02 October 2024
Dear resident
As the first-ever Labour Member of Parliament for Chelsea and Fulham, I’m honoured and hugely grateful to all those voters who put their trust in me.
I realise that wasn’t everyone and many people will have voted Labour for the first time. I also know that, despite Labour’s landslide victory, much remains to be done to reduce the cynicism that many people understandably feel about politics.
I can promise you I’ll be on the side of all my constituents and will try my hardest to get results for you.
As a new MP, to be honest, it was a bit daunting when emails began to flood in from the day I was elected. It was as if a dam had broken after fourteen years of neglect.
Now, however, I’ve set up my office, hired staff and am able to start to reply to the many hundreds of residents asking for my support with local problems or national issues. If you’ve contacted me but I haven’t got back to you yet, please bear with me – I will.
My first priority will always be local. Helping constituents with the specific challenges they face – anti-social behaviour and crime, housing, health and care, transport, disability and much more. Working with people and groups to strengthen our community.
On the national stage, at the top of a long list for me are rescuing our troubled NHS and social care system (including fighting for Charing Cross Hospital’s rebuild), boosting the UK’s ties with the European Union to get growth and jobs, and championing people with disabilities.
I hope this newsletter gives you a good idea of what I’ve been doing. If I can help you with anything, please do get in touch with me at ben.coleman.mp@parliament.uk or on Tel. 020 7381 2047.
Best wishes
Ben Coleman
Member of Parliament for Chelsea and Fulham
There are just 11 days left to have your say about the proposed axing of the 414 bus, which runs through the heart of Chelsea and Fulham from Putney Bridge Station to Marble Arch.
Transport for London maintains that, by increasing the frequency of the 14, a decent service will remain even though there will be fewer buses per hour than now. Having spoken to passengers and bus drivers themselves, I’m not convinced.
I worry that the 14 will be overcrowded at peak times and that the reduced frequency will affect people heading to the Royal Marsden or Chelsea and Westminster Hospitals. Disabled and older people would have to change buses at Hyde Park Corner to reach Marble Arch – and if they live near the inaccessible Putney Bridge station, they would no longer have a bus that links them easily with the tube.
I’ve written to the Mayor of London, asking him to urge TfL to reconsider the proposal.
If you share my concerns, please take part in TfL’s survey or write to them at haveyoursay@tfl.gov.uk and tell them why we need the 414 and how its loss will affect you or your friends and family.
The former Conservative MP for Chelsea and Fulham produced a mountain of literature during the election campaign claiming falsely that he had secured the funding for the rebuild of Charing Cross Hospital.
I warned at the time that those claims were untrue – and that Charing Cross, along with the other Imperial NHS Trust hospitals at Hammersmith and St Mary’s, had been bumped off the New Hospitals Programme (NHP), with no funding and no timetable.
Since Labour has come into government, we’ve discovered that the truth is even worse than I’d thought. The estimated costs to deliver the NHP have risen by billions and the previous government did not set aside the money for the programme.
The entire NHP is now being reviewed by the Treasury and the Department for Health and Social Care. The good news is that Health Secretary Wes Streeting has confirmed that the Imperial Trust sites, including Charing Cross, have been reinstated in the NHP. I’m hopeful he’ll put the hospital rebuild programme back on a sustainable footing, properly funded and clearly timetabled.
I am now working closely with Imperial’s chief executive, Professor Tim Orchard, to support the development of a Full Business Case for Charing Cross.
Another shocking example of the last government’s failings and game playing is Hammersmith Bridge. The Department for Transport (DfT) was sent Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s Business Case in April 2023 for the full strengthening and restoration works needed.
This was twice scheduled to be discussed by the DfT’s investment board – and it was twice bumped at the last minute on the orders of Conservative ministers. Fifteen months after first being submitted, the plan was still gathering dust on the shelf, with ministers refusing to spend any money in London during the election run-up for their own political reasons.
I’ve been meeting with other local MPs, TfL and the Department for Transport to finally get things moving. I’m pleased to report that Labour ministers have pledged to get the restoration back on track and plans are afoot to reconvene the Taskforce. I and the other MPs whose constituents are affected have had a commitment that the case to repair the 137-year-old Grade 2* listed bridge will get full and proper consideration.
No-one can be in any doubt how challenging it will be to find the estimated £250 million that restoring the bridge will cost, given the black hole in the government’s finances. I’ll keep you updated.
North End Road has always been a special place to me with its eclectic range of international shops, the market stalls and traders, and the vibrant, friendly community. I’m proud to have served as a local councillor for the area and helped introduce the popular, seasonal street festivals.
So it was wonderful to help bring in a new post office under the management of Ajender and Keran Kapoor, and then be asked to open the new Lidl with pupils from Sir John Lillie primary school. We’re getting even better shopping and services on this iconic high street in Fulham.
I had an inspiring meeting with Fulham resident Nadim Ednan-Laperouse to hear about the extraordinary campaigning, education and scientific research that he and wife Tanya are doing with the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation following the tragic allergy death of their daughter aged 15. Natasha was a student at Lady Margaret School in Fulham when she died eight years ago. Her parents are determined to prevent others suffering the grief they’ll always bear.
Nadim and Tanya have already brought about a change in the law on food allergen and ingredient labelling, called Natasha’s Law; launched a £2.7m research project into oral immunotherapy treatments for children and young people with food allergies; and held a global symposium hosted by the now King Charles with some of the world’s leading scientists. They’re currently campaigning for an Allergy Tsar to act as a champion for the three million people in this country living with food allergies.
Andy Slaughter was the family’s MP until the election. Now I look forward to supporting them on their vital journey towards making allergy history.
Visited the Society of Fulham Artists and Potters summer exhibition at the Sands End Arts and Community Centre (pic below)…Presented prizes at the Fulham Horticultural Society… Helped musician, comedian and Strictly star Bill Bailey with the judging at Parsons Green Dog Show in aid of the Brain Tumour Research Campaign… Attended the Friends of Brompton Cemetery Open Day… Congratulated all the amazing sports teams and organisations at the Hammersmith & Fulham Community Sports Awards… Celebrated Indian Independence Day with the singers and dancers of Bhavan London in West Kensington…
Celebrated the opening of the new Michael Cartwright garden at the Barons Court Project for homeless people… Dropped into the Fulham Society‘s summer party… Met the Cheyne Walk Trust to hear about local challenges and priorities… Welcomed Rev Peter Dobson at his induction as the new vicar of All Saints Fulham, and attended Rev Michael Robinson’s induction as the new vicar of Holy Trinity Sloane Square… Met residents at the YMCA Parsons Green and talked about tackling homelessness… Talked to local businesses at Networking. London in Fulham and the Kings Road Partnership in Chelsea about the new government’s plans to help entrepreneurs and high streets survive and thrive… Walked the King’s Road with Police Superintendent Owen Renowden, talking about tackling shoplifting, crime on estates, hate crime & more in Chelsea… Visited Morley College Chelsea to hear about the opportunities they create for young people… Visited the Royal Marsden and Royal Brompton Hospitals to hear about the world-leading work they are doing on cancer and heart and lung disease respectively… Visited Ashburnham Primary School to see pupils learning to cycle with support from Bikeability… Visited the Fulham Boys School to welcome their excellent exam results and discuss their plans for the future… Celebrated France’s National Day with Ambassador Hélène Duchêne.
Called on the government to ensure Disabled residents have personal evacuation plans following Grenfell…. Supported residents of the Piper Building in South Fulham in their campaign for a fair deal on new cladding… Asked ministers about the fraudulent use of VIP lanes for PPE during Covid… Got confirmation from Ministry of Defence that there will be no reduction in annual grant-in-aid to Royal Hospital Chelsea… Met Treasury and Education ministers to express concerns about levying VAT on the school fees of children with special educational needs and disabilities… Welcomed the PM’s commitment to end homelessness among army veterans… Interviewed by Franco-German culture channel ARTE about the new Labour government and its approach towards Europe… Quizzed by sixth formers from Lady Margaret School, Fulham when they visited Parliament… Spoke at Labour Party Conference about how the social care system can innovate to overcome the deep-rooted and systematic challenges facing it… Whilst at Conference, I also met with Pancreatic Cancer UK, Dementia UK, Cancer Research UK, Labour Friends of the Forces, Movember and many others… see pictures here.
Here is a video of my Maiden speech in the House of Commons.
Promoted by Nikos Souslous on behalf of Ben Coleman, both at 28 Greyhound Road, London, W6 8NX
