Frome’s newly-elected Liberal Democrat MP, Anna Sabine, has outlined her plans for the town in a Q&A session with Frome Times. She was elected following this month’s General Election to represent the new constituency of Frome and East Somerset with a majority of 5,415 votes.
She said it is the ‘privilege of her life’ to be representing Frome and East Somerset in Parliament and that her first priority is going to be tackling road safety in the area.
FT: Hi Anna, firstly, congratulations on your new appointment! What are your plans in Frome?
AS: Thank you! It is the privilege of my life to be representing Frome and East Somerset in Parliament and I’m really grateful to everyone who voted for me, including those who lent me their vote this time. I’ll work as hard as I can every day to honour that decision. It has been a whirlwind week of being inducted into the ways of Parliament and being officially sworn in as an MP so that I can get to work. My immediate plans for Frome are to get a constituency office established and regular advice surgeries set up which constituents can book to attend. In the meantime, Frome residents can contact me via anna.sabine.mp@parliament.uk.
FT: What are you hoping to achieve in Frome?
AS: I want to be an MP who listens to Frome residents and truly represents them. After the election, I said that no matter how anyone voted here, I will make sure their voice is heard in Westminster and that I will stand with them and support them. I meant every word. I’m really looking forward to continuing to meet Frome residents, supporting local campaigns and issues and helping to make sure people are getting a fair deal, whether that’s about the cost of childcare, being able to see their GP when they need to or the cost of their energy bills. Over the coming months, we’re going to hear a lot about change from the new government, but that really needs to be meaningful. I’m determined to hold them accountable on behalf of the people of Frome.
FT: What areas about Frome are you passionate about that you would like to see change or improve?
AS: My first priority is to get to work on tackling road safety in the area, particularly on the Frome bypass. I know from the many conversations I had during the election campaign that local people have been utterly horrified by the number of terrible incidents on this road and want to see measures implemented to make it much safer. This week, I’ve already put down a question to the Transport Secretary on this issue and will be meeting with Somerset and BANES councillors at the earliest opportunity.
I am also passionate about healing our NHS and ensuring that everyone in Frome can access the healthcare they need. Over the last few months, I’ve heard time and again how hard it is to get a dentist’s appointment which is completely unacceptable. This week, I’ve tabled an Early Day Motion on access to dentistry and will continue to campaign on this issue in Parliament.
Like many people in the local community, I’ve had enough of the scandal of sewage dumping in our beautiful rivers. I’ll continue to work with local campaigners, experts and activists in the area to transform the state of our county’s waterways.
FT: How will you use your previous experiences to help implement change?
AS: Historically, I don’t think there have been enough people in Parliament who come from more normal backgrounds and that has a real impact on the decisions they make. For example, if you don’t know what it’s like to have to juggle the cost of childcare and an ever-increasing mortgage or rent costs, how can you possibly make decisions that are going to make those things easier for families across the country?
My background is very normal, running my own small business while also being a single parent, which as many parents know, comes with its own wide range of skills! Crucially though, it’s not just my own experiences that should inform my work in Westminster. The experiences of residents across Frome and East Somerset are at the heart of what it is to represent the constituency which is why I will continue to meet with – and listen to – local people so that I can help to drive meaningful change.
The election result for the Frome and East Somerset constituency was:
Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat), 16,580; Lucy Trimnell (Conservative), 11,165; David Swain (Reform UK), 6,441; Robin Moss (Labour), 6,416; Martin Dimery (Green Party), 5,083; Shaun Hughes (Independent), 737 and Gavin Heathcote (Independent), 294.
