Ahead of July’s General Election, Sir Robert Buckland, MP for Swindon South, has reaffirmed his commitment to the town he has called home for nearly two decades, reflecting on his time in office and outlining his vision for Swindon’s future.
Reflecting on his tenure, Sir Robert said, “I have lived here in Swindon for the best part of twenty years, bringing up my family and being part of the community. First as a candidate, and then as a Member of Parliament. It has been the honour of my life to represent you as your Member of Parliament since 2010. I’ve spent those years fighting for you, campaigning for you, representing you, and speaking up for you in Westminster.”
Sir Robert highlighted his proactive approach in politics, stating, “I didn’t come into politics to just talk, I came into politics to do things, and I believe that we’ve done that here in Swindon. I’ve held hundreds of advice surgeries for residents, I’ve handled thousands of pieces of casework, and I’ve spoken up for those who don’t have a voice.”
Achievements in Health and Infrastructure
Sir Robert proudly listed numerous accomplishments achieved during his tenure. “We’ve come so far together since 2010, investing record amounts in our health services, including a brand new £26m Emergency Department at the Great Western Hospital and an £18m Government investment in the Radiotherapy Unit, which stops the need for that journey to Oxford for anybody who requires that vital treatment,” he remarked.
“The Railways made Swindon great, which is why I am glad that the Government has invested in the electrification of the Great Western mainline,” he continued. On local infrastructure, he noted, “We have invested yearly in that perennial issue of potholes, and in Swindon, we have upgraded major interchanges, including junction 15 and junction 16, and a host of other important roads.”
Commitment to Justice and Safety
A seasoned Criminal Lawyer, Sir Robert emphasised his contributions to the justice system, particularly during his tenure as Justice Secretary. “I have continued my life’s work of supporting our justice system and working to make our streets safer. Which is why, as Justice Secretary, I passed laws to make sure that serious, violent, and sexual offenders stayed in prison longer and made the sentencing system simpler and more straightforward, plus reforms to the law of domestic abuse and child cruelty.”
On local safety, he stated, “Here in Swindon, we’ve seen an extra 160 police officers locally and I will continue to work with the police and local residents to help make our town a safer and even better place to live.”
Revitalising Swindon’s Heritage and Economy
Sir Robert also touched on efforts to preserve and revitalise Swindon’s heritage. “I’ve fought hard to help restore our much-loved industrial heritage here in Swindon, including £5m from the Government’s Towns Fund to start the refurbishment of the Health Hydro, and restoration of our community assets in the Railway Village and, of course, the Carriage Works as well.”
Addressing economic concerns, he noted, “Like many fellow residents, I am concerned about the future of our town centre, which is why I was proud to secure £26m in investment for the regeneration of Fleming Way, which will act as a real spur to growth and change in our town centre.”
“Recently, the Prime Minister broke ground on the new development at the Honda site, which is going to bring around 11,000 new jobs and billions of pounds worth of investment into Swindon. I worked hard with the council and the developer to make sure that site got the planning permission that it needed, in order to see our town embark on a new generation of jobs, investment and growth,” he added.
Vision for the Future
Looking forward, Sir Robert shared his ongoing commitments. “There is much more work to do, and as your local MP, I will continue campaigning on the issues that matter the most to you. Issues like free car parking here in the town centre, a better deal on rail fares for Swindon, more housing for younger people at a better cost, a workable plan to bring the Oasis back to life, and more investment and jobs of high quality. To make Swindon an even better place to work, live and play.”
Concluding his address, Sir Robert appealed to the community, “We’ve come a long way as a town and a community since I was elected as your MP. But in order for me to continue that important work, I need your support, your vote at the election.”
