As another year begins, I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone here in South Swindon and beyond a happy and prosperous new year. There is a lot for us to look forward to and a lot for us all to do in 2024 and I wanted to add my good wishes, along with my thanks to everybody for their hard work in 2023.
I am delighted that my friend and constituent Hetti Barkworth-Nanton has been recognised in the New Years Honours List, alongside the remarkable Diana Parkes, for their work to help victims of domestic homicide and abuse. Both Diana and Hetti are co-founders and co-patrons of the Joanna Simpson Foundation, a charity that was created following the tragic and appalling death of Joanna by her husband, Robert Brown, in the vicinity of her children in 2010.
I have worked closely with Hetti and Diana as part of their campaign against the early release of Brown, following new powers that I introduced as Justice Secretary in 2021 as part of the Domestic Homicide Review.
I would like to offer my congratulations and thanks to both Hetti and Diana for all of their hard work and efforts to transform the care, support, and protection of children affected by domestic abuse and homicide. I look forward to continuing to work closely with them over the coming months, in both my role as constituency MP to Hetti, and also as Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Domestic Violence and Abuse.
There needs to be better protection for the millions of people who experience domestic abuse, and the government must use its powers to strengthen measures to tackle perpetrators.
There is good news to begin the New Year as twenty-seven million employees, including many here in South Swindon, are set to receive the largest ever cut to National Insurance on 6th January 2024.
Reducing Class 1 National Insurance from 12 per cent to 10 per cent will reward work, meaning twenty-seven million employees will effectively pay over 15 per cent less on National Insurance.
To the average employee on a salary of £35,400 this will be worth £450 a year, improving living standards and reducing the current combined tax rate of 32% for employees paying the basic rate of tax to 30% - the lowest since the 1980s.
Finally, as part of my ongoing local charity support, I would like to wish all of the team at the brilliant Zurich Community Trust a very happy 50th birthday.
For 50 years now, this brilliant charity has been supporting the local community through a range of grant-making, fundraising, and volunteering programmes, which makes them one of the longest-established corporate trusts in the UK.
Through their work with a wide variety of community partners and supported by the funds, time and talent donated by Zurich and its employees, Zurich Community Trust have addressed a raft of social issues to bring about positive change to those facing tough times.
For further information on Zurich Community Trust please visit: https://www.zct.org.uk/en-gb
