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MP hears of company's vital support for Ukraine
Taunton and Wellington’s MP, Gideon Amos, toured a local company which has been supplying vital medical equipment to war-torn Ukraine. ESU Medical Solutions, based on Westpark at Chelston, aims to help healthcare professionals improve the lives of their patients. Its Managing Director, Periwinkle Kaur, said: “We were delighted to welcome Gideon to ESU Medical Solutions. “It was a great opportunity to showcase how our team supports the healthcare sector, both locally and inter
5 days ago2 min read


Work begins on Wellington railway station spine road
Bloor Homes has held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the official start of construction on a crucial spine road that will provide access to Wellington's new £20m railway station. The ceremony was attended by Gideon Amos MP (Taunton & Wellington), who cut the first turf to get work under way, alongside and senior members of Bloor Homes’ Exeter team. It comes soon after Somerset Council's planning committee west unanimously granted full planning permission for Bloor Homes’ de
Mar 103 min read


Gideon Amos MP opens third pharmacy for Wellington
Wellington’s MP Gideon Amos officially opened a third pharmacy for the town this week. Allied Pharmacies has taken over the former Jhoots premises behind the now-closed Luson Surgery in Mantle Street. Mr Amos has campaigned for improved pharmacy provision in the town after it was reduced to only two outlets last year. The facility run by Boots at Wellington Medical Centre in Mantle Street closed two years ago while the Jhoots pharmacy shut last September. Mr Amos said: “Welli
Mar 101 min read


Minister agrees to talks on Musgrove maternity unit
A Health Minister has agreed to meet Taunton’s MP Gideon Amos to discuss bringing forward a new maternity and paediatric unit for Musgrove Park Hospital. The unit has been included in the government’s funding programme – but isn’t scheduled to happen until 2033. Mr Amos has been campaigning for the work to be brought forward and raised the issue in Parliament during a Westminster Hall debate on NHS capital spending. He described the “dire state” of the current maternity unit.
Mar 72 min read


Gideon Amos challenges Chancellor on garden centre's rates hike
A huge hike in business rates for a Taunton garden centre was highlighted in Parliament yesterday (Tuesday). Local MP Gideon Amos was speaking in reply to the Spring Statement by the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves. He said: “Monkton Elm Garden Centre, with its 400-cover restaurant employing 120 staff, has been hit by a £70,000 increase in its business rates this year as part of £178,000 in costs put on by the last Budget. “If the Government will not accept the 5% cut in VAT that t
Mar 41 min read


Gideon Amos MP welcomes third pharmacy for Wellington
Wellington’s MP Gideon Amos has said it is “great news” that the town is going to have a third pharmacy again. Allied Pharmacies has announced it is to open next Monday (March 9th) in the former Jhoots premises behind the now-closed Luson Surgery in Mantle Street. Mr Amos has campaigned for improved pharmacy provision in the town after it was reduced to only two outlets last year. The facility run by Boots at Wellington Medical Centre in Mantle Street closed just over two yea
Mar 32 min read


Gideon Amos MP shares "serious concerns" about SEND reforms
Gideon Amos MP says he has “serious concerns” about proposed reforms to Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) support, a view shared by local campaigners and SEND advocates in Taunton and Wellington. The Department for Education has set out its vision for SEND and around £4 billion of extra funding over the next three years in a white paper published earlier this week which includes the proposed reducing the use of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) apart from
Feb 263 min read


Gideon Amos business survey
Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton and Wellington, is asking businesses across the constituency to complete a survey on their costs and challenges. Mr Amos says he is gathering “clear, factual evidence” to make the strongest case he can for more Government support. In a letter to businesses, he writes: “Small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of our economy. “To champion them, after being elected, I established a business advisory group, In2West, to inform my work in clos
Feb 212 min read


Gideon Amos praises 'amazing' cancer centre
Taunton and Wellington MP, Gideon Amos, has marked World Cancer Day by congratulating staff and volunteers at Musgrove Park Hospital’s Beacon Centre on their “amazing work.” He is also calling on the government to boost cancer services so that more patients are seen within the national 62-day target for receiving treatment. Mr Amos has written to the Beacon Centre, which provides specialised cancer care for patients and their loved ones. He said a recent BBC Somerset intervie
Feb 111 min read


Gideon Amos urges support for care workers from overseas
A proposed change in rules for carers from overseas working in the NHS and care homes “would have massive impacts on older and vulnerable people in Taunton and Wellington,” the area’s MP, Gideon Amos, told a Parliamentary debate yesterday (Monday). Care workers - who were promised that they could apply for indefinite leave to remain after working here for five years - could be faced with removal from the UK if government retrospectively increases the minimum period to ten yea
Feb 112 min read


Hospitality sector must get more support
Gideon Amos MP has called for greater support for pubs, hotels and leisure venues in Taunton and Wellington after discussions with local businesses. The Treasury has announced plans to support pubs and music venues by giving them a 15 per cent discount on their business rates from April. But Mr Amos criticised the Government’s “half-pint” measures to support the hospitality sector and said that “great swathes” of the industry were still being ignored. He told a Commons debat
Feb 32 min read


Gideon Amos challenges Prime Minister on funding for Somerset
Taunton and Wellington’s MP, Gideon Amos, has challenged the Prime Minister to recognise Somerset’s 'remoteness factor' in its funding settlement from the government. This 'remoteness factor' is designed to compensate rural councils for the significantly higher cost of delivering vital services including waste collection, social care workers, and transport to SEND schools across a huge area with a spread-out population, as well as maintaining and filling potholes for the vast
Jan 243 min read


MP Council Tax meeting
Somerset’s MPs joined forces yesterday (Tuesday) to urge the Local Government Minister for extra funding to prevent an 11 per cent Council Tax rise in the county. The meeting took place in the Parliamentary offices of Alison McGovern, who told MPs she would consider their proposals and respond as soon as possible. Lib Dem MPs Gideon Amos (Taunton and Wellington), Adam Dance (Yeovil), Sarah Dyke (Glastonbury and Somerton), Rachel Gilmour (Tiverton and Minehead) and Anna Sabine
Jan 143 min read


Gideon Amos MP opposes jury trials move
Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton and Wellington, is opposing the government’s proposed reforms to the jury trial system. The Justice Secretary, David Lammy, wants to scrap jury trials in England and Wales for crimes which carry a likely sentence of less than two years. Serious offences including murder, robbery and rape will still go before a jury but magistrates, who deal with the majority of all criminal cases, will take on even more work. Mr Amos said: “Taunton has been the sce
Jan 121 min read


Gideon Amos backs rail crossing action call
Gideon Amos MP is supporting a campaign for action at a Taunton railway crossing where a local teenager tragically lost his life. Harry Basham, 17, died at the ‘5/13’ pedestrian crossing, located about a mile east of Taunton Station, on October 24th. A petition has now been launched for either safety improvements or the complete closure of the crossing. It has so far been signed by more than 2,800 people. You can sign the petition by CLICKING HERE . Mr Amos said: “My deepest
Dec 31, 20251 min read


Minister looks into town’s pharmacy provision
A Government Health Minister is looking into the level of pharmacy provision in Wellington after being lobbied by local MP, Gideon Amos. Stephen Kinnock, Minister of State for Care, was contacted by Mr Amos who expressed his concern that the number of pharmacies in the town had dropped from four to two. The facility run by Boots at Wellington Medical Centre in Mantle Street closed last year while the Jhoots pharmacy in Fore Street has been shut since September. Orange Pharmac
Dec 16, 20252 min read


Thousands sign digital ID card protest petition
More than 4,500 people across Taunton and Wellington have signed a petition opposing the introduction of digital ID cards. They are being supported by their MP, Gideon Amos, who spoke against the idea in a Westminster Hall debate yesterday (Monday). Mr Amos said afterwards: "I have grave concerns about the government’s ability to keep our personal data safe. “A digital record of everyone would carry even greater risk than the data leaks which are already commonplace and, as I
Dec 10, 20251 min read


MP's monthly column: December 2025
As I made clear in the Commons recently, the only thing leakier than the government’s pre-Budget period is the roof of Musgrove Park Hospital’s maternity and children’s unit. 2033 is just too far off for Musgrove's rebuild project; it has to start much sooner – I won’t be letting Ministers off the hook on that one. It really is time they came to see for themselves. The fact the Office of Budget Responsibility had advised the hole in the public finances was £4 billion, rather
Dec 3, 20253 min read


Gideon Amos fears for future of rural schools
The MP for Taunton and Wellington, Gideon Amos, told a Parliamentary debate that the proposed Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill could place the future of rural schools under threat. The Bill represents a significant reform package, addressing both children’s social care and educational standards, with implications for public authorities, schools, and families throughout England. But Mr Amos said that more than 300 people from his constituency had signed a petition calling
Dec 3, 20252 min read


Gideon Amos MP reacts to the Budget
Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton and Wellington, has pledged to keep fighting for interim funding for the maternity unit at Musgrove Park Hospital. He was speaking in the debate on the Budget, details of which were leaked before the Chancellor got to her feet to speak. Mr Amos told the government that “the only thing more leaky than the pre-budget period is the roof at Musgrove Park Hospital” and made a call for interim funding for hospitals like Musgrove Park, awaiting its promis
Nov 27, 20252 min read
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