November has been an incredibly busy month, both locally and in Parliament, as I continue to fight for you.
I began the month by making my Endeavour FM radio debut — many thanks to Stuart and the team for organising this. From January, I plan to visit Stuart in the studio at the start of each month to keep you updated with the latest developments and answer your questions. You can watch the full interview here: https://www.mixcloud.com/Endeavour_Radio/richard-tice-mp-talks-to-stu/.
Throughout the month, I had the pleasure of meeting with the Boston Disability Action Group, visiting schools, speaking with GPs, and hosting multiple surgeries. I also had the honour of opening a couple of exciting new ventures in the town, including Glo Golf in Pescod Square — do make sure to check them out! Attractions like this are essential to ensuring a thriving town centre.
On Remembrance Sunday this year, I attended the Skegness memorial to lay a wreath and pay my respects. A huge congratulations to the organisers at the Royal British Legion Skegness branch who managed to make national news with a memorial involving tens of thousands of poppies sent from across the world.
It was wonderful to see how busy Boston was during the Christmas lights switch-on, and my congratulations to those at the council who organised it. This is a clear reminder of Boston’s potential, and I am committed to doing all I can to attract investment and address the key issues that are holding us back. Let’s work together to light up Boston’s future, both literally and figuratively!
I also participated in the farmers’ protest march a few weeks ago, standing shoulder to shoulder with farmers from across the UK in opposition to the Government’s absurd inheritance tax plans. One of the best signs of the day, and I’m paraphrasing here to keep it family-friendly, said: “Keep the cowpoo in the country and the bullpoo in the city.” I’m doing my best to clear up the metaphorical excrement in Parliament too. Feel free to watch all my speeches, media appearances, and more at richardtice.com.
Following the march, I organised a meeting with around 25 farmers from our constituency to hear their concerns and understand the impact these policies would have on them. Farming is vital to our local economy, and this is yet another attack by the Labour Party on our rural way of life — from pylons and solar panels to bankrupting our farms. I’m in regular contact with the NFU and will not support any of the Government’s current plans.
One Sunday, I met with a constituent who is concerned about flooding in the area. I’d seen a few problem areas, but it was incredibly helpful to be given a proper tour of the risks. Since then, I’ve kept in regular contact with him and his team, providing updates in collaboration with the Environment Agency. Just a few days ago, I met with the regional Lincolnshire Environment Agency team in Parliament — and expressed the concerns of many constituents.
A key vote to conclude the month was the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which seeks to legalise assisted dying for those with less than six months left to live. This was an incredibly difficult decision, and I’m very grateful to the hundreds of you who emailed me with your thoughts on the matter. MPs voted on what’s known as a ‘free vote,’ meaning there’s no official party line, and MPs can vote based on their own beliefs and conscience. If terminally ill my personal belief is that individuals should have the right to decide what happens to their own bodies. However, I am fully aware of the concerns surrounding safeguarding and coercion, and it’s clear that palliative care in the UK needs significant improvement. The bill has not yet become law, and I will scrutinise it carefully when it is put to vote again.
As always, if you have thoughts on any policy issue or need assistance with a personal matter, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can email me at Richard.tice.mp@parliament.uk, or if you prefer, you can reach us on our local phone number: 01754 243 243, which is open Monday to Friday from 11am to 3pm. Please share this number with those who might not have easy access to the internet.
Lastly, I hosted a Christmas card competition, and I’m delighted to announce our winner! Betty from Butterwick Primary created a beautiful design, and we’ll be sending these cards to many of you in Boston over the next few weeks. You can see her fantastic design at the bottom of this article.
Thank you once again for putting your trust in me this past summer. My next update won’t be until January, so unless you get in touch or see me out and about, I wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
