Local News

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

16 minutes ago2 min read

Gideon Amos calls on Chancellor for Musgrove funding

Taunton and Wellington's MP, Gideon Amos, has called on the Chancellor to include interim funding for Musgrove Park Hospital's maternity unit in Wednesday's Budget. In a letter to Rachel Reeves, he said: "While the government has promised funding for a new maternity and paediatric unit in 2033, more needs to be done. "Urgent repairs to the roof and other key areas of the building are required. "Without interim funding, I am concerned that the building will not survive until 2

2 days ago1 min read

Campaign to save vital hydrotherapy pool

Compass Wellbeing, a community facility run by Taunton-based charity Compass Disability Services, welcomed Gideon Amos MP as part of the latest fundraising efforts to save its hydrotherapy pool. The fully-accessible pool, used by almost 100 people each week, is at risk of closure if urgent repairs are not carried out. Michelle Edwards, centre manager, gave Mr Amos a tour of the facilities, and spoke about why the pool is so important. “As the only publicly bookable hydr

Nov 192 min read

Gideon Amos MP urges VAT cut for hospitality sector

The MP for Taunton and Wellington, Gideon Amos, is calling on the Chancellor Rachel Reeves to slash VAT on the hospitality sector in next week’s Budget. Mr Amos is backing a Liberal Democrat campaign to get the tax on pubs, restaurants, hotels and entertainment outlets reduced from 20% to 15%. He says the plan would boost footfall and tackle the double whammy of higher taxes and lower spending, currently hammering food and drink venues. “Just because the Chancellor needed cas

Nov 182 min read

Gideon Amos calls for emergency package on GP appointments

The MP for Taunton and Wellington, Gideon Amos, has called for an “emergency package” to drastically improved GP waiting times. It comes after new research revealed that, since January, 188,811 appointments in Somerset have had waits of over 28 days. That’s up from 60,152 at the same point five years ago, an increase of more than 200%. Local waits of over two weeks have increased from 230,617 in 2020 to 546,203 this year, an increase of 137%. Mr Amos has welcomed the

Oct 282 min read

MP supports students' calls for housing upgrades

Taunton and Wellington’s MP Gideon Amos supported students from the constituency at an event in London calling for upgrades to the quality of housing across the country. The gathering in Parliament Square was organised by Citizens UK and included schoolchildren, dressed as builders, who presented their call for action through a song while waving homemade banners, spanners and hammers. Those taking part were calling on the Minister for Energy Consumers, Martin McCluske

Oct 242 min read

Gideon Amos MP slams government on family farm tax

Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton and Wellington, has slammed the government for refusing to listen to farmers. His comments came following reports that the Chancellor does not plan to amend or repeal the damaging family farm tax in next month’s Budget. Farmers are preparing to stage a nationwide ‘Day of Unity’ on Monday, 24th November, to protest against the government’s proposed Inheritance Tax reforms. Mr Amos has supported the rural community in their campaign to reve

Oct 222 min read

Gideon Amos MP calls for more support for hospices

Taunton and Wellington’s MP, Gideon Amos, is warning that terminally ill patients across the country are facing cuts to vital hospice care. A staunch supporter of St Margaret’s Hospice – based at Bishops Hull and with a hub in Yeovil – he is backing a Liberal Democrat campaign in Parliament to save our country's hospices. The party is warning that many of them “are on the brink of collapse unless Government Ministers step in now.” The warning comes amid news that two in five

Oct 213 min read

Gideon Amos MP hails 'huge win' on military accommodation

Taunton and Wellington’s MP, Gideon Amos, is celebrating the success of a long-standing campaign to improve the quality of Armed Forces accommodation. The Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Housing and Communities, working with colleagues in Parliament, has won a new legal right for military homes to be annually assessed. The Government initially voted down his proposal in the House of Commons but, after Mr Amos brought the proposal back and won cross-party support for the ide

Oct 173 min read