There is no place like home at Christmas
Andrew Rosindell M.P., Member of Parliament for Romford
Since growing up in Romford, my Christmas has always been spent here, in my home town. Over the past few weeks, I have been visiting churches, schools, charities, and community groups to join the wonderful festivities organised by volunteers and kind-hearted people. There have been so many joyful events, from the Christmas Tree Festival at Romford’s United Reform Church, the Learning Disabilities Christmas Party, and the Christmas Bazaar at the Community Centre in Collier Row, to St. Patrick’s R.C. School Christmas Fair, the Christmas “Walkie Talkies” Dog Walk in Harrow Lodge Park, and the St. Edward’s Church Christmas Carol Service. There is no place like home at Christmas and having lived in Romford all my life, there is nowhere else I would rather be. Now in my twenty-fifth year as Romford’s M.P., I have seen many changes to our town, some good, some not so good, but Romford still has so much to offer, provided we hold true to our local character and historic identity as a traditional Essex market town, whilst still maintaining our links to London. 2026 presents Havering with many serious challenges. In May, we must decide who runs our Town Hall. Can we risk another four years of no overall control, with Labour holding the balance of power? I think not. We need to put Havering back in safe hands, but that can only happen if Romfordelects Conservative councillors. The Mayor of London is no friend to Havering, so we need a council that will stand up strongly to Khan and his plans to turn Havering into more like inner London than the town and country borough we have always been and wish to remain. Once piece of good news is that my Bill, now before the House of Commons, would secure the pensioner’s Freedom Pass and extend it to all boroughs outside Greater London where TfL operate, such as Brentwood and Epping Forest. This would stop Labour ever being able to threaten to take away the cherished free travel scheme for pensioners, whatever local or regional government structures Havering may be part of in future. I am thinking ahead and defending the best interests of Romford and Havering. I will always do that, because this is my home too and I will never stop fighting for our community, as Romford’s voice in Parliament. Wishing you, your family, and friends a very Happy New Year for 2026!
