Now that 2025 has drawn to a close, it feels like the right moment to pause and reflect on what was a demanding, fast-moving and, at times, deeply challenging year. I also want to share some of my hopes for the year ahead.

An eventful year in Westminster, 2025 included some exceptionally difficult and conscience-testing votes, such as those on assisted dying and abortion, alongside a series of Government U-turns, most recently on the family farm tax.

For me personally, it was also a year filled with numerous opportunities to speak on some of the most pressing issues for Woking.

This included campaigning to reduce beer duty to support our struggling hospitality sector, which supports more than 1,800 jobs here in Woking and contributes over £100million to our local economy; fighting for better, more reliable, rail services, including as chair of the South Western Railway All-Party Parliamentary Group; and working to fix Woking’s Borough Council’s financial issues, successfully securing a historic £500 million debt write-off from the Government.

I was also appointed the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for immigration and asylum, giving me even more opportunities to speak in the House of Commons, as well as helping to shape Lib Dem policy on one of the most pressing issues facing our country today.

I’m proud to advocate for a fair and compassionate approach that challenges the divisive rhetoric of other parties.

One of the most significant issues I worked on last year was strengthening child protection in the wake of the tragic murder of Woking constituent Sara Sharif.

This has included campaigning for the introduction of Sara’s Law – legislation that would standardise the threshold for intervention in child safeguarding cases – as well as meeting with ministers to ensure that both existing and forthcoming legislation is used to better protect vulnerable children.

I am pleased that the Prime Minister has now confirmed the presumption of parental contact will be removed, a change both the Children’s Commissioner and I have long called for.

However, following the publication of the safeguarding review into Sara’s death, it is painfully clear that much more must be done.

Preventing other children from being murdered at the hands of those who should have loved and protected them remains a priority for me, and throughout 2026 I will continue to push for the urgent reforms needed to strengthen our child protection system.

Looking ahead, I want to see a renewed focus on growing the economy and strengthening our ties with Europe — two priorities that, in my view, go hand in hand.

While I have secured a £500million debt write-off, this is only a small step when set against the estimated £4billion debt the new West Surrey unitary authority is expected to inherit.

I hope the Government recognises the scale of the challenge facing local government finance and takes further action to ensure that new councils are not forced to start life on the wrong footing.

I look forward to another busy year serving as your MP. As always, I will keep you updated through my columns, newsletters and on social media.

And if there is anything you would like me to raise in Parliament, please do get in touch at [email protected].

Stay in touch: https://www.willforster.co.uk/; Instagram @forster_will; Facebook.com/WillforWoking; X @WillForster