What today’s King’s Speech means for Newbury and West Berkshire

This morning I sat in the Commons for the State Opening of Parliament, as the King set out the Government’s plans for the year ahead.

There are parts of this King’s Speech I welcome. But the real question is whether any of it will actually improve life here in Newbury and West Berkshire.

People want shorter NHS waits, cleaner rivers, affordable homes, lower bills, and safer communities, not just more announcements from Westminster.

Our rivers and sewage

Anyone who has walked along the Kennet or Lambourn knows our waterways are in crisis.

The new Water Bill is a step forward, but people are tired of hearing promises while sewage dumping continues. I want stronger protections for our chalk streams, proper accountability for water company bosses, and clear public data on sewage spills.

West Berkshire residents are rightly furious about the state of our rivers. They deserve action.

SEND and schools

The SEND system is failing too many families. Parents are battling delays, missing support, and endless bureaucracy just to secure help for their children.

The Government says its reforms will be “generational”. We will see.

I am currently running a local SEND survey so families across West Berkshire can feed directly into this debate.

But reform cannot mean weakening parental rights or making support harder to access. I will be pushing for stronger protections for EHCPs, proper specialist provision, and meaningful rights of appeal.

Housing and infrastructure

Before politics, I spent much of my career working in social housing, so I know how serious the housing crisis has become.

I welcome plans for social housing and leasehold reform. But homes must come with infrastructure, GP surgeries, school places, roads, drainage, and sewage capacity.

Too often, communities feel developments are imposed without the services needed to support them. That has to change.

The NHS

Most people are not asking me about NHS structures or reorganisations. They are asking why they cannot get a GP appointment, find an NHS dentist, or access care quickly.

We need stronger local healthcare, better community services, and proper support for hospitals like the Royal Berkshire.

I will continue pushing for better GP access, support for West Berkshire Community Hospital, and action on NHS dentistry.

Cost of living

For many people, “economic security” simply means whether they can afford food, rent, mortgages, and heating bills.

I welcome the focus on energy independence, but any plan has to work for rural communities too, especially homes off the gas grid facing huge heating costs.

Roads, rail, and rural life

National infrastructure projects dominate much of this King’s Speech, but I will keep focusing on the local issues that matter most here: A34 safety, reliable rail services, rural buses, and equestrian road safety.

Rural communities cannot keep being treated as an afterthought.

Europe and local business

I also think the Government still lacks ambition when it comes to rebuilding trade links with Europe.

Local businesses continue to raise concerns about rising costs, export barriers, and paperwork. Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy, and they need practical support, not more uncertainty.

What happens next

This King’s Speech sets out the Government’s direction for the year ahead.

But the real test is simple: will life in Newbury and West Berkshire feel more affordable, secure, and hopeful this time next year?

That is the test I will be applying.