My column for West Sussex newspapers:
Access to the breath-taking countryside around us is a right we should all be able to enjoy. For that reason, I am delighted that the community-led campaign to keep Kithurst Hill Car Park open has been victorious. The campaign, which I and thousands of other local residents supported, received the good news it had been hoping for when Horsham District Council announced it would take over the running of the car park.
This positive outcome will protect this community-asset for years to come. It is a testament to the energy of the residents and visitors alike who backed efforts to find a solution after the previous decades-old agreement came to an end. Indeed, the sheer number of supporters who signed the petition to keep this gateway to the South Downs open was one of the most significant I have seen in my time as the area’s Member of Parliament. It also goes to demonstrate the capacity of the community to deliver change – an attribute of our democracy which I have always been a passionate supporter.
I know that for many parents there will be an ongoing concern around the dangers facing their children in the digital age. That is why I am pleased that the Online Safety Bill passed through to its next stage in the House of Commons last week. The Bill delivers on the Government’s commitment to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online whilst defending free expression.
The Bill will ensure that social media platforms have a duty to protect young people from harmful material – including gross violence, pornography, eating disorders and self-harm. This new law will balance freedom of expression on social media platforms with real sanctions - including criminal penalties - for currently unaccountable tech bosses.
