Harrogate's new MP criticises restricting home-to-school transport in North Yorkshire

Recently-elected Liberal Democrat MP Tom Gordon made his first intervention in the House of Commons on Thursday.

He joined a debate on education and opportunity and sought to highlight the additional educational challenges faced by rural communities.

Three weeks after the General Election, Mr Gordon said: “Today, North Yorkshire council has moved to restrict the services that it offers for home-to-school transport, which will have a disproportionate impact on rural schools and families.

"The Conservatives have been swept from power in Parliament, but they are still having a damaging impact on local government in areas such as mine in North Yorkshire.

"Does my hon. Friend agree that we should provide rural families and schools with more support, not less, to tackle the challenges that they face?”Having been sworn in at Parliament the week before, Mr Gordon

lost no time in making his presence felt among his fellow MPs.

The start of the week saw Harrogate's MP add his signature to a motion tabled by Lib Dem MP Wendy Chamberlain calling for compensation for WASPI women.

The motion aimed to ensure that WASPI women are compensated for past maladministration by the Department of Work and Pensions, calling on the Government to adopt the findings of the independent enquiry run by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, first published in July 2021 with a final report in May 2024, and ensure that the findings are implemented.

With as many as one hundred 1950s women dying daily, many of them suffering and dying without compensation, the Lib Dems have been calling on the Government to urgently implement a compensation plan following recommendations by the Ombudsman.

Tom Gordon said: “This long outstanding issue was brought up to me frequently on the doorstep during the campaign, including many times by women who have themselves have been directly affected by this scandal.

“We want to see the Government bring forward a proper plan to compensate these women who have been so spectacularly failed by the system over many years.”

Labour's minister for Work and Pensions Liz Kendall said this week that the Government was giving the Ombudsman's report "serious consideration" and would continue to engage with the WASPI women and campaigners.

This week has also seen Tom Gordon support a King's Speech amendment which would see new action on Health & Social Care, and Sewage.

The Lib Dem amendment to the King’s Speech focused on improving the health and care system, fixing the sewage scandal and tackling the cost-of-living crisis.

Mr Gordon said: "I am proud to say that I have used one of my first votes in Parliament to support an amendment putting policies to fix the crises in health and social care, get the economy back on track, and end the sewage scandal at the centre.

“These are the sort of policies that people in Harrogate and Knaresborough voted for.

"I very much hope that this Government will listen to us as we bring the concerns from the doorstep to Parliament and give people the fair deal that they deserve.”