Adrian Ramsay MP demands Reform restore funding for rural buses as X41 service is cut back
Adrian Ramsay, Green Party MP for Waveney Valley, is calling on Reform to provide the funding needed to keep rural bus services running, after it was annouced that the X41 will have a reduced service between Halesworth, Bungay and Norwich.
The X41 now runs only once an hour, and journeys are taking longer. Adrian and Peter Ianno, the Green County Councillor for Bungay, say the change is having a huge impact on people in Bungay, Halesworth and the surrounding area, with residents contacting both of them in large numbers to complain.
Adrian has requested a meeting with the Reform cabinet member to discuss the X41's timetable and funding.
Adrian Ramsay MP said:
"Rural buses are a lifeline. They get people to work, to appointments and to see family, and for many they are the only way to do it. Reform are refusing to provide the funding needed to keep the X41 going, and people in Bungay, Halesworth and the surrounding area are paying the price.
"Cutting rural buses cuts people off from jobs, healthcare and each other. I will keep pressing Reform to provide the funding our crucial local bus services need, and I will keep standing up for residents until this service is protected."
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Adrian Ramsay MP to hold village tour across Waveney Valley with 13 public meetings, 13 drop-ins, 5 evening meetings and coffee mornings.
Adrian Ramsay MP for Waveney Valley will be holding a village tour across the constituency between September and October, visiting over 30 locations across market towns and villages.
Adrian Ramsay MP said:
"Over the next few weeks, I'll be visiting village halls and pubs across market towns and villages to talk to you about the issues most important to you."
"When I was elected, I promised to be Waveney Valley's voice in Westminster, not Westminster's voice in Waveney Valley. Throughout the year I am out and about in all corners of my big rural constituency, but recess gives me a chance to meet more people, talk about my work representing you in Parliament, and listen to your views. A core part of that is being as accessible as possible to the people I represent."
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The village tour includes visits to:
Public meetings: Bressingham, Palgrave, Wetheringsett, Bacton, Fressingfield, Hoxne, Worlingworth, Wenhaston, Haughley, Stradbroke, Ditchingham, Earsham, Gislingham
Drop-ins: Tibenham, Brockdish, Pulham St Mary, Stoke Ash, Stowmarket, Mendham, Woodbridge, Westhall, Ringsfield, Ilketshall St Andrew, Kirby Row, Rickinghall, Walsham le Willows
Evening public meetings: Stowupland, Halesworth, Bungay, Eye, Diss
Coffee mornings: Bunwell
Adrian Ramsay MP highly commended for animal welfare work at Nature 2030 Political Purpose Awards
Adrian Ramsay MP for Waveney Valley has been highly commended for his work on animal welfare at the Nature 2030 Political Purpose Awards.
Adrian Ramsay MP said:
“I’m honoured to be highly commended for my work on animal protection at the Nature 2030 Political Purpose Awards. I enjoy working closely with animal charities and cross-party MPs to champion real improvements for animals - issues which many constituents write to me about all the time. How we treat animals is a test of our compassion and values as a country.
"The Government made many welcome pledges in the Animal Welfare Strategy release last year. It must now deliver on these promises for farmed animals, wildlife and pets alike. We need to end the cage age, stop the exploitation of animals for blood sports and stop the import of trophies from hunting. The Government should also go further with a clear pathway for ending experiments on animals and stopping greyhound racing.
“A huge thank you to all the brilliant campaigners who are keeping these issues in the spotlight. I look forward to working further with them to see meaningful change in this next year."
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Notes to editors:
The Nature 2030 Political Purpose Awards recognise Parliamentarians for their work on nature and animal welfare issues.
Photos can be found here:
Adrian Ramsay MP's cat Bella crowned Purr Minister of 2026
Adrian Ramsay MP for Waveney Valley is delighted that his beloved cat Bella has won the public vote for Purr Minister of the Year.
Welcoming the victory and reinforcing his work on animal protection, Adrian said:
“I'm delighted that the real boss of our house, Bella, has been crowned Purr Minister of the United Kingdom. I'm very proud of her! Battersea does vital work on behalf of cats nationwide, helping to highlight the welfare challenges cats face and the action needed to keep them safe and healthy.”
Adrian continued by saying, “We are a nation of animal lovers, and I am proud to play a leading role in championing animal issues in Parliament. Animal protection isn’t a side issue. It is fundamental to the kind of country we want to be, and the public rightly expects us to act.”
“That is why it is vital that this Government fully implements the commitments in the Animal Welfare Strategy published last December. Ministers must set clear timescales to phase out confined systems in factory farms like crates and cages, properly support farmers through the transition, and ensure imports meet the same standards we expect of our own farmers. Warm words in a strategy document mean nothing without delivery, and animals deserve action not more delay.”
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Notes to editors:
Through Purr Minister, Battersea aims to encourage policymakers and the public alike to consider the welfare challenges facing cats today and the actions needed to help keep them safe and healthy.
For those inspired by Bella's success, Battersea encourages prospective owners to consider adopting a rescue cat and helping more animals find the loving homes they deserve. For more information about Purr Minister 2026, and to read Bella's winning 'Manifursto', visit: https://www.battersea.org.uk/about-us/news/purr-minister
Adrian has a long-standing record on animal welfare. In December 2025, he coordinated a cross-party letter, signed by over 35 Parliamentarians, urging the Government to ensure the forthcoming Animal Welfare Strategy included a time-bound phase-out of all confinement cages and crates in UK farming, alongside a fully-funded package to support farmers through the transition. At the time, Adrian said: "We often say the UK leads the world on animal welfare, yet millions of animals remain confined in awful conditions that many other European countries have already moved away from. As a nation that prides itself on caring for animals, it is unacceptable that these cruel practices continue."
When the Government's Animal Welfare Strategy was published, Adrian welcomed it but warned it "must have real teeth to deliver meaningful improvements for animals," calling for clear timescales to phase out crates and cages, proper support for farmers through the transition, and no imports that fail to meet UK standards. He also welcomed action on snares, hunting and puppy farming, while calling for the strategy to go further, including by ending greyhound racing, as the Welsh Government is doing.
Picture of Adrian & Bella can be found it at this link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wyrPZdxsWLfMM39hVRMUsV7yRK3WN-f8/view?usp=sharing.
Press release from Battersea in case you did not receive it.
Battersea is delighted to announce that Bella, the beloved cat of Waveney Valley MP Adrian Ramsay, has been elected Purr Minister 2026.
After weeks of campaigning and public voting, 14-year-old Bella secured 36 per cent of the public vote, triumphing over three fellow feline candidates to become Westminster's top cat for 2026.
Bella won over voters with the promise of sweeping reforms - such as a ban on visible bowl bottoms and the introduction of a tuna-based economy - positioning herself as the candidate determined to tackle the issues that matter most to cats. Her vision of a future built on sunlight, full bowls, warm
keyboards and obedient humans clearly struck a chord with the electorate, landing her the title of Purr Minister 2026.
Battersea's much-loved Purr Minister competition continues to celebrate the unique role cats play in our lives while raising awareness of important cat welfare issues. Since launching in 2014, the contest has seen parliamentary cats from across Westminster compete for the prestigious title.
Adrian Ramsay, Waveney Walley MP and proud owner of Bella said: “Bella is greatly looking forward to devoting all of her 1.5 waking hours per day - when she isn’t eating, hunting spiders or grooming – to serving the cats of the United Kingdom and advancing the battle for full feline dominance and
sovereignty.”
Bella's victory comes as Battersea continues to campaign on behalf of cats nationwide. While microchipping became compulsory for pet cats in England in 2024, Battersea's latest research found that more than one in five cats still do not have a microchip, highlighting the ongoing need to raise awareness among owners. Through Purr Minister, Battersea aims to encourage policymakers and the public alike to consider the welfare challenges facing cats today and the actions needed to help keep them safe and healthy.
For those inspired by Bella's success, Battersea encourages prospective owners to consider adopting a rescue cat and helping more animals find the loving homes they deserve.
Packed Parliamentary debate on National Security Assessment on biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse
Packed Parliamentary debate on National Security Assessment on biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse
he Joint Intelligence Committee's (JIC) National Security Assessment on biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, a report which the Government reportedly refused to release in full, was the subject of a packed Parliamentary debate this afternoon.
The report presents a world where cascading risks from nature loss and ecosystem collapse lead to crop failures, water scarcity, floods and novel diseases, meaning millions of people could face food shortages, inflation, public health risks, supply-chain disruption, loss of livelihoods, mass displacement and conflict.
Adrian Ramsay, MP for Waveney Valley, who secured the debate, said in his speech that "Today, we debate a crucial National Security Assessment report that warns of the rapid depletion of global biodiversity, the collapse of critical ecosystems, and the dismantling of major global food systems.” He continued “Historians will write about our decisions. Future generations will judge us for it. They will recount how we knowingly gambled with global stability, the health of the natural world, and the safety of human life, and call it a Growth Agenda."
Roz Savage, MP for South Cotswolds said "The Government’s own intelligence assessment is that ecosystem collapse is a security threat. We are not governing it as a security threat, nor funding it as a security threat, nor communicating it as a security threat. Nature has a monopoly on our capacity to thrive. I have rowed three oceans to say this. I brought a Bill to this House to say this. The Government's own report now says it. I spoke in this debate because we need the Government to listen, and we need them - urgently - to respond."
Kerry McCarthy, MP for Bristol East said “Whether it’s heatwaves and wildfires in Europe or the destruction caused by glacier collapse in Nepal and Tibet, the message is clear. The consequences of climate change and environmental degradation are real, not some distant future threat. And they present immediate economic and security risks too, that we ignore at our peril.”
Ed Jarvis from the Climate Majority Project said “The government has shown itself today to not be taking the threat of global ecosystem collapse to the UK’s National Security anywhere near as seriously as it should - even based on reports by its >own< security services and DEFRA. What we need is clear; immediate publication of both the National Security reports, a televised national ‘covid style’ emergency briefing, a wartime mobilisation of the country around a funded national Strategic Adaptation plan, a Secretary of State for Resilience and Adaptation at Cabinet level, as well as an independent commissioner for Resilience and Adaptation to make sure the Secretary of State and Adaptation Plan is actually delivered. Only then will the government demonstrate that it is treating the climate and nature emergency like the wartime emergency it is.”
Dr Amy McDonnell, Co-Director at Zero Hour, the climate and nature campaign said in response to today's debate
“At the start of the year, our top security officials raised the alarms about the serious threat that global nature breakdown poses to people's lives here in Britain. Today MPs finally had the chace to debate their warnings.
“But after an unbearable summer that saw crops fail, hospitals break down, and fires tear through the country, the government should have gone further and used today’s debate to outline how these issues will be front-and-centre of the 10-year plan for Britain they are currently drafting.”
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Notes to the editor.
You can watch the full debate here: https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/d01b4723-b547-472e-a5ca-71809e83bf11
“Future generations will recount how we knowingly gambled the health of the natural world, and the safety of human life, and call it a growth agenda”
PRESS RELEASE
“Future generations will recount how we knowingly gambled the health of the natural world, and the safety of human life, and call it a growth agenda” — Adrian Ramsay MP will say in a speech urging the Government to release the National Security Assessment in full.
Adrian Ramsay, MP for Waveney Valley and environment spokesperson for the Green MPs, will lead a debate in Parliament on the Joint Intelligence Committee's (JIC) National Security Assessment on biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, a report which the Government reportedly refused to release in full. The report presents a world where cascading risks from nature loss and ecosystem collapse lead to crop failures, water scarcity, floods and novel diseases, meaning millions of people could face food shortages, inflation, public health risks, supply-chain disruption, loss of livelihoods, mass displacement and conflict.
In the speech, Adrian is expected to say, “If this is not one of the gravest and prevailing national security risks of our time, I do not know what is.” Adrian will argue that “Nature is a foundational element of national security.”
Arguing that climate breakdown is destabilising all our natural systems, Adrian will challenge the fact that governments have repeatedly failed to make the decisions that are needed to protect our citizens. Adrian said that “Historians will write about our decisions. Future generations will judge us for it. They will recount how we knowingly gambled with global stability, the health of the natural world, and the safety of human life, and call it a growth agenda. Environmental protections are under attack from policy which pitches nature against the economy. There will be major damage to the economy with such dangerous levels of systemic ecological risk.”
Adrian will argue it is imperative that this Parliament finally tackles climate breakdown head-on, arguing that: “We cannot neglect to address this for another generation. The assessment makes clear that there is still a chance for major interventions to slow the trend and protect communities and restore national security if we act now, in this Parliament.”
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Notes to editors:
There will be a photocall with campaigners and some MPs speaking in the debate at College Green at 12:45. Please get in touch with Ben, Adrian's media officer, to arrange it via WhatsApp on +44 7939 335565 or [email protected].
Adrian Ramsay is leading a Backbench Business Committee debate on Thursday 3rd September in Westminster Hall, which is expected to start at 3:10pm.
The Joint Intelligence Committee's National Security Assessment, published in January 2026, stated that biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse pose a threat to national security. This report was only published after a Freedom of Information request by Green Alliance - and it was only published in redacted form. Since January, Adrian Ramsay MP has repeatedly called for a debate in Parliament on its findings and for the full report to be published.
Adrian has also proposed a dedicated Climate Adaptation Unit, based in Number 10, to coordinate the Government's response to the growing risks posed by climate breakdown. A key responsibility of the unit would be ensuring councils, local authorities and public bodies work together effectively on local resilience planning, including flood prevention, heat adaptation, emergency response and protecting vulnerable communities. The proposal follows the Climate Change Committee's recommendation for a more structured national approach to managing the interdependencies between critical systems and services.
Bungay illustrates "biggest problem" with rural banking access, says Adrian Ramsay MP
Speaking in a parliamentary debate on access to face-to-face banking, Adrian Ramsay MP for Waveney Valley highlighted the market town of Bungay as an example of the collapse of banking services in rural communities.
“Bungay once had branches of HSBC, Barclays, NatWest and Lloyds. All four have now closed.
Mr Ramsay told the Commons that Link, the body responsible for assessing community access to cash, had says that Bungay does not qualify for a banking hub because cash facilities remain available in the town. He said: "Access to cash is not the same as access to banking and the personalised support that staffed branches or banking hubs provide."
He also challenged Link's reasoning that a hub would not be granted for Bungay because one already exists in nearby Harleston, saying: "In rural communities, getting from one market town to another is not always easy."
Mr Ramsay pressed the Minister to review the criteria used to assess eligibility for banking hubs, asking: "Will she look at whether communities such as Bungay can qualify for banking hubs where there's a clear demand for face-to-face services, even if cash withdrawals are accessible?"
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Link to the intervention
https://parliamentlive.tv/Download/Index/b72c2f12-ac6f-4e8d-924e-6bcc0ebb6fa0
Adrian Ramsay MP joins Botesdale & Rickinghall Ramblers for social walk at Redgrave Park
Adrian Ramsay MP joins Botesdale & Rickinghall Ramblers for social walk at Redgrave Park
Adrian Ramsay MP, Green Party MP for Waveney Valley, said:
"It was a pleasure to join the Ramblers group in Botesdale & Rickinghall for their weekly walk, taking in the beautiful surroundings of Redgrave Park on a gorgeous day. It was great to spend time with local residents and hear more about what the group means to them.
"What makes this group so special is that it's part of a social prescribing model, local medical centres identify people who could benefit from a bit more company and connection and refer them to join the Ramblers. It's a brilliant example of a simple, community-led idea making a real difference to people's health and wellbeing.
"I want to thank everyone who came along today, and everyone involved in keeping this group going every week. Groups like this are a lifeline for many people, and exactly the kind of community support we should be championing."
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Notes to editors:
The Botesdale & Rickinghall Ramblers meet every Tuesday morning for a social walk around the village and surrounding area.
The group operates as part of a social prescribing model, with local medical centres referring residents who may benefit from increased social contact and community connection.
"We are in a new climate reality" — Adrian Ramsay MP calls for Minister for Climate Adaptation as Britain faces fourth, most dangerous heatwave of the year
"We are in a new climate reality" — Adrian Ramsay MP calls for Minister for Climate Adaptation as Britain faces fourth, most dangerous heatwave of the year
Britain is bracing for its fourth and most dangerous heatwave of the year, with temperatures set to surpass 30°C today, as Green Party MP Adrian Ramsay calls on the Prime Minister to create a dedicated Minister for Climate Adaptation.
"We are in a new climate reality," said Adrian Ramsay MP. "While the Prime Minister gets ready for his decade of renewal, he must face the fact that Britain must get used to extreme weather, from heatwaves and wildfires to flooding and storms. This is a major threat to our country and we need the Government to step up."
With land parched and a record early harvest after weeks of sustained heat, Ramsay warned that the growing wildfire risk now amounts to a national security threat, one the Government is failing to treat with the urgency it demands.
Adrian Ramsay Green Party MP for Waveney Valley said:
"With temperatures set to surpass 30°C today after a sustained period of heat this summer, our land is now a tinderbox," Ramsay said. “We're already seeing wildfires visible from space in Spain and devastating fires in France, and Britain is not immune, we've seen homes evacuated and communities put at risk by fires here too. This is what our new normal looks like, and our neighbours are living it right now. This is a national security threat, and the Prime Minister needs to treat it as one."
"With Europe the fastest-warming continent on Earth, Ramsay argued that "the crisis our neighbours are facing today is a warning of what's coming for us tomorrow," urging the Prime Minister to use this moment to put significant mitigation measures in place before it's too late including a Heat Resilience Strategy."
"This would include prioritising cooling, including air conditioning where needed, in settings where people are vulnerable, such as hospitals, schools, prisons and care homes, ensuring emergency services are properly equipped to respond to extreme heat, setting up cool spaces for the public, and introducing measures to ensure people can stay safe in the workplace. This would include."
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Notes to editors:
Adrian has called on the Government to deliver a national Heat Resilience Strategy urgently, led from the Cabinet Office with clear ministerial accountability, ensuring that decisions on housing, infrastructure, health, energy and land use are all designed for the climate we now face.
Adrian has also proposed a dedicated Climate Adaptation Unit, based in Number 10, to coordinate the Government's response to the growing risks posed by climate breakdown. A key responsibility of the unit would be ensuring councils, local authorities and public bodies work together effectively on local resilience planning, including flood prevention, heat adaptation, emergency response and protecting vulnerable communities. The proposal follows the Climate Change Committee's recommendation for a more structured national approach to managing the interdependencies between critical systems and services.
The Green Party is reiterating its call for an urgent package of heatproofing measures, including a street-by-street programme to insulate every home that needs it, keeping homes warm in winter and cool in summer, alongside blinds and shutters where needed to keep heat out.
Other measures include prioritising cooling, including air conditioning where needed, in settings where people are vulnerable, such as hospitals, schools, prisons and care homes, and introducing a maximum temperature limit for workplaces and classrooms.
Adrian Ramsay MP encourages local business people to apply to be a trustee of Bungay Community Support
Adrian Ramsay MP encourages local business people to apply to be a trustee of Bungay Community Support
Bungay Community Support (BCS) is appealing for a new trustee with business or property expertise to join its board on a voluntary basis, as the charity works to secure a landmark building in the town centre for community use.
BCS has identified a former retail building in the heart of Bungay, as a potential long-term home for its work supporting the local community.
The charity's plan is to secure funding from a local benefactor, or benefactors, to purchase the building outright, with BCS then renting the space from them to run its services. To help make this happen, BCS is now looking to strengthen its board with a trustee who can bring business, financial or property expertise to guide the charity through the purchase and beyond.
Trustees give their time voluntarily and play a vital role in shaping the charity's strategy and ensuring it is run responsibly and sustainably.
Adrian Ramsay, Green Party MP for Waveney Valley, said:
"Bungay Community Support does incredible work for people across our town, and securing a permanent home in the heart of Bungay would make a real difference to what they can offer local people for years to come. This is a brilliant opportunity for someone with business or property expertise to put those skills to use for their community. I'd encourage anyone who cares about Bungay's future to seriously consider putting themselves forward."
Susan Collins BEM the Chair of Trustees for BCS
“Since our beginnings in 2020, the kindness and dedication of local people have shaped everything we do. Their spirit has carried us forward and strengthened our belief in what a united community can achieve.
Today, Bungay Community Support is an ever-increasing lifeline for residents across Bungay and the surrounding villages — and this moment feels full of possibility.
We are seeking people who share our determination to build a brighter future. Whether you can offer your expertise and time, or contribute financially, we invite you to join us and help transform that shared vision into lasting change.”
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Notes to editors:
Bungay Community Support (BCS) is a registered charity (CIO), Registered Charity No: 1200141, providing practical support to local residents affected by age, ill-health, disability, or social or economic hardship.
BCS began in March 2020 as Bungay Emergency Community Support (BECS), set up by Bungay Town Council, local residents and a local charity to deliver food and prescriptions to vulnerable residents during the first lockdown. It became an independent charity in August 2022.
The charity now runs a range of services from Number 28, Bungay's community hub in the town centre, including a befriending service for housebound residents, shopping and prescription collection, winter Warm Rooms, and a Food Hall offering discounted staple and fresh food on a community pantry model.
For more information, visit bungaycommunitysupport.org.uk
Image available here https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1DV54px7g0iAxbSHcTAAuXWuReImEqGFs?usp=sharing
"Deeply irresponsible": MP condemns Suffolk County Council's climate U-turn as firefighters battle wildfires.
"Deeply irresponsible": MP condemns Suffolk County Council's climate U-turn as firefighters battle wildfires.
Adrian Ramsay, Green MP for Waveney Valley, has warned that Suffolk County Council's move to rescind its Climate and Nature Emergency Declaration comes at exactly the wrong moment, as firefighters battle a surge in wildfires and extreme heat incidents across the country.
Speaking outside Endeavour House in Ipswich, where the County Council is this afternoon debating a motion from the new Reform-led administration to rescind the declaration first made in 2019, Adrian was joined by Richard from the Suffolk Fire Brigades Union, who set out the reality frontline crews are facing.
Richard said the Fire Brigades Union was currently responding to 14 wildfires declared nationwide, with a rising number of field and open fires across Suffolk. Crews are tackling these fires in full protective kit. He said flooding incidents were also increasing year on year, and that fire services are under-resourced and underfunded to meet the scale of the challenge, calling for an uplift in funding to properly protect the public.
Mr Ramsay had earlier written to Council Leader Cllr Hadwen, warning that undeclaring a climate emergency would not remove the threats of flooding or extreme heat that Suffolk residents face and would not save the council money. His letter noted that public sector organisations have worked together to deliver the Suffolk Climate Emergency Plan since 2021, with co-benefits including warmer, more affordable homes, improved air quality and health, and job creation. He warned that rescinding the declaration sends the wrong message when cross-party cooperation on these issues is needed more than ever.
Commenting today, Adrian Ramsay MP said:
"Suffolk County Council's Climate and Nature Emergency Declaration in 2019 was crucial in helping establish the UK's commitments on climate and nature. We should be stepping up that action now, not rolling it back, and we're seeing exactly why with the extreme heat we're experiencing.
"I've heard directly from firefighters on the front line of this crisis, dealing with wildfires and flooding that are becoming more frequent, without the resources they need to keep up. Whether it's our fire services, our food security, our water security, our transport, schools or hospitals, we are all feeling the impact of extreme heat right now, and it will only get worse if this is left unchecked.
"It's deeply irresponsible of Reform-led councils, like the one here in Suffolk, to be taking backward steps when we should be taking forward ones. I'm calling on the Government to urgently step up action on preparedness for extreme heat, on nature security, and on cutting emissions, and I'm calling on this council to reverse course."
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Notes to editors
In his letter to Cllr Hadwen, Leader of Suffolk County Council, Adrian Ramsay made the following points:
Undeclaring a Climate Emergency does not remove the threats of flooding or extreme heat that residents will still face, and will not, on its own, save the council money.
The council must use its powers to safeguard residents affected by extreme heat and other increasingly common extreme weather.
Understanding that this is an emergency affecting food production and economic markets, as well as the environment, is crucial to making decisions that help Suffolk residents live well in the years ahead.
Public sector organisations have worked together to deliver the Suffolk Climate Emergency Plan since 2021, with co-benefits including warmer, more affordable homes, improved air quality and health, and job creation.
Declaring a Climate Emergency is a call to focus on activity that benefits residents now and in future as the climate changes. Projects that don't improve safety and prosperity for Suffolk residents would not be compatible with the declaration in the first place, so rescinding it will not deliver savings or efficiencies.
Rescinding the declaration sends the wrong message when cross-party cooperation on these issues is vital and has, rightly, existed until now.
Final weekend to catch "All Aboard for the Waveney Valley Line!" at Harleston Players
Harleston Players' community production "All Aboard for the Waveney Valley Line!" reaches its final weekend on Thursday, 17th and Friday, 18th July.
The play follows a typical "railway" family as they work their way along the Waveney Valley Line, from Tivetshall to Beccles, charting its story from its opening in the 1850s to its closure a century later. The script draws on extensive research, contemporary newspaper reports and interviews with local people who remember the line when trains were still running.
The production brings together a cast of local amateurs spanning an age range of nearly seventy years, whose day jobs include teachers, nurses, social workers and sports instructors, to tell the story of an important part of the region's heritage.
Adrian Ramsay, MP for Waveney Valley, attended a recent performance and praised the production:
"I really enjoyed watching 'All Aboard for the Waveney Valley Line'. Congratulations to Harleston Players on a fantastic play, beautifully delivered. Eileen Ryan's extensive research of our local history enabled them to tell the story of the Waveney Valley line from its hopeful inception to its sad closure a century later. It was such a big part of the fabric of our wonderful area, and we can see the history around us today.
"The closure of so many railway lines in the 1950s and 60s was one of the most short-sighted political decisions ever. These lines today would be popular, financially viable, and have clean trains taking people around our communities.
"The play is funny, entertaining and educational, and I would recommend others to watch."
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"Britain has entered a new climate reality" — Adrian Ramsay MP demands Government action after leading Westminster Hall debate on extreme heat
Adrian Ramsay MP, Green Party MP for Waveney Valley, today led a Westminster Hall debate on the UK's preparedness for extreme heat, warning MPs that "Britain has entered a new climate reality" and demanding the Government urgently deliver a national Heat Resilience Strategy, led from the Cabinet Office with clear ministerial accountability, ensuring that decisions on housing, infrastructure, health, energy and land use are all designed for the climate we now face. Heat-health warnings, public information and targeted support for vulnerable people should become routine before heatwaves strike.
In the debate, Adrian said recent heatwaves had exposed dangerous gaps in the country's readiness for a hotter climate, citing hospitals declaring critical incidents, record ambulance demand, school closures and major wildfires.
Among the most alarming failures raised in the debate was the breakdown of MRI scanners at the Norfolk and Norwich hospital, which serves part of Adrian’s Waveney Valley constituency, after their cooling systems failed during the June heatwave. Ramsay said this showed the NHS estate was "not designed to operate safely during prolonged periods of temperatures approaching 40°C."
Adrian pointed to analysis showing around 2,700 heat-related deaths occurred during the May and June heatwaves in England and Wales alone, and warned the June 2026 heatwave is estimated to have cost the UK economy at least £2.36 billion in lost productivity, a figure that could rise to £25 billion a year by 2030 without action.
Adrian Ramsay MP said:
"Britain has entered a new climate reality, and our public services are not ready for it. These were not isolated weather events, they were a real-world test of our preparedness for a hotter climate, exposing vulnerabilities across our health service, critical infrastructure, emergency response and natural environment.
"Hospitals have declared critical incidents and postponed operations. The London Ambulance Service recorded its busiest week on record. At the Norfolk and Norwich hospital in my constituency, MRI scanners stopped working when their cooling systems failed.
“The impacts of extreme heat don't fall evenly. It's the elderly, pregnant women and those with chronic illnesses who feel this most, and it's not just a public health issue, it threatens the resilience of the whole health and care system.
"This isn't just about hotter summers either. It's about whether our prisons, care homes, schools, transport and food supply can withstand the climate we're already living in. Water security is one of Britain's greatest long-term resilience challenges, fundamental to public health, food production, economic resilience and national security. Climate change is no longer just affecting where our food is grown, it is affecting what families can afford.
"The Government's own experts have told them what's needed, an £11 billion a year investment in resilience, led properly from the Cabinet Office. Instead, we get delay after delay.
"Adaptation is not a cost, it's an investment. Every year the Government fails to act, the bill for recovery gets bigger and the human cost gets higher. Britain needs a Heat Resilience Strategy now, not after the next heatwave kills more people."
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Adrian Ramsay responds to an FT investigation revealing that Anglian Water withheld funds for repairs while distributing £2.5 billion to shareholders
Adrian Ramsay responds to an FT investigation revealing that Anglian Water withheld funds for repairs while distributing £2.5 billion to shareholders
An investigation by the Financial Times has found that Anglian Water is one of four water companies that underspent their infrastructure budgets between 2010 and 2025, despite the industry's repeated claims that low customer bills were to blame for a failure to fix ageing pipes and networks.
Reacting to the investigation, Adrian Ramsay, MP for Waveney Valley, said
"It's one thing to run out of money for essential repairs. Anglian Water had money to spare and still didn't spend it.
An FT investigation found it was one of four water companies that underspent their infrastructure budgets between 2010 and 2025, while paying out £2.5bn in dividends.
This is unacceptable. The public is rightly demanding action to clean up our rivers, and instead they're watching companies bank cash that should have gone into fixing crumbling pipes and ending sewage spills. People are paying record bills while shareholders profit, and rivers remain polluted.
Water companies cannot be trusted to regulate themselves. That's why I'm pressing for the water companies to be brought under public ownership, so the money goes into fixing the infrastructure, not into shareholders' pockets."
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Just one out of fifteen Dentists contacted is accepting New NHS Patients in East Anglia, an investigation by Adrian Ramsay MP, finds.
Just one out of fifteen Dentists contacted is accepting New NHS Patients in East Anglia, an investigation by Adrian Ramsay MP, finds.
East Anglia is one of England’s worst dental deserts, with practices reporting waiting lists of over 1,000 patients, four-year backlogs dating back to 2021, and one list stretching across 25 pages of A4.
Reacting to the investigation Adrian said
“It is a damning indictment of this Government that, two years into their term, access to dental care remains a postcode lottery. People are being left in pain, unable to access basic care they are entitled to. The investigation in East Anglia shows that we are one of the worst-hit regions in the country.
This has been ignored for far too long. It is unacceptable that successive governments have failed to get a grip on this crisis, and the people of East Anglia are paying the price.”
Nationally, nearly two-thirds of dentists in England listed as taking NHS patients are in reality not taking new NHS patients, with some areas a complete desert.
Getting an appointment on the NHS has become next to impossible in many areas highlighting the access crisis millions still face across the country, with tooth decay the most common reason children aged five to nine are admitted to hospital.
When Labour came to power, they pledged 700,000 new NHS urgent care appointments and to recruit new dentists for areas that needed them most. But a new investigation by Adrian, reveals that getting NHS treatment remains a postcode lottery, with some parts of the country left without any NHS options.
The investigation contacted a sample of 135 practices across England which were listed on the NHS website as accepting new adult patients.
The analysis revealed that 84 out of 135 (62.2%) are not currently able to accept new NHS patients. One stated its waiting list was “at least 25 pages of A4” while others talked of four-year backlogs.
The total number of clinics not taking on NHS patients will, in reality, be significantly higher, as many on the Government site are publicly listed as not accepting new NHS patients.
MyDentist runs more than 500 practices serving over four million patients. Yet, of the 44 listed on the NHS site as offering places, only four were accepting new NHS patients.
The findings come as the Government prepares to consult on a series of changes to the dental contract. However, these reforms are understood not to be backed by any new money, and there is concern the consultation might be delayed as a result of new leadership at DHSC.
The Green Party is calling on the Government to increase NHS Dentistry funding by at least £1.5 billion per year, a figure the British Dental Association (BDA) says would ensure everyone who wants an NHS dentist can access one.
Current government budgets allow only 40% of adults to access an NHS dentist within two years. The Party argues that unless funding for NHS dentistry keeps pace with rising costs and population growth, ending the dental access crisis will remain impossible.
Dentists are deeply concerned that the current psychodrama at Westminster has seen progress stall to save the struggling service.There is no sign of public consultation expected this summer, setting out the Government's ambitions on reform. Not a penny of new investment has been pledged, and the BDA has warned that there is now a material risk that Government promises to save NHS dentistry cannot be kept.
BDA Chair Eddie Crouch said:
“Labour came to power promising change, but the crisis facing millions is still with us.
“Warm words won’t give people the dental care they need. That will require real reform and sustainable funding.”
ENDS
Decades of political hesitation have meant that millions are paying the price, says Green MP Adrian Ramsay, reacting to the CCC’s annual assessment of the Government's progress on reducing emissions.
Decades of political hesitation have meant that millions are paying the price, says Green MP Adrian Ramsay, reacting to the Climate Change Committee's annual assessment of the Government's progress on reducing emissions.
Reacting to today's Climate Change Committee annual assessment of the Government's progress on reducing emissions, Adrian Ramsay, Green parliamentary lead for the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero and Waveney Valley MP, said:
“Decades of political hesitation have meant that millions across the country are paying the price through higher energy bills and higher food costs. Successive Governments have kicked the can down the road instead of taking the action needed to reduce emissions, and households and businesses have suffered as a result.”
"The Climate Change Committee is clear. The Government is not moving fast enough to reduce emissions, and this is putting our climate targets at risk.”
"At the same time, any decisions to expand airports or allow the Rosebank oil field would take us further in the wrong direction.”
“Climate breakdown affects every part of our lives, and the longer action is delayed, the greater the cost to families and communities.”
ENDS
Adrian Ramsay questions the Minister for Education about cuts to physical education that will disproportionately affect Waveney Valley.
Adrian Ramsay questions the Minister for Education about cuts to physical education that will disproportionately affect Waveney Valley.
Adrian Ramsay, Green Party MP for Waveney Valley, asked the Minister:
“Primary school headteachers in my constituency tell me that, according to their budget calculations, the cut in funding for physical education will have a real impact on opportunities for young people, especially in rural areas. What assurance can the Government give me that young people, especially those in rural areas such as Waveney Valley, will not lose out on vital sporting opportunities?”
The Minister, Georgia Gould, in reply said:
“We are investing £1 billion over three years to build new sports networks. That money will be used by many different partners to support schools, bring resources together, and put funding directly into school budgets. We will be setting out more plans to reassure primary school heads of our commitment to increasing activity for children and young people.”
Reacting to the Minister's answer, Adrian said:
"Physical education is vital for pupils. Not just for their physical health, but for their mental wellbeing too. I am deeply disappointed that headteachers in constituencies like Waveney Valley are facing real-terms cuts to their PE budgets under the new funding model. I hope the Minister's assurances are well-founded, and that the promised £1 billion investment in sports networks will genuinely deliver for schools and ensure that rural areas are not left behind."
ENDS
Statement from Adrian Ramsay on the resignation of Keir Starmer.
Statment from Adrian Ramsay Green MP for Waveney Valley
Adrian said:
"Today's resignation was the right decision. I wish Keir Starmer well but, since the start of this year, it has become increasingly clear that the Prime Minister's position has been unsustainable, from the revelations around the Mandelson appointment to making repeated bad policy decisions.
We have now seen six Prime Ministers resign in ten years. This merry-go-round is not good for the nation. It destabilises the country and, crucially, it means the big issues are not tackled. No tangible progress on climate and nature, no long term plan for the NHS and social care, the cost of living crisis not under control. The public deserves better.
The next Prime Minister, whoever they are, must provide stability and tackle the biggest issues facing the country."
Adrian Ramsay joins Cats Protection in Parliament to discuss cat welfare
Adrian Ramsay joins Cats Protection in Parliament to discuss cat welfare
Adrian Ramsay MP for Waveney Valley joined fellow MPs and members of the House of Lords this week at a Cats Protection reception to discuss the UK’s most pressing cat welfare issues.
The UK’s leading cat charity hosted the parliamentary reception to raise awareness of many of the issues affecting the UK’s 10.4 million pet cats and the people who care for them.
A key issue raised at the event was exploitative cat breeding practices. According to Cats Protection, 36% of owned cats in the UK are pedigrees, which is up from 23% just five years ago1, and this includes an increasing number of “designer cats” with extreme characteristics like folded ears, flat faces or hairless bodies which will cause them chronic health problems and an extremely poor quality of life.
The charity is calling for a ban on the breeding of these cats with extreme characteristics, as well as a crackdown on sick and suffering cats being sold online and recently delivered a petition with over 60,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street calling for cat breeding regulations.
Other topics raised at the reception included a Cats Protection call to ban electric shock collars and to restrict fireworks to minimize stress to cats while Adrian Ramsay also spoke to the charity’s volunteers and staff about their essential cat rehoming, neutering and education work.
Adrian Ramsay said: “It was a privilege to meet Cats Protection’s volunteers and staff and hear about their vital work rehoming, neutering and caring for cats across the country. Sharing my home with our rescue cat, Bella, I know first-hand the joy that cats bring to families.
The Cats Protection reception was invaluable in shining a light on serious welfare issues still facing cats, from the rise of ‘designer cats’ bred with extreme characteristics that cause lifelong suffering, to the stress caused by fireworks and the cruelty of electric shock collars. I support Cats Protection’s calls for much tighter regulation of cat breeding and ending kitten smuggling, and I’ll continue to back their work to improve the lives of cats up and down the country.”
Madison Rogers, Associate Director of Advocacy, Campaigns and External Affairs said:
“We were delighted to bring MP and Peers together at our parliamentary reception to shine a light on some of the most pressing issues affecting cats today.
“From the urgent need for effective cat breeding regulations to prevent exploitation and suffering, to calls for a ban on electronic shock collars and stronger restrictions on fireworks, it’s clear that more must be done to protect cat welfare.
“Cats Protection is proud to make a difference nationally and in local constituencies through the dedication of our employees and volunteers. We look forward to working closely with parliamentarians to ensure cats and the people who care for them receive the protection and support they deserve.”
Cats Protection is the UK’s leading cat welfare charity and helps 191,000 cats through a national network of 182 volunteer-run teams and 31 centres.
Ends
Notes to Editors:
Picture of Adrian at the Cats Protection reception & with his Cat bella are avalible for use at this link https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1fM9VDfgxD748HqyxQrMP8ovC7PhBYkw_?usp=sharing
Cats Protection is Charity No. 203644 (England and Wales) and SC037711 (Scotland). A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (06772997). Registered office National Cat Centre, Chelwood Gate, Haywards Heath, Sussex, RH17 7TT.
Founded as the Cats Protection League in 1927, the charity adopted the name Cats Protection in 1998. We ask that you use the name Cats Protection when referring to the charity in all published material.
More information about the work of Cats Protection can be found at www.cats.org.uk
Adrian Ramsay MP asks the Department for Justice why there is a £2m by-election for the Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner when the role will be abolished in 2028.
Adrian Ramsay MP asks the Department for Justice why there is a £2m by-election for the Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner when the role will be abolished in 2028.
In a written question to the minister, Adrian asked 'To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to a) remove the requirement for the Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner post to be filled, b) provide for the necessary functions of that role to be carried out by the County Council Police and Crime Panel prior to the abolition of the Police and Crime Commissioner post in 2028, and c) ensure that the Council Police and Crime Panel have the necessary i) support ii) recourses to undertake these additional tasks.'
Adrian added
"Holding a £2m by-election for the Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner makes little sense when that role will be abolished in 2028.
I’ve asked the Government to remove the requirement for the role to be filled and to allow the Police and Crime Panel to take over."