MP Newsletter #8: Ukraine, World Book Day, and MP Visits

Dear reader,

A very warm welcome to this latest edition of my fortnightly email newsletter. Following the parliamentary recess it has been great to be back in Westminster seeing colleagues and working hard to represent you all.

In this edition I want to give you an update on my thoughts on the issue which I know will be dominating many of our minds at the moment. The war in Ukraine is now over three years old, and given the recent changes in US leadership, events appear to be developing at breakneck speed.

I also wanted to take some time to reflect on my time as a Wiltshire Councillor after eight years and to highlight some incredibly interesting and useful visits and meetings I’ve been involved with around the constituency.

As ever, I welcome all feedback and comments about this newsletter, and I want to make sure that it is as useful as it can be for my constituents. If you have any suggestions, comments or feedback please do feel free to email me at brian.mathew.mp@parliament.uk. A reminder that you can also contact my office on 01225 434216, and please do get in touch via phone or email to book a surgery appointment. These take place at regular intervals at different villages and towns across the constituency and we will do our very best to fit you in at the one which suits you best.  

Remember you can follow me on Facebook here and I’m also on Twitter here.  

Please do also forward this newsletter along to friends, family, neighbours etc if you feel it would be useful for them too.

Trump and Ukraine

I’m sure many of you are following with increasing concern the rapidly changing situation with regards the war in Ukraine. Barely a day goes by without another pronouncement from President Trump and a swift change in US foreign policy.

I think Sir Keir Starmer has handled the situation well in many respects. However, I am very concerned about Trump’s reliability as an ally to the UK. For decades, and especially since the Second World War, we have worked side-by-side with the Americans across all areas of government – perhaps most crucially in intelligence sharing.

With reports now that the US is barring the UK from sharing US intelligence with Kyiv, added to the withdrawal of US military aid to Ukraine, we must now ask ourselves what we in the UK will do if Trump and the US continue on this course.

Both actions from the Trump administration will lead to more Ukrainians being killed and do nothing to deter Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian resistance to Putin is vital to maintain the security of Europe more widely.

The minerals deal that Trump is trying to broker with Ukraine won’t be sufficient protection for the people of Ukraine and again does little to ward off Putin coming back to invade once again. It appears that Trump is holding Ukraine over a barrel.

I was pleased to hear Sir Keir Starmer agree with this at Prime Minister’s Questions recently when quizzed by Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey.

As Liberal Democrats, we have also been asking the government what their plan B is given the unreliability of the US as an ally on this issue at the moment.

While at times it can be preferable to push thoughts of war and suffering out of our minds given the relative peace we enjoy here in Wiltshire and across the UK, a strong Europe standing up to Putin’s aggression is vital for the defence of the UK.

I am pleased that the government is planning to increase defence spending and I think it is vital that we support our Ukrainian allies as well as bolstering our own defences given the precarious state of world affairs.

Given my role on the International Development Select Committee, I was however disappointed to see the government cut the aid budget to help finance the increase in defence spending.  Aid is an essential tool in tackling poverty, promoting stability, and reducing the causes of conflict and migration, all of which serve the UK’s own security interests. I, along with my Liberal Democrat colleagues, believe this money could be raised by levying higher taxes on social media companies and tech giants who have seen soaring profits in recent years.

Closer to home, I know many of us will know and care for our growing Ukrainian community here who wish for nothing more than to return home to a safe and peaceful homeland. With the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion passing us by last month, I sincerely hope we can bring an end to this war in a way that is as fair as possible. It is in all of our interest and is the right thing to do.

Final Wiltshire Council meeting

Many of you will know that as well as serving as your MP, I am also the Wiltshire Councillor for Box & Colerne – a position I have been proud to hold since 2017.

After two terms, and given my new role in parliament, I am standing down from Wiltshire Council on May 1st – the date of the local elections.

Last month I attended my final council meeting in County Hall and it was a real joy to be afforded a moment to speak about the friendships I have forged across parties as well as the work I have done in that role. The applause after my comments was most touching - you can view my full remarks here.

Of course, while stepping down from Wiltshire Council, I will still have a keen eye on all things in Box & Colerne as their member of parliament.

I also want to remind everyone to cast their vote on May 1st in the local elections. Across the constituency you will have the chance to vote for your Wiltshire Councillor, and many of you will also be electing town and parish councillors. Democracy is under threat across the world, so please exercise your right! 

World Book day

Yesterday (Thursday March 6) was World Book Day, and it was lovely to spend time earlier this week in parliament speaking to the team behind the initiative to learn more.

It’s so upsetting to see that reading for pleasure is at its lowest level since 2015. Recent surveys have also shown the number of children reading regularly is in steady decline. Given the other options available now, and the frenetic pace of life in 2025, this is in many ways understandable. But books broaden our horizons, allow us to escape into fantastical new worlds and can help us learn about almost any subject.

As part of World Book Day, all schoolchildren in the UK are eligible for a £1 book voucher and this often goes towards specially published £1 books – 1 in 5 primary school aged children say that the £1 book is the first book they’ve ever owned.

Please support World Book Day wherever you can!

Constituency visits 

As usual, I’ve been out and about around the constituency whenever time allows, and it has been an unexpected pleasure to have had such pleasant weather to enjoy recently too!

I visited the University of Bath late last month to meet with their Vice-Chancellor Phil Taylor and many academics. While the campus falls just a mile or so outside our constituency, the link between ‘Melksham and Devizes’ and the University is strong.

We spoke about the support the University can offer with our upcoming careers fair as well as the world leading research they’re undertaking in genetics, international development and sanitation in the developing world.

We also reinforced the strong links we have with many of the University’s staff (over 100) being constituents of mine.

I also took time last week to visit the Ball Aerocan factory in Devizes. The site has recently expanded and is a large employer in the area. My visit was to see how the factory operates at that site, how it fits into the global aerosol market, and most importantly to raise questions that have been put to me by constituents.

These focused on noise pollution, odours and smoke, and planning concerns. I saw first hand the adaptions that have been made to the site to attempt to reduce the noise and also spoke at length to them about the need to reduce the odours and smoke too. I was pleased at their receptiveness to me urging them to do more on both counts.

I will continue to work with Ball Aerocan and local residents to keep improving conditions around the factory. If you have written to me about this issue, I will be coming back to you with a more detailed response shortly.

I also wanted to just briefly mention how lovely it was to join a recent Royal British Legion breakfast in Colerne, visit The Hub in Bradford on Avon, attend the opening of the Canberra community park in Melksham, and meet residents at Avonpark Village just outside Winsley.

I am doing my very best to reach all parts of this relatively rural constituency, so do keep an eye out for plans later this year to head out into the villages even more.

Westminster Watch

Finally, a brief update on my work in Westminster this week. It was a privilege to speak in a debate on Kashmir as the Liberal Democrat spokesperson. I also spoke in the Commons chamber on the issue of the UK aid budget. I live in hope that we will one day return to spending 0.7% of GNI on aid – probably the proudest Liberal Democrat achievement during the coalition government – but we are where we are.

Given the squeeze on the aid budget we must now get value for money. Current spending of about £4.3 billion on accommodation for asylum seekers is a large percentage of the aid budget and I suggest that we help asylum seekers into work when they arrive to reduce their burden on the Exchequer and to give them dignity. You can watch my full comments here.

I have also recently asked written questions on topics including ADHD medication, social housing in rural areas and further military support for Ukraine.

You can view a full list of my spoken contributions and written questions here.

Best wishes,

Brian Mathew MP

Your Lib Dem MP for Melksham & Devizes