Christmas Adjournment

Steff Aquarone Excerpts

Thursday 18th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Steff Aquarone (North Norfolk) (LD)]

I come here in the Christmas spirit, with both my nice list and my naughty list. On the nice list are, of course, you, Madam Deputy Speaker, Mr Speaker and the other Deputy Speakers for your work over the past year; all the House staff who support us, feed us and keep us safe; and the rest of the parliamentary community, including my own team.

On the naughty list, which I have made and checked twice, are those who, despite my efforts, are letting down my constituency. Top of that list is Norfolk county council and its Conservative administration. I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests as a serving councillor on that authority. The county council spent the early part of December trying to wage all-out war on the residents of Sheringham, as the it tried to knock down their historic bus shelter in the face of dogged opposition. But residents of Sheringham do not give up a fight easily, and for nine straight days the bus shelter was occupied by local protesters day and night. The council employed bully-boy tactics, wasting taxpayers’ money on bailiffs sent to intimidate and attempt to evict protesters without the adequate legal authority to do so.

Any popular support for the council’s approach faded away rapidly, with the local paper, local councils and many local people turning against it. I was delighted when, last week, Sheringham town council voted to deny permission for the demolition, forcing the county council to back down. This protest drew widespread national media attention, from The Guardian to The Telegraph, GB News and “Have I Got News for You”. It even had the Prime Minister and the Transport Secretary weighing in. The intervention from the Transport Secretary was most enlightening, as she confirmed that the Government funding for bus stop improvements in Sheringham was still very much available if the scheme was altered to retain the existing shelter. That blows a large hole in the council’s attempt to throw its toys out of the pram and refuse to support investment in Sheringham’s transport infrastructure.

The Conservative council leader has spouted lies and misinformation about me and fails to see the complete and utter mess she has created. Once again, I call on Norfolk county council to come to the table to agree a compromise. The story continues. Merry Christmas and a happy new year!