I’m relieved Victoria Way is finally open, but I am continuing to tackle building safety issues.

Recent events in Woking – such as the ongoing cladding issues with the Hilton Hotel and evacuation of residents from the Eastgate building in 2023 – demonstrate the urgent need for reform in the construction industry.

Repeated closures of Victoria Way have severely impacted local businesses and residents. Local restaurant bookings have dropped – they have had to cut staff hours as a result. Care workers have been delayed reaching vulnerable clients. Eastgate residents remain unable to return home.

These issues have inflicted damage on our local economy. They have posed safety risks to residents.

However, they only scratch the surface of the challenges the construction industry faces. The use of RAAC concrete has caused serious structural concerns nationwide. Frimley Park Hospital is crumbling as a result.

Construction delays at Woking Community Hospital continue to directly affect patient care. Fraudulent EWS1 fire safety certifications have left homes unsellable. Systematic dishonesty in cladding production contributed to the 72 tragic deaths at Grenfell Tower.

Following the Grenfell fire tragedy, there were reforms through the Building Safety Act 2022, but these do not go far enough. Significant gaps remain in addressing past failures and ensuring justice for those affected.

Despite this, the construction industry still lacks a regulator. The Government has finally proposed a regulator, but this isn’t due until 2028.

We need urgent Government action; to strengthen retrospective accountability measures in the Building Safety Act, ensure developers bear the costs of remediation works – not leaseholders or taxpayers – accelerate safety inspections and repairs for at-risk buildings and introduce stronger penalties for failures to meet safety standards.

I would like to see: the introduction of a mandatory licensing scheme for UK construction firms to remove rogue traders from the industry, the implementation of criminal liability for developers guilty of negligence and the immediate establishment of a construction regulator rather than waiting until 2028.

Banned by Russia for Speaking Out

I have recently been added to Russia’s “stop list,” alongside 20 other British Parliamentarians – a clear attempt to silence those who speak out against Putin’s brutal regime.

The ban follows my recent visit to Ukraine and my vocal opposition to Russia’s illegal invasion. The Russian Government has accused me of “hostile statements and unfounded accusations”.

If standing up for democracy and condemning war crimes has earned me a ban, I wear it as a badge of honour.

I will not be intimidated. I stand proudly alongside my colleagues, steadfast in my commitment to keep calling out Putin's aggression and supporting the Ukrainian people.

Closer to home, good luck to the Cards in their final game of the season!

I was delighted to watch Woking FC beat Aldershot Town last week and I'll be cheering especially hard for a win in their final game of the season on Monday – Sutton is represented by my Lib Dem colleague, Luke Taylor MP!