Weekly Update
Labour’s Plan to Beat Cancer
I know from my mailbox and from conversations across Enfield North how deeply cancer affects our community.
A diagnosis can turn lives upside down in an instant, bringing fear, uncertainty and long periods of waiting. Yet there is also hope - particularly when cancer is diagnosed early and patients are cared for by our dedicated, compassionate NHS staff.
Sadly, too many families have also experienced delays, poor communication and treatment that did not meet the standards they should have been able to rely on.
Thanks to Labour’s record investment in our NHS, three quarters of patients diagnosed from 2035 will be cancer-free or living well five years after diagnosis. This represents the fastest improvement in cancer outcomes this century and will save an estimated 320,000 lives over the course of the plan.
Faster treatment and better support
By 2029, the NHS will meet all three cancer waiting time standards, meaning hundreds of thousands more patients will begin treatment within 62 days. Every cancer patient will also receive a tailored support plan, covering treatment, mental health and help to stay in or return to work.
Labour is also creating new employer partnerships to support over 800,000 working-age cancer patients to remain in employment during and after treatment.
Putting patients first
This plan gives every patient the best possible chance of beating cancer by:
Slashing waiting times
Investing in cutting-edge technology
Expanding access to specialist cancer care
Families of children and young people with cancer will receive government support for travel costs to and from appointments, helping ease the financial strain during treatment.
Specialist care and a stronger workforce
More patients with rarer cancers will have their care reviewed and delivered at specialist cancer centres, bringing together expert surgeons, oncologists, specialist nurses and radiologists to agree the best treatment plan.
The government will also introduce new training places targeted at NHS trusts with the biggest workforce gaps, prioritising rural and coastal areas where patients currently face the longest waits.
Modernising diagnosis and treatment
This new plan sets out sweeping reforms, including:
Faster diagnostics
A £2.3 billion investment to deliver 9.5 million extra tests by 2029
More scanners, digital technology and automated testing
Community Diagnostic Centres operating up to 12 hours a day, seven days a week, bringing testing closer to home
Robot-assisted surgery
Expanding robot-assisted procedures from 70,000 to 500,000 a year by 2035
Reducing complications and freeing up hospital beds
Genomic testing
Every patient who could benefit will be offered DNA testing of their cancer, helping doctors choose the treatments most likely to work
Smarter waiting lists
New technology will give patients faster access to tests by offering the earliest available appointment across NHS providers in their local area
Tackling the causes of cancer
Alongside improving treatment, the government is taking tough action on prevention, including a generational ban on smoking and a ban on junk food advertising before 9pm.
This plan builds on Labour’s progress so far, with 213,000 extra cases diagnosed or ruled out on time since July last year - and marks a decisive step towards a healthier future for everyone in Enfield North and beyond
🥪 A Big Win for Enfield North Families
I’m absolutely delighted that Enfield North has one of the highest numbers of schools selected anywhere in London for Labour’s Best Start free breakfast clubs. This is a real campaign win - and one I worked hard for by encouraging our schools to apply.
From April, the following schools will offer a free, nutritious breakfast and at least 30 minutes of free childcare every day, helping to put up to £450 a year back into parents’ pockets:
Schools taking part:
Alma Primary School
St James CofE Primary School
Enfield Heights Academy
Oasis Academy Hadley
West Lea School
Carterhatch Infant School
St Matthew’s CofE Primary School
This means 1,551 children in Enfield North will be able to start the school day fed, focused and ready to learn.
This is Labour’s Plan for Change in action - backing parents, backing schools, and making sure children in Enfield North get the chances they deserve from the very start of the day ❤️
🐕 🐈 Supporting Animal Lovers Across Enfield North
Enfield North is a constituency of animal lovers, and I know from my mailbox and conversations with residents just how important pets are to families.
I also hear, all too often, how expensive and unpredictable vet bills can be, putting real pressure on household budgets at stressful moments.
That’s why I welcome the Government’s plans for the first major reform of the veterinary sector in 60 years, designed to make the system fairer, clearer and more transparent for pet owners - while also supporting vets and veterinary nurses.
These reforms follow findings by the Competition and Markets Authority, which concluded that problems in the veterinary market could be costing households up to £1 billion over five years, with vet fees rising at nearly twice the rate of inflation.
What this means for pet owners
The reforms will help households understand what they are paying for, avoid unexpected costs, and make informed choices about their pet’s care. Key benefits include:
Clearer pricing: Vet practices will be required to publish price lists for common treatments and explain options and changes clearly, helping owners shop around and choose the best value care.
More competition over time: Practices will have to disclose who owns them, so pet owners know whether they are using an independent practice or a larger chain - increasing transparency and competition.
Greater confidence in care: All vet practices will need an official operating licence, like GP surgeries and care homes.
Fairer complaints process: Stronger rules will make it easier for customers to raise concerns, while also supporting vets and nurses to do their jobs well.
Better access to care: Bringing veterinary nurses and certain allied professionals into regulation will free up vets to focus on specialist care, reducing delays.
Supporting vets and veterinary nurses
The reforms also recognise the pressures facing veterinary professionals and aim to strengthen the workforce by:
Giving legal recognition to veterinary nurses, boosting professional identity and retention.
Introducing regulatory oversight of veterinary businesses, not just individual vets, so responsibility for standards is shared.
Modernising registration and fitness-to-practice processes to focus on current competence.
Updating governance at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, bringing it in line with modern healthcare regulators and strengthening public trust.
For pet-loving communities like Enfield North, this is about protecting animal welfare, supporting trusted professionals, and giving families greater peace of mind when their pets need care.
🚗 A10 / Lincoln Road Junction Consultation – Have Your Say
I know that the proposed changes by Transport for London to the A10 / Lincoln Road junction - including a banned left turn from Lincoln Road eastbound onto the A10 - are causing real anxiety for residents in Ponders End, Southbury and across Enfield North.
I want to be absolutely clear: I have objected to this proposed banned left turn, and I strongly encourage residents to make their views known as part of the consultation.
My reasons:
Unreasonable diversions for residents: The banned left turn would force drivers onto longer routes, increasing journey times, fuel costs and congestion, and pushing traffic onto quieter residential streets.
Negative impact on the wider road network: Removing a key movement onto the A10 risks shifting congestion elsewhere, reducing access for residents who rely on this route for work, healthcare and daily needs.
Lack of proper local engagement: The scheme progressed without sufficient early consultation with local MPs, councillors or Enfield Council, meaning local impacts were not fully considered from the outset.
Imbalanced design: While supporting safer walking and cycling, the proposal fails to strike a fair balance between all road users and risks creating new traffic problems rather than solving existing ones.
Insufficient evidence and modelling: The proposals lack clear, accessible information on traffic impacts, diversion routes and knock-on effects for surrounding streets.
My requests to TfL:
Withdrawal of the scheme in its current form
A full review of traffic modelling and alternative options
Proper consultation with local representatives and residents before any revised plans
Clear, transparent information on impacts in any future consultation
How to respond to the consultation
You can take part online here:
👉 https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/a10-lincoln-road-junction
Or respond by:
📧 Email: haveyoursay@tfl.gov.uk
✉️ Post (Freepost): “TfL Have your Say”
Drop-in consultation events
TfL officers will be available to answer questions and hear your views at:
📍 Wheatsheaf Hall
Main Avenue, Enfield, EN1 1DS
Wednesday 11 February 2026 | 4:00pm – 8:00pm
Saturday 21 February 2026 | 11:00am – 2:00pm
These sessions are a good opportunity to:
See the plans in more detail
View maps and consultation materials
Complete the survey on paper if you prefer
Speak directly to the project team
Local voices matter, and TfL needs to hear directly from the people who will be affected day to day. Please do take part - your feedback will help shape the final outcome.
🍞 Backing Healthy Choices and Local Jobs in Enfield North
It is always a pleasure to meet with Warburtons, a major employer in Enfield North, so it was good to hear from Sam Millar about their work tackling the UK’s fibre gap and the role food businesses can play in improving public health.
I was encouraged to learn about Warburtons’ investment in innovation, their commitment to clearer information for consumers, and their ambition to make at least half of their products high in fibre by 2040. These are practical, everyday changes that can help families make healthier choices without needing to completely change what they eat.
Improving health outcomes isn’t just about the NHS - it’s also about prevention, education and working with responsible employers.
I will continue to support initiatives that help people live healthier lives while backing good local jobs here in Enfield North.
A Difficult Week for British Politics
It has been a tough and sobering week for British politics.
Recent revelations circulating from the so-called Epstein files have raised serious and deeply troubling questions. While many details remain unclear and must be treated with caution, the overall picture has been damaging to public trust and has understandably caused concern among the public.
At moments like this, it is worth reflecting on the standards we should expect from those in positions of power. When the last Labour Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, was in office, he worked night and day to protect the British economy and safeguard people’s savings during the global financial crisis. That sense of duty - putting the national interest first, even under immense pressure - should be the benchmark for everyone in public life.
Against that backdrop, allegations that sensitive information may have been shared inappropriately with foreign investors are extremely serious. National security, economic stability and public trust must never be treated lightly or casually.
It is right, therefore, that these matters are being properly investigated by the police, so that the facts can be established independently and without fear or favour. It is also right that the Prime Minister has agreed to share all relevant documents with the cross-party security committee, ensuring that Parliament can scrutinise what has happened and hold those responsible to account.
Transparency, accountability and integrity are not optional extras in public life - they are essential. The public deserves reassurance that our institutions are being protected, that national interests come first, and that anyone who falls short of these standards will be fully investigated.
I will continue to support efforts to ensure that trust in our democracy is upheld and that lessons are learned so confidence can be restored.
☕ Coffee Morning in Carterhatch ☕
I’ll be hosting my next coffee morning in Carterhatch on Saturday 21 February 2026, from 10:00am to 12:00pm, and you are very welcome to come along.
These events are a great chance to have an informal chat with me about the issues that matter most to you and to our community here in Enfield. I’m also happy to help with any local concerns, and my casework team and ward Councillors will be on hand to take details of any personal cases and follow them up on your behalf.
If you’d like to attend, please sign up here:
👉 www.feryalclark.org.uk/Carterhatch
I look forward to seeing you there.
Have a great week.
Best wishes
Feryal