The UK Labour Government is taking action to make streets safer, including tackling pavement parking and giving local authorities in England new powers to keep walkways clear and accessible. Everyone deserves the same opportunity to navigate their community safely and with confidence.

I spoke with guide dog owner Jennie about their experiences navigating streets independently, and hearing first-hand about the barriers they faced reinforced why accessibility must remain a priority.

🦮 Every street should be accessible for everyone. For people living with sight loss, blocked pavements, poor street design, and the dangerous or illegal use of e-scooters and e-bikes can make everyday journeys difficult and unsafe.

Getting out across the Livingston constituency, knocking on doors and hearing directly from residents is an important part of my job. More importantly, it means I can take those concerns away and push for action.

And we spoke about pensions. The UK Labour Government has protected the Triple Lock until 2030, giving pensioners certainty that the State Pension will continue to rise each year throughout this Parliament and beyond.

Residents also raised concerns about the anti-social use of fireworks, particularly around underpasses and pedestrian walkways. I’m running my fireworks survey again this year and will continue pressing for tighter restrictions on their sale and use.

Families told me about the struggle to access CAMHS support for children and young people. I’ll be meeting NHS Lothian again in the coming weeks and will keep pushing for shorter waits and better support for families.

CAMHS waiting times, the anti-social use of fireworks and the future of the State Pension were among the issues residents raised with me in Eliburn.

📣 If that sounds like you, apply and help make sure Fauldhouse has a strong voice in what comes next.

Applications are open to join the Pride in Place Community Board, including three dedicated places for people from Fauldhouse. You don’t need previous board experience. You need to know your community, care about its future and want to make a difference.

That’s why I fought to secure up to £20 million from the UK Labour Government for Fauldhouse, Blackburn and Whitburn. Now local residents will help decide how that investment is used.

🤝 Local people should have a real say in the future of their community. For too long, communities have had decisions made for them, rather than with them.

That means investing in skills, supporting reindustrialisation and creating good jobs here in Livingston and across Scotland, as well as right across the UK.

Residents I spoke to welcomed the focus on giving people greater control over the services that matter to them, alongside a clear ambition to deliver growth and opportunity in every community.

I was back out speaking to residents in Eliburn after returning from Labour Party Conference in Liverpool last week, where Andy Burnham’s speech about bringing hope back sparked plenty of discussion.

Bringing hope back means giving communities greater control over the services they rely on and creating good jobs and opportunities in every postcode.