'I Will Make Sure Chelsea Listen to Residents' Concerns'

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Local MP comments on football club's plans in latest e-bulletin

He says: "I am proud to have represented Chelsea Football Club as their local Member of Parliament over the past twelve years. I have always been supportive in principle of the Club remaining at its historic home of more than 110 years.

"There is a commercial case for the Club to expand, and to be able to have a stadium commensurate with its modern status, and to keep up with Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham and others.

"Nevertheless, I have engaged with the Club, and raised various concerns throughout this process – some of which have already been resolved after my pressure – and I commend the Club for being helpful.

"I will now continue working with Chelsea to make sure that they listen to local residents’ and other stakeholders’ concerns, and that any impact from the redevelopment on the local area is mitigated as far as is reasonable."

In the last few weeks, the MP, who is also Minister of State for International Trade, has travelled to China and Malaysia before returning to Fulham to meet constituents at his regular consituency surgery. Here are the details of his very busy month.

Since the last edition, Greg:

• Drew attention to the misery inflicted on his constituents in Chelsea & Fulham during London Underground’s strike. Hammersmith & Fulham Borough has more tube users than any other Borough in London.
• Read a lesson at St John’s Fulham’s Advent service of Lessons and Carols.
• Attended the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea’s Mayor’s Christmas reception, held to give thanks to the community.
• Expressed his condolences at the death of renowned Hammersmith Conservative, Muhammad Sharif (1924-2016).
• Commented on Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s approval of Chelsea Football Club’s renovation of Stamford Bridge Stadium.
• Spent three successful days in China promoting UK exports, securing Chinese investment, and meeting Chinese Government ministers, including the Vice Minister for Trade and Commerce in Beijing.
• Had a tour of Zhongguancun, China’s equivalent to Silicon Valley, to promote opportunities for UK investment in technology and clean energy.
• Visited Huawei’s main campus in Shenzhen, China. Huawei are a big investor in the UK.
• Visited the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce at Lloyds Bank’s regional HQ, with local Member of Parliament for South East Cambridgeshire, Lucy Frazer.
• Held a meeting with Vicky Ford MEP, Conservative MEP for East of England, discussing increased trade links across the world.
• After his visit to China, Greg went to Malaysia, where he held a helpful roundtable at the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian investors were upbeat about their relationship with the UK.
• Greg also held a meeting with both the Malaysian Ministies of Trade and of Finance, to discuss finance and trade relations.
• Opened the British Business Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a great facility for UK companies entering Malaysia.
• Gave a speech at Magic Cyberjaya in Kuala Lumpur before meeting tech start-ups.
• Held his constituency surgery at Fulham Broadway, kindly hosted by Metro Bank. To request an appointment, please send an email to handsg@parliament.uk, or call 020 7219 5448.

You can read the full e-bulletin on Greg Hands' website.

 

January 27, 2017