JANUARY 2020 ISSUE 059
www.winchestertoday.co.uk
HEALTH IS THE PRIORITY Newly re-elected MP Steve Brine outlines his workload for the next five years By KEVIN GOVER News Editor THERE we were thinking that no-one was going to turn out in December for a general election, yet in the end Winchester had a turnout of 78.2% that was way above the national average of 67%. Returned to Westminster on a reduced majority, Steve Brine says he’s focused on what we need to do to heal a fractured country. Steve talked to Steve Randall for the Winchester Today and Winchester Radio newsroom. Steve, congratulations… was that one a bit close? “Yes, but nobody ‘owns’ Winchester. You have to earn the right to represent this seat, and I’m delighted and very humbled that my constituents have given me a fourth term to represent everybody, however they voted, in this constituency and I will do that to the best of my ability for the next 5 years as I have done for the last 10.” “It was an incredible result for the Conservatives overall… that means things can presumably move forward now? “I said throughout this election
campaign that however you voted we need to move on because it has killed investment. We need to move forward so that we can talk about other things that matter to my constituents... health, school funding and social care. Climate emergency has been the page 1 story in this election, and has not had as much coverage as it deserves.” You took a bit of stick for having your other jobs... was that a safety net? “I loved being a public health minister and I was really sad to have to leave that job, but I had to because I wanted to take a stand over the government’s policy on Brexit at the time. But I learned a lot during that time about prevention, where pharmacy sits and the workforce within the NHS, and if I could bring a little bit of experience to those companies and to parliament then I think that’s right. Lots of MPs do that and everything is properly declared, which is only right. My number one priority is to represent Winchester and Chandler’s Ford though.” And what is the priority for Winchester? I think health is still a big priority and I’ve helped bring funding here. There’s a lot more on its way and I
I want to see Winchester hospital have safe and sustainable services in the long term
want to see Winchester hospital have safe and sustainable services in the long term. What we need to do is make sure that the wider health economy is working… primary care, prevention services, community services and the acute sector at the RHCH.” How do you think Boris Johnson will fare? “I know he is a one-nation conservative and I think he will anchor himself in the centre ground. The conservative party has new MPs from former working-class Labour seats in the Midlands and the North. They won’t just come to Westminster and be quiet, and nor should they. They will bring the concerns that they’ve got of their constituents about things like Universal Credit. They will bring them to the heart of government.” And the trains…? “I said during the campaign, and I have told the Secretary of State, that I will be calling for a franchise review into SWR. Their leadership is changing again, their performance is just not good enough, and it is a mistake to say this is all about a bitter, albeit political, industrial dispute.”
SONGS OF GLORY Students from Barton Peveril Sixth Form College performing Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’ in a Choral Concert at Romsey Abbey. Barton Peveril student Oliver Ingoe says it was fantastic: “The whole evening was utterly amazing. The thrilling feeling of being surrounded by a powerful orchestra and a gigantic choir in such a beautiful Abbey was simply incredible.”
Christmas market voted UK’s best page 5
Looking back at 2019
page 11
Best panto in years!
page 13
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