'I am determined to stand up for residents in 2025' says Louth and Horncastle MP Atkins

Conservative Victoria Atkins, who is the freshly-appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has issued an end-of-year message in which she reflects on 2024 and looks forward to the next 12 months.

"In particular, I will continue to speak out against the Labour government’s dangerous cuts to the Winter Fuel Allowance and its further irresponsible Budget measures, which will damage local businesses,” she says.

The MP also promises to “press for answers on local healthcare, road maintenance and mobile coverage”, while keeping up her focus on agriculture, which was “central to the local economy and way of life” in the Louth and Horncastle area.

"I have been leading the political campaign against Labour’s vindictive ‘family farm tax’,” she says. “This has included forcing debates and a vote in the House Of Commons so that all Labour MPs had to decide whether to vote for the future of farming or suck up to Sir Keir Starmer and back the tax. Shamefully, no Labour MP voted in support of farmers.”

Ms Atkins says the “most memorable moment” of her year was being re-elected MP, adding: “It is an honour to represent our beautiful corner of Lincolnshire and stand up for our rural and coastal way of life.

“One of my proudest achievements as your MP was to secure £24 million in Towns Deal investment for the coast. The first finished project funded with that money was a state-of-the-art leisure and learning hub in Mablethorpe, which is already packed with residents enjoying themselves and getting fit.”

The MP’s message goes on: “Throughout the year, I also joined local residents in trying to stop miles of pylons being plonked across our beautiful landscape as part of plans by the National Grid, as well as opposing the proposed nuclear waste dump at Theddlethorpe.

"I have demanded answers from the Environment Agency about the Storm Babet flooding and campaigned for better mobile and broadband services.

"I was pleased that my work with the Mablethorpe Dental Practice and the NHS helped to open the new dental practice on the coast, and I continued to help local businesses that are the lifeblood of our high streets and economy.

"It has been a busy and consequential year for our constituency and our country.

“Other personal highlights of the year have included catching up with many constituents and local organisations at the Lincolnshire Show, and visiting the newly-opened leisure and learning centre in Mablethorpe.

"I have also enjoyed taking the local brand Pin Gin to be sold in the Strangers Bar in the House Of Commons, presenting Spilsby Town Football Club with their league trophy at the Spilsby Show, attending the Wragby Country Fayre, joining local farmers at the 45,000-strong Farmers’ Rally in Westminster and volunteering as a steward at Louth’s Race For Life event, which I have promised to take part in during 2025!”