Lowestoft's new MP says increasing dentistry provision in the area is her priority
She also wants to tackle things like knife crime and SEND provision
Last updated 9th Jul 2024
The new MP for Lowestoft says she wants to hit the ground running and tackle the issues that are most important to locals.
Labour's Jess Asato will be sworn into Parliament today after she ousted Conservative Peter Aldous from the seat he'd held since 2010 last week.
"Hit the ground running on day one"
We've been speaking to Jess about her plans to improve the constituency, she told us making sure that people can get access to NHS is going to be her "number one priority".
An annual survey by the NHS showed Suffolk is one of the worst counties in the country for availability of NHS appointments, with one in three people failing to get an appointment in the past two years. to
Jess explained that whilst she had been "door knocking" and talking to the public, she had heard oral health horror stories from those who were unable to get a NHS dentist appointment: "I met people who had pulled their own teeth out.
"One guy... said he pulled his teeth out with a pair of pliers in his shed. Now that is just unacceptable."
She also shared her thoughts on Labour's immediate plans to cancel what she referred to as the "Rwanda gimmick".
She commented on how the UK has seen an increase in the amount of asylum seekers arriving into the UK under the previous government and many people view this as a "huge issue", going on to say that these are vulnerable people who have been "left languishing in B&B's, hotels and a big barge":
"These people's lives are on hold until they can get processed.
"If they don't belong here, unfortunately, they need to be returned to safe countries, but if they're genuine refugees, then of course we need to process them quickly so they can start working and paying taxes and integrating into our society."
Wanting to protect the vulnerable
Another issue Jess discussed with Greatest Hits Radio is the ongoing knife crime and gang violence in Suffolk.
She told us one way in which Labour plans to address these issues is through their pledge to "set up new youth hubs which will help with making sure young people have things to do, but can also stay out of the way of gangs".
Jess, who previously worked for a children's charity. also wants more to be done for those with special educational needs and disabilities, saying there is currently a "crisis" for those in this group: "I'll be wanting to work very closely with the County Council to make sure that children and their families are given the support that they need, because at the moment, many of them are left without that.
"It is leading to to a real crisis."