Women and babies at Princess Royal Hospital deserve safe, timely care. The CQC praised its kind and professional maternity staff, but found they are tired and burnt out, while theatre problems delayed planned caesarean sections. The Trust must now act.

🏘️ This week, I met with representatives from parish and town councillors from Fulking, Pyecombe, Hassocks, Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common and Burgess Hill. It was helpful to hear directly about the concerns affecting their towns and villages, and to discuss where I can support them as their MP.

💧 Later this week, I will be meeting the new Chief Executive of South East Water. I want to make sure residents’ experiences are heard directly. 💬 Please comment below with any questions you would like me to raise, or email me privately at alison.bennett.mp@parliament.uk

📰 In this week’s Monday Mail, I share a summer edition before the newsletter takes a short August break, with reading and podcast recommendations, plus local events coming up in Mid Sussex. Read here: prod.cdn.everyaction.com/emails/van/L...

🎆 The Government has now launched a consultation on fireworks and pyrotechnics, including proposals to reduce the maximum noise level of fireworks sold to the public. I would encourage residents to share their views before the consultation closes on 7 October 2026 👇 www.gov.uk/government/c...

🚰 With a hosepipe ban in place and further outages affecting Burgess Hill and Hassocks, please check whether you or someone you care for should be on South East Water’s free Priority Services Register. Find out more and sign up: www.southeastwater.co.uk/help/priorit...

Former Southern Water executives have been charged with conspiracy to defraud. If proven, this must be a turning point for tougher regulation, independent monitoring and a water industry that puts communities and the environment first. 📰 Read more: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Social care reform cannot wait. I’m joining Ed Davey in calling on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to work across parties and deliver: 🧡 Rights, respite and fair financial support for carers 🧡 Free personal care for everyone who needs it 🧡 Protection from devastating care costs

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Earlier this week I joined Adoption UK and Kinship in Parliament to hear from families about adoption and kinship support. Their experiences echoed what families in Mid Sussex have told me: support must be consistent, specialist and shaped by those who rely on it.

Thank you to Group B Strep Support for another excellent parliamentary event. It was a pleasure to join Andy MacNae MP in raising awareness of group B Strep and the need for better testing, information and support for families in Mid Sussex and across the country.

📍 Today I held one of my regular constituency surgeries in Haywards Heath, meeting with residents to discuss the issues they need support with. 📩 If you live in Mid Sussex and would like to speak to me or my team, please get in touch to arrange an appointment - alison.bennett.mp@parliament.uk.

💧 Following my visit to Mansell McTaggart in Burgess Hill, I have written to South East Water about persistent flooding affecting six basements. My letter went to outgoing CEO David Hinton, and I will follow it up with incoming CEO John Halsall.

Great to welcome work experience students to my constituency office and Parliament this week. They joined my team to learn more about the work of an MP, ask questions and see Westminster up close. If you’re a sixth form student living in Mid Sussex, please get in touch from September. 💼

A lovely start to the day yesterday at the National Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast in Westminster Hall. It was lovely to be joined by Mid Sussex constituents Revd Will Kemp and Revd Daniel Valentine for a morning of reflection, conversation and community. ⛪️

Wednesday was a special day in Parliament. I was proud to sponsor the National Portage Association's very first event in Parliament, bringing together practitioners, families and parliamentarians from across the political spectrum. I'm looking forward to helping keep the conversation going.

🎾 Great to meet with the Lawn Tennis Association in Parliament to discuss growing tennis participation across Mid Sussex. Best of luck to Burgess Hill’s Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool as they defend their Gentlemen’s Doubles title at Wimbledon! ⭐

This week's Monday Mail is about the 'unforced errors' of Keir Starmer. From cutting the Winter Fuel Payment to appointing Mandelson as US Ambassador, Starmer's premiership is littered with decisions that he did not have to take www.midsussexlibdems.org.uk/news/article... Image ©House of Commons

☀️ Red heat alerts are in place across parts of West Sussex this week. Please take care, stay hydrated, keep cool and check in on neighbours, friends and family who may be more vulnerable. More advice: www.westsussex.gov.uk/campaigns/ke...

💜 For a long time, I have been pushing for fair, sustainable funding for hospices. This week I joined Together for Short Lives and children’s hospice leaders in Parliament to discuss the vital care they provide and why long-term support remains so important.

🤝 Earlier this week, I joined Ed Davey as he set out the Liberal Democrats’ plan for a new deal with Europe. Rebuilding our relationship with the EU would help boost growth, bring down costs and strengthen our shared security. Back the petition: libdems.org.uk/trade

Happy Sussex Day 💛 Lovely to mark the occasion in Parliament with fellow Sussex Lib Dem MPs and Sir Lindsay Hoyle. From our villages and green spaces to local businesses and community groups, I am proud to represent such a special part of Sussex.

It was lovely to welcome unpaid carers from across Mid Sussex to my Carers Week coffee morning today. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences. I will keep pushing for better support and recognition for unpaid carers in Mid Sussex and in Parliament. #CarersWeek

Unpaid carers deserve recognition, support and respect. This #CarersWeek, I’ll be meeting carers, raising their experiences in Parliament and continuing to speak up for carers across Mid Sussex and beyond. #CarersWeek2026

In this week’s Monday Mail, I’ve written about South East Water’s continued failures in Mid Sussex, the need for better palliative care, and the importance of avoiding division after the murder of Henry Nowak. You can read this week’s email here: prod.cdn.everyaction.com/emails/van/L...

I went door knocking in Staplefield today, with the village's newly minted County Councillor Lauren Lloyd. We thought it would be helpful to talk to residents after the water outages that the village experienced during the week. I didn't expect to find tap water flowing down the main road.

Reliable broadband is essential for work, education, business and staying connected. I am concerned that Mid Sussex premises have been removed from the Government’s City Fibre contract, with little detail on what happens next. Residents and businesses deserve certainty. Read my letter below.

I visited Station Road after repeated basement flooding hit local businesses. At Mansell McTaggart, water reached around 1.5 metres, damaging phone and internet equipment. South East Water must urgently explain the cause, stop the flooding and keep businesses updated.

In my Mid Sussex Times column today, I wrote about the pressure many young people face during exam season, and the importance of looking beyond results day to what comes next. You can read it here: www.sussexexpress.co.uk/your-world/p...

In today's Monday Mail: - Lindfield Village Day - Despairing of South East Water - One shortcoming of Blair's essay - Young people and work You can read this week's email here: www.midsussexlibdems.org.uk/news/article...

Yesterday was Lindfield Village Day. The Haywards Heath Lib Dems always pull out all the stops with their tombola, and it was lovely to say hello to some of the other voluntary groups who work so hard in the village and across Mid Sussex.