I recently spoke in the Commons debate on the Representation of the People Bill, which aims to modernise and strengthen our democratic system. I welcome several of its proposals, including lowering the voting age to 16, giving around 1.7 million young people a voice in decisions that shape their futures. From visiting schools across Guildford, I know how engaged and thoughtful young people are, and I believe they are ready to participate fully in our democracy.

The Bill also includes important measures to protect elections from abuse and intimidation, addressing the rise in harassment faced by those standing for public office. Strengthening protections for candidates and tackling opaque or foreign funding will help safeguard the integrity of our system.

I am pleased to have been appointed to the Bill Committee, where I will scrutinise the legislation line by line and work constructively with colleagues to ensure it genuinely improves our democracy and makes standing for public office safer and more accessible.

I was pleased to see the Government present its Social Cohesion Strategy on Monday – a strategy that is needed now more than ever. Just last week, I spoke on the importance of community cohesion during a debate in Parliament to highlight how this strategy is needed now more than ever.

Over the past decade, cuts to local authority and community organisation funding have led to the loss of youth services, community centres and other vital shared spaces. The 2024 riots exposed the scale of the challenges we face, made worse by divisive political rhetoric.

Across the country, hostility based on race, faith, sexuality or gender identity is rising, with nearly 140,000 hate related offences recorded in the year to March 2025. I continue to hear from Guildford residents who face frequent abusive or aggressive interactions - incidents that fall below the threshold of hate crime but are still deeply upsetting, erode trust and damage cohesion. Surrey’s figures show these issues remain significantly underreported, highlighting the need for early intervention so people feel safe to come forward.

Cohesion is built through inclusion and belonging. As MP for Guildford and our villages, I am committed to practical frameworks - such as faith covenants - and supporting the building of relationships that foster trust, improve consultation and strengthen support for residents.

Continuing my work with the Molly Rose Foundation, I recently raised with the Prime Minister the heartbreaking case of Hannah, a Guildford constituent who tragically died after taking a highly toxic substance bought online. Following her death, Assistant Coroner Anna Loxton issued a prevention of future deaths report, highlighting serious gaps in safeguards to stop vulnerable people accessing this substance.

Hannah’s case is not isolated. Since 2019, at least 65 similar warnings have been issued by coroners, yet there is still no central system to monitor poisoning incidents, and Government action has been far too slow. I pressed the Prime Minister to improve oversight of coroners’ reports and to back an independent National Oversight Mechanism to track preventable deaths and ensure concerns are acted upon.

We owe it to Hannah, her family, and others affected by preventable tragedies to secure urgent change. Despite the Prime Minister’s disappointing response that “we are working on the issue,” I will continue to push for meaningful action to protect lives.

Zöe Franklin said “A State Visit is the highest diplomatic show of respect our country can offer. Since launching the illegal war against Iran and destabilising the entire Middle East, President Trump has insulted our veterans, our service personnel who lost their lives in Iraq, our Prime Minister and our country.   

“Yes, the King as our Head of State visiting Donald Trump as the equivalent figure in the US is a purely diplomatic exercise, entirely separate from the workings of daily politics and elected representatives. 

“But this subtlety would be lost on President Trump. He would see just what he wants to see: The King honouring him, and a show of Britain’s support for what he’s doing in the Middle East and his increasingly authoritarian domestic policies. 

Zöe Franklin is supporting a statement calling on the Prime Minister to advise that the King’s visit is cancelled. The Liberal Democrats are asking MPs from all parties to support the motion. 

Zöe continued: “We cannot have the King doing anything that could be seen as our country validating President Trump, who has ignited instability in the Middle East, caused chaos to the world’s economy, and sent our energy bills spiralling upwards for as long as his illegal war continues. 

“President Trump has caused lasting harm, and we should have no part in tacitly showing support or pandering to his ego. 

“The Prime Minister must act. Next month’s state visit must be cancelled.” 

As I’m sure you will know, Surrey is now undergoing major local government reorganisation, replacing borough and county councils with new unitary councils. I support simplifying the system, as residents often face confusion over which council handles issues like bins or potholes. Reorganisation is also the only realistic way to address the severe financial problems caused by years of underfunding, including the huge debts run up by previous Conservative leaderships in Woking and Spelthorne.

However, I have concerns about the speed of the process. Residents were not properly consulted, and survey results showed clear support for a three-council model, yet the Government is pushing ahead with two. Their timetable feels driven by cost-cutting rather than what best serves local residents and communities. 

This week, I raised these issues in Parliament, highlighting the need for proper funding - West Surrey will inherit £3-4.5 billion of debt even after the unprecedented £500 million Woking bailout. Without sustained support, there a serious risk that residents will face higher council tax or reduced services despite the efforts of Liberal Democrat councillors across the existing councils.

I also pressed the Government on local accountability. Parish councils play a vital role, yet there is little help for creating new ones, and proposed Community Boards may not provide the same level of democratic oversight. I’m also concerned that by-elections will be heavily restricted from 30th September, potentially leaving communities underrepresented until the new councils are formed in 2027. 

I will continue to support reorganisation in principle, but only if it delivers better services, strong local accountability, and financially stable councils for the people of Surrey. Local residents and communities should always be our number one priority with these changes. 

Guildford MP Zöe Franklin speaking in the House of Commons today (Wednesday 4^th March) told the Prime Minister a young Guildford woman had taken her own life after a lack of regulation enabled her to buy poison online and import it from overseas. 

Following the inquest into 22-year-old Hannah's death, Surrey assistant coroner Anna Loxton expressed concerns about the lack of measures in place to prevent people being able to buy the highly toxic substance and import it with no regulation. 

In November 2024, Ms Loxton issued a Prevention of Future Deaths Report, containing specific recommendations. 

Zöe Franklin told the Prime Minister that in the last 7 years, coroners have identified at least 65 similar cases and made recommendations to three separate Government departments. 

Ms Franklin pushed the Prime Minister to commit to a strategy to track trends in preventable deaths so that future lives can be saved. 

Reacting to the Prime Minister’s response, Zöe Franklin said: “Coroners have warned the Government about the increasing use of this substance for self-harm, and there is still no central monitoring system to record incidents of poisoning involving this substance.

Ms Franklin added: “The Prime Minister said the Government was ‘working on’ the issues I raised, yet there has still been no change.

“This is not good enough. I am hugely disappointed by the Prime Minister’s vague response to my question. Needless deaths can be prevented. The Government has a duty to act. 

“I will continue to keep the pressure on the Government to take coroners’ recommendations seriously.” 

The Molly Rose Foundation, established after the suicide of 14-year-old Molly Russell, is committed to ending preventable harm to young people online.  

In a statement following Zöe Franklin’s question to the Prime Minister, a spokesperson said: “Since 2019, the UK has seen a sudden and then sustained increase in deaths by suicide attributable to a single poisonous substance and a pro-suicide forum that promotes it. Devastatingly, Hannah is one of at least 135 lives lost in the UK, yet the true figure is likely to be far higher. 

“Despite coroners raising concerns a total of 65 times, multiple red flags have been missed, and we continue to lose young and vulnerable lives. 

“A National Oversight Mechanism - an independent body with the necessary powers to investigate these deaths and join up dots - should be introduced urgently. This would ensure institutions act on coroner’s concerns, ultimately stopping future entirely preventable deaths.”