Gideon's MP Column

Rocketing fuel prices have been the focus for me and my fellow LibDem MPs as we continue our drive to see the cost of living brought down.

The 9,000-plus homes in Taunton and Wellington using heating oil are the first to feel the effects of the illegal war unleashed by Donald Trump in Iran, and now spreading across the Middle East, with no clear plan behind it. 

That’s why I raised the case of residents in Hatch Beauchamp and Curload with the Energy Minister in Parliament recently. 

The £53million the government has provided, welcome though it is, will rightly need to be targeted at those with the least resources to manage.

Those who are just about managing may find there is, therefore, no support unless the government goes further. 

As LibDems, we are demanding the Chancellor gives heating oil customers a three-month holiday from VAT and the same kind of energy price cap the rest of the country benefits from.

It’s part of our plan to cut energy bills in half. Why should they be second-class customers when it comes to household bills?

Gas prices are also now set to go up after Trump’s and the Israeli government’s latest bombing raids on the world’s largest gas field at South Pars in Iran.

We have warned from the start that the UK must avoid being dragged into another war in the Middle East with no obvious end. We now seem to be being dragged further down Trump’s slippery slope of war. 

We are demanding Parliament is given a vote on the terms of the agreement with the US for their use of UK bases.

We need to stand up to Trump’s bullying, and be clear that the role of British forces is the defence of our country, not Trump’s misadventures in other ones.

Destroying international law and weakening the United Nations plays Russian roulette with the safety of people around the world.

Meanwhile, back in Taunton, it's wonderful to see hard working councillors Federica Smith-Roberts and Mike Rigby getting to grips with provision for homeless people in the town.

They are looking again at Crown Walk on the High Street and how it can be improved. It was a key site I visited with local police officers recently.

It’s great for our area to have ten additional police officers since the General Election, but improving our town centres needs councils, businesses and landowners to all work together too.

In Wellington, it was fantastic to dig the first sod in the construction of the access road to the town’s new station.

Thanks again to all the local residents who joined my campaign visit to Parliament to see the Rail Minister.

My Somerset councillor colleagues had a tough job balancing the budget but have successfully done so again this year with Council Tax remaining lower than our surrounding council areas.

It’s encouraging that – despite the millions extra needed for social care (and government still needs to fix the care crisis) – they have, as part of the recent budget, put aside £160million for potholes and road improvements.

They’ve already fixed around 250 potholes a week since New Year’s Day with many thousand more repairs planned. Let’s hope the weather is kinder to our infrastructure next year!

Finally, as spring is now springing, don’t forget to get your tickets for the fabulous BlueTone Festival on May 28th-31st to see Ruby Turner, the Brand New Heavies and Curtis Stigers in Vivary Park – a great summer of entertainment is on the horizon!