Since becoming an MP in 2010, I have campaigned on a number of animal welfare issues and have worked closely with organisations including the RSPCA, RSPB, the Dogs Trust, Cats Protection and the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
I was delighted therefore that one of our long running campaigns has now been introduced by the Government as the Bill to ban the use of wild animals in travelling circuses in England by January 2020 passes through Parliament.
The introduction of the Bill follows other measures the Government has taken to strengthen our position as a world leader on animal protection. This includes a ban on ivory sales to protect elephants, and delivering Finn’s law to strengthen the protection of service animals.
Some of the animals which currently perform in circuses include reindeer, zebras and camels. I believe, as does the Government, that the use of wild animals in travelling circuses has no place in modern society and does nothing to further the conservation or our understanding of wild animals. This has been a long-fought campaign and I am happy that this ban will come into place.
Elsewhere, I am aware that the last two weeks have seen the telephone waiting times at the GP Hub covering Moredon, Taw Hill, Abbey Meads, Eldene & Phoenix surgeries go backwards, with improvements that had been made now being completely undermined.
It is totally unacceptable that this problem rumbles on. The Better Health Partnership continue to fail to sort out the fundamental issues with the telephone system. For weeks I have been demanding investigations into why residents are being cut off. Having been told this was happening, I have still not received an explanation or a plan to address the problem despite chasing several times.
We have had countless meetings, phone calls and emails to discuss the problems and it simply isn’t acceptable to promise improvements that haven’t taken shape or if they have, haven’t been consistent or long-lasting. These GP partnerships are working well elsewhere in Swindon and no other surgeries are having such problems with their telephone wait times or cutting people off. There is no excuse for this problem to continue and I will continue to do all that I can to raise issues and push for improvements with IMH, the CCG and the Care Quality Commission.
Finally, I wanted to say congratulations to everybody who was elected to Swindon Borough Council yesterday evening. I spent 10 happy years as a Borough Councillor and it really is a fantastic opportunity to represent residents and work hard for your local community. I wish the new Councillors the best of luck - I still remember how nervous I was when I first attended the Civic!
