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Happy Chinese New Year or Gong Hey Fatt Choy or Xin Nian Kuai Le or 新年快乐!

Welcome to my website

It has been a great privilege to serve the people of Southwark and Bermondsey since 1983. I am really pleased to have been chosen again to represent the renamed constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark, with more votes than ever before. Thank you.

I have always worked hard to stand up for civil liberties and human rights, reduce poverty, protect our environment and make sure that the voices of our local communities are heard in parliament.

In December 2010 I was asked by the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister to act as the Government's Advocate for Access to Education. I was delighted to accept this role and I submitted my final report to government in July. You can find out more about what I did in this role and see a copy of my final report here.

Signature

My work in Parliament

As the Bermondsey and Old Southwark MP for the last 28 years I was elected to represent my constituents nationally.

House of Commons

I am proud to have been one of the busiest parliamentarians, speaking out on all sorts of issues from the environment, housing, crime and immigration to civil liberties and equality. I speak in debates, ask questions, and vote. Recent answers to questions and interventions I have made in debates can be found on They Work for You (external website).

Find out more about my work in parliament and how it works

Helping my constituents

As the MP over the last 28 years I have every week helped hundreds of local people with housing, finance, employment immigration, schools, policing, health and many other issues. I take up individual problems with government, the GLA, the local council and other bodies and was able to ask questions in parliament about the issues which my constituents raise with me.

To find out more about how I can help you, look at my work in the constituency.

I also take up wider community matters such as campaigning for the C10 bus service and protesting against local post office closures. To have your say, please take part in my surveys and petitions.Simon and Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Colleagues call on the government to save the cheque

The diverse nature of our community and the different needs and views of residents is what has made my job as a local MP so interesting and so challenging. To find out more about the area, take a look at the map of the constituency.

Simon with the community at the King's Stairs Gardens Nature Day March 2011

Here you can see my diary and find out what I have been up to! This covers my work in Bermondsey and Old Southwark, in Parliament, as the government's Advocate for Access to Education and campaigning with the Liberal Democrats.

With such a diverse and culturally rich constituency, I am lucky enough to be invited to many different meetings, ceremonies and events. Over the last 28 years as MP I have built ties with many groups in the area - I am always keen to strengthen these and make more.

NEWS from
Simon Hughes MP

  • Simon Hughes MP welcomes compensation scheme for victims of overseas terrorism
    Article: Jan 31, 2012

    Simon Hughes MP welcomed a new compensation scheme for victims of terrorism abroad announced by the Justice Secretary Ken Clark. British victims of overseas terrorism since 2002 will be entitled to compensation for the first time.

    The Justice Secretary stated that victims of overseas terrorism with now be treated 'exactly the same' as victims of domestic terrorism who have access to compensation through the taxpayer funded Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.

  • Simon Hughes MP welcomes new government measures to crack down on metal theft
    Article: Jan 31, 2012

    Simon Hughes MP has welcomed the announcement yesterday (Monday, 30th January) by the Home Secretary Theresa May to introduce urgent legislation to combat the epidemic of metal theft in the UK. Measures, including the banning of cash payments for scrap metal, will be tabled as amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, currently in the House of Lords.

  • Simon Hughes MP calls on leader of Southwark Council to save Community Councils
    Article: Jan 25, 2012

    Simon Hughes, MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, has written an open letter to Cllr Peter John, the leader of Southwak Council, calling on him to abandon unpopular council proposals to to cut the number of Community Councils and the frequency of their meetings.

    The full text of the letter can be found below:

  • Post Offices saved by Liberal Democrats - Simon Hughes MP
    Article: Jan 25, 2012

    Post Offices in Southwark have been saved by Liberal Democrat Business Minister, Ed Davey.

    After ending Labour's shameful Post Office closure programme, which saw more than 7100 Post Offices disappear in their 13 years in office, Ed Davey has announce a ten-year deal between the Post Office and the Royal Mail has been reached.

  • Simon Hughes wishes Peter Tatchell Happy Birthday
    Article: Jan 24, 2012

    Simon Hughes, MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark has congratulated Peter Tatchell on his 60th birthday.

    Simon said: "I warmly congratulate Peter Tatchell on his birthday. There are many years left for campaigning after 60. I know I have just discovered this for myself!"

    The full text of Simon's birthday message can be found below:

  • Simon Hughes sets out the case for an English Parliament
    Article: Jan 23, 2012

    Speaking to a Liberal Democrat meeting in Derby on Saturday (January 21st). Simon Hughes, MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, set out his case for an English parliament.

    He said:

    "It is now clear that there will be a vote during this parliament on Scottish independence. Given the policy and election commitments of the SNP government in Scotland this is right and proper.

  • Letter from local Liberal Democrat councillors about the future of Community Councils
    Article: Jan 19, 2012

    Dear local resident,

    Save your Community Council

    You may have heard your local Community Council is under threat. We need your help to save them.

    Liberal Democrats believe in local democracy and local residents making their own decisions. That's why we are proud we introduced Community Councils in Southwark - a way of giving local people a say over how money is spent in their area.

  • Minister considers Simon Hughes' proposals to tackle metal theft
    Article: Jan 18, 2012

    Simon Hughes MP has met Lord Henley, the Home Office Minister of State for Crime Prevention and Anti-Social Behaviour Reduction, to discuss ways to tackle the epidemic of metal theft in the UK, following two recent high profile incidents in Southwark. Simon pressed the minister to take action urgently, and urged him to consider adding some new provisions to the government's Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill currently in the House of Lords, or to consider supporting, with adaptations if necessary, the private member's Metal Theft (Prevention) Bill coming before the Commons this Friday. At worst, Simon urged ministers to have a bill ready for the Queen's speech in the spring. Simon encouraged ministers to end cash payments for scrap metal, and improve the recording and proof of identity of all sellers. The minister also agreed carefully to consider Simon's proposals to introduce public registers in each council area of objects of local significance, and to support community camera, monument marking, alarms and tagging of public works, war memorials and monuments.

  • Simon Hughes MP says clocks change could save lives and create jobs in Bermondsey and Old Southwark
    Article: Jan 18, 2012

    Local MP Simon Hughes is backing a bill which could result in moving the clocks forward by one hour.

    Simon Hughes, who represents Bermondsey and Old Southwark, is backing the Daylight Saving Bill which receives its Third Reading in the House of Commons this Friday. The bill calls on the Government to conduct a comprehensive review of the costs and benefits of putting clocks forward an hour throughout the UK, resulting in lighter evenings every day of the year.

  • Action on making London Road safer following concerns raised by Caroline Pidgeon and Simon Hughes
    Article: Jan 16, 2012

    A much needed review of the contraflow bus lane on London Road will soon be taking place following action taken by local MP Simon Hughes, local councillors and Caroline Pidgeon, the leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group.

    Following numerous complaints by local residents about safety issues a meeting was held at City Hall where local councillors, Caroline Pidgeon and Simon Hughes set out a number of specific concerns to Transport for London engineers about how the contraflow bus lane operates.

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