Ongar and Villages

My Friday constituency visits were delayed last week as I spent the breakfast hours doing the media round, dealing with the breaking news that sacked US ambassador, Peter Mandelson, had failed security vetting but had still been appointed to the role, which allowed him access to top secret Governmen

As I write, President Trump is on the news saying he believes the US/Israeli war on Iran is “very complete, pretty much”.However the impact of the missile strikes on targets in the Middle East and the subsequent effect on oil prices could be felt for some time to come.

It was excellent to see so many Essex Members of Parliament, Borough District and County Councillors and candidates for the May local elections gathering at Hutton Hall on Friday for the launch of the Conservatives’ Essex election campaign, presided over by my party’s leader, and Leader of His Majes

The next Conservative Government will restore visible policing and clear consequences for the anti-social behaviour and street disorder that are making too many communities feel unsafe. As a result Essex police would benefit from 303 new police officers, delivering law and order with stronger p

6th January 2026In a further update on this year local council elections, the Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, has written this week to Council Leaders to confirm which elections are going ahead and which are being postponed.As planned, it h

As the Parliamentary session draws to a close this week, there is a chance to look back on the year.The Government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which threatens to ride roughshod over the views of local people when it comes to maintaining our green belt and listening to concerns about water su

One of the finest things about the publication of the monthly Ongar News is that it is available both as a hard copy and online.In recent years, local journalism has dwindled, with local papers now being expensive, thin on local news, and produced regionally with little engagement with our communiti

I am delighted to have been asked to contribute regular articles to the Epping Forest Guardian, as the Member of Parliament for Brentwood and Ongar.The Ongar part of my constituency covers part of West Essex, and contains some of the most beautiful and friendly villages in my constituency.Many of th

I’ve written before about the ongoing changes to Post office services in Shenfield – where the Shenfield Broadway Post office had to closed at the same time as the Morrisons shut down – and in Ingatestone, where the Post Office is currently being run by a temporary postmaster.More on both of those i

Brentwood and Ongar MP, Alex Burghart, has written to the Home Secretary, the Rt. Hon.