James Naish MP writes his monthly update for Rushcliffe constituents.
James writes:
‘As June closes, it’s fair to say that it’s been a busy month for MPs, with four major reviews that will shape the direction of travel for the UK over the next few years.
‘First, there was the Strategic Defence Review to make Britain’s armed forces stronger and the people of Britain safer, with a headline commitment to the biggest increase in defence spending since the Cold War, rising to 2.5% of GDP by 2027.
‘This was followed by the Spending Review, which was the first multi-year Spending Review for government departments since 2021.
‘Finally, we’ve had the Infrastructure and Industrial Strategies released over the past fortnight.
‘You’re probably thinking that this all sounds pretty dry. Well, yes and no.
‘Sure, nobody wants to read hefty documents, many of which are likely to end up on a shelf somewhere or be raffled off at a Labour Party function in 20 years’ time. However, I think we’d all agree that organisations with a clear sense of direction – public or private – are more likely to make good decisions for the long term.
‘And that’s why these documents are so important to the government. Together, they tell the story about how the British economy will grow, how the public sector will recover, which parts will be prioritised, and how the country will stay safe.
‘Better than expected news for our local economy
‘To be clear, these aren’t just abstract, theoretical documents – they’re meaningful and have already resulted in positive announcements for Rushcliffe and the East Midlands. For example:
‘£2 billion has been allocated to local transport schemes in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Connectivity to the Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station site was called out by the Chancellor as being a priority, given its huge potential for high-quality jobs.
‘£2.5 billion has been allocated to Derby-based Rolls-Royce to build the first small modular reactor in the UK.
‘This follows a £9 billion announcement for Rolls-Royce to design, manufacture and support the nuclear reactors that power Royal Navy submarines.
‘And £2.5 billion has been allocated to the first fusion energy prototype plant, which is being built in north Nottinghamshire. The University of Nottingham and Rushcliffe businesses are already engaged with this project, and local opportunities will grow exponentially when the research and development formally begin.
‘As a former council leader and the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the East Midlands, I’m acutely aware that our region has too often been forgotten. MPs of all parties have long campaigned for a fairer share of capital investment.
‘So, it’s fantastic to see our region front and centre in the government’s plans for economic growth, with multiple positive announcements after decades of underinvestment.
Better than expected news for Rushcliffe families
‘Despite the significant number of ‘strategic’ announcements, this hasn’t stopped the government from taking practical decisions to respond to the cost-of-living crisis, which I know is still a challenge for many Rushcliffe households.
‘From September 2026, over 500,000 more children across the country will qualify for free school meals, including around 2,800 children here in Rushcliffe. This puts nearly £500 a year back into parents’ pockets and helps lift around 100,000 children out of poverty.
‘The Warm Home Discount is also being expanded to cover all households on means-tested benefits, meaning over 160,000 additional families in the East Midlands will receive £150 off their energy bills.
‘And in an unexpected move for businesses, the government has committed to reducing the bills for energy-intensive companies by up to 25% from 2027. This will benefit key manufacturing sectors including automotive, aerospace and chemicals.
Other moral, national and international issues
‘If these four major reviews weren’t enough for MPs to sink their teeth into, we’ve also seen significant votes this month on two moral issues.
‘Thank you to everybody who got in touch with me about the abortion and assisted dying votes. Hundreds of you have sent very kind emails, even when disagreeing with my votes, thanking me for taking the time to outline my thoughts on complex legislation. I have really welcomed this, given the emotional weight of trying to represent 70,000+ people simultaneously, knowing I’d upset tens of thousands of constituents, no matter what.
‘Some of you have also written to me about the proposed Chinese “super-embassy” in London – something that I raised in Parliament in a video watched by over 20,000 people! I continue to raise concerns about the potential national security risks and to highlight the need to retain the five-year pathway to settlement for Hongkongers and BN(O) visa holders. The UK made a promise to those seeking safety – we must keep it.
‘I’ve also spent several days this month on the Football Governance Bill Committee. Football remains one of the UK’s best-loved exports, and it’s important that we protect the beautiful game for future generations of fans. It’s been fun to represent the views of our local clubs in the debates.
Listening to you via surgeries and surveys!
‘Finally, I’ve also spent a fair amount of time in Rushcliffe itself! It was good to take my roaming surgery to Cropwell Bishop in the middle of the month, and I was delighted that almost 500 of you responded to my first “pulse survey” on key weekly issues. I will do a lot more of these moving forward, given the importance of understanding the range of views on key local, national and international topics.
‘If I can support you with anything, please don’t hesitate to get in touch via my website or by emailing james.naish.mp@parliament.uk. For urgent issues, please call the Rushcliffe office on 0115 646 6404.’
