensioners were forced to wait 24 hours or more at A&Es in Shropshire.

The North Shropshire MP also called on the Government to provide support farmers after turbulent weather, a botched transition to the Environment Land Management Scheme and trade deals negotiated by the Conservatives which undermine their businesses.

Helen also welcomed Labour’s plans to commit to building more houses but stressed the need to build the right houses in the right places and stressed that developments must commit to improving local infrastructure to support new communities before their plans are permitted.

Helen Morgan MP for North Shropshire said, “Rurality impacts the delivery of any service, whether that’s health, public transport, or mobile signal, so it is crucial the new Government reflects this in its legislation.

“The Conservative party completely neglected local health services in North Shropshire for years from A and E waiting times to access to NHS dentists. We need to see investment in these services at the heart of the Government’s agenda.  

“Farming is the backbone of our rural economy, and it needs to recover from years of Conservative mismanagement and unfair trade agreements which undercut British farming businesses.

“Farmers are key to British business; they provide us with the food on our table and they protect our natural environment. This Government must prioritise them and keep farmers farming.

“I will keep a close eye on the new Government to ensure rural priorities and communities are not forgotten”.

"We need the right houses in the right places. In rural areas like North Shropshire, my casework is full of people who can’t find a home, so I welcome anything to resolve that crisis, but any new houses must come with GP surgeries, schools, and infrastructure to support them”.