Protecting children from harm online is a priority for the Government and for me.
Work is already underway to create a safer digital environment for young people, including closing loopholes in the Online Safety Act that allowed illegal AI-generated images and introducing new powers to respond quickly to emerging technologies.
You may have seen that the Government is also exploring – and will soon consult on – proposals to restrict or ban social media use for under-16s, alongside other measures to improve online safety.
I am seeking the views of residents across Erith and Thamesmead constituency on this important issue. Your feedback will help ensure local voices are represented in my discussions with the Government.
The survey takes less than five minutes to complete and is open to parents, teachers, carers, and all residents.
Please note that a separate, pupil-specific survey has been created for young people in Erith and Thamesmead. This survey is being shared directly with schools and youth groups to ensure appropriate safeguarding arrangements.
If you are a young person who has not received the survey through your school, or a parent/carer requesting access, please contact my office at abena.oppongasare.mp@parliament.uk, and we will be happy to provide the details.
Your views will play a meaningful role in shaping my engagement with the government on this issue, and I look forward to hearing your perspective.
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/WhatsApp-Image-2023-07-25-at-11.06.40-e1695140129676.jpeg412920Abena Oppong-Asare MPhttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngAbena Oppong-Asare MP2026-02-20 09:50:002026-02-20 12:07:15Share Your Voice: Online Safety for Young People in Erith and Thamesmead
My name is Abena Oppong-Asare and I’m the Member of Parliament for Erith and Thamesmead constituency.
You may be aware that the Government is considering new measures to improve online safety for young people, including whether social media use should be restricted or banned for under-16s. I want to hear directly from young people in Erith and Thamesmead about what you think.
This short survey gives you the opportunity to share your views on social media, online safety, and what changes – if any – you believe should be made.
✅ Takes less than 10 minutes ✅ Completely anonymous ✅ No personal identifying information collected ✅ Participation is voluntary
Your responses will help ensure that young people’s perspectives are included in discussions with the Government on this issue.
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/579033903_1214504913832518_8223071769735153233_n.jpg15362048Abena Oppong-Asare MPhttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngAbena Oppong-Asare MP2026-02-19 17:08:402026-02-19 17:08:42Fill Out My Student Survey: Online Safety for Young People in Erith and Thamesmead
More families and children in Erith and Thamesmead will soon benefit from free, daily breakfast clubs as the Labour government confirms the next 500 schools to offer the scheme from April, including Linton Mead Primary School, putting up to £450 a year back in local parents’ pockets.
It represents a campaign win for Erith and Thamesmead’s Labour Member of Parliament, Abena Oppong-Asare, who has encouraged all local schools to apply to join the scheme. As a result, 647 children in their constituency will be able to access a nutritious meal at the start of the day.
This announcement comes less than a year since Oppong-Asare welcomed the initial roll out of free breakfast clubs at Willow Bank Primary School and Jubilee Primary School, both based in her constituency. She was delighted to visit both of these breakfast clubs since their launch and spoke with teachers, parents, and students about the positive impact these clubs are already having on their lives.
The clubs come alongside a raft of measures driven forward by Labour to cut the cost of living for families in Erith and Thamesmead, including expanding free school meals, rolling out 30 hours of government-funded childcare, bringing down school uniform costs and securing the future of Best Start holiday clubs.
Delivering on promises made to working parents in Labour’s manifesto, all primary aged children attending Linton Mead Primary School will be able to access a free breakfast and at least 30 minutes of free childcare, every day, helping to support parents getting into work.
Universal Best Start free breakfast clubs are central to Labour’s Plan for Change, breaking down barriers to opportunity by making sure every child starts the school day ready to learn – with research showing the clubs have a lasting impact on children’s behaviour, attendance and attainment.
The scheme plays a role in Labour’s moral mission to tackle child poverty, with the government on track to secure the biggest reduction in child poverty within a single parliament. By targeting support, Labour’s clubs will reach half a million pupils in England’s most disadvantaged communities. This will provide an essential meal to ensure every child starts the day ready to learn.
Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education, said:
“Free breakfast clubs sit right at the heart of Labour’s Plan for Change, breaking the link between background and success for families all over the country.
“Breakfast clubs can have a transformative impact on the lives of millions of children, feeding hungry tummies and fuelling hungry minds, so every child begins the day ready to learn.
“Alongside our plans to roll out school-based nurseries and get thousands more children school-ready, this government is delivering the reforms needed to give every child, wherever they grow up, the best start in life.”
Abena Oppong-Asare, MP for Erith and Thamesmead, said:
“I am so happy to announce that Linton Mead Primary School has been selected as one of Labour’s Best Start free breakfast clubs and I cannot wait to see the club open in April.
“It’s a testament to both the school and the Labour government’s dedication to getting children school-ready so they are able to improve their attendance, attainment and wellbeing, as well as improving the household finances of local families.
“Through our Plan for Change, this Labour government is boosting parents’ work choices and children’s life chances.”
Photos from Past Free Breakfast Club Visits at Jubilee and Willow Bank Primary Schools:
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/New-Free-Breakfast-Club-for-Linton-Mead-Primary.png10801080Abena Oppong-Asare MPhttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngAbena Oppong-Asare MP2026-02-13 14:17:152026-02-13 14:23:36Another Local School Set to Benefit from Free Breakfast Club, Confirms Erith and Thamesmead MP
Local Member of Parliament for Erith and Thamesmead, Abena Oppong-Asare, has welcomed Transport for London’s (TfL) announcement that double-decker buses will finally be introduced on the consistently overcrowded 244 route, following years of campaigning by local residents, community groups and representatives.
The change will significantly increase passenger capacity on the busy route, which serves key local areas including Shooters Hill, Woolwich, Thamesmead, and Abbey Wood. TfL confirmed that the new double-decker buses will be phased in over the coming months, alongside updated journey planning information and stop notices.
This marks a major milestone in a long-running local campaign. Back in 2017, TfL proposed wide-ranging route changes, including making the 244 double-decker, but these plans never materialised – leaving residents increasingly frustrated.
The issue has been of particular concern to Shooters Hill residents and members of the Shrewsbury Park Residents’ Association, who have highlighted overcrowding for nearly a decade.
Since taking on Shooters Hill as part of her constituency in 2024, Abena Oppong-Asare MP has repeatedly raised the issue with TfL – experiencing the overcrowding herself and pressing for urgent improvements.
Abena Oppong-Asare, MP for Erith and Thamesmead, said: “This is fantastic news for local residents who have been raising concerns about overcrowding on the 244 for many years.
“It was vital for me to raise this directly with TfL and I’m delighted that they have listened to our community and agreed to introduce double-decker buses. This will make a real difference for commuters, the elderly, school pupils and families who rely on this service every day.
“I’d like to pay tribute all those who together have worked tirelessly over the years to keep this issue on the agenda. This is a great example of what we can achieve when residents and representatives work together.”
TfL had previously indicated that an update would be provided in early autumn 2024, but no confirmation followed. The latest announcement now confirms concrete plans to increase capacity, with double-decker buses being phased in after changes to stopping arrangements in Thamesmead.
Abena Oppong-Asare MP visiting a 244 bus stop in Shooters Hill to mark the victory:
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Untitled-2-2.png10801080Abena Oppong-Asare MPhttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngAbena Oppong-Asare MP2025-11-07 14:51:362025-11-07 15:02:23Abena celebrates local victory as double decker buses to be introduced on overcrowded 244
Local MP for Erith and Thamesmead, Abena Oppong-Asare, has welcomed the news that Plumstead Police Station’s front counter will remain open, following strong community opposition to its proposed closure.
Since the proposals were announced over the summer, Abena has been engaging directly with local residents who expressed deep concerns about the plans.
The local MP made strong representations to the Metropolitan Police and the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, conveying residents’ concerns and stressing the importance of retaining a visible, accessible point of contact for policing in Plumstead.
Yesterday [15 October], the Metropolitan Police confirmed that 27 front counters across London will now remain open following public consultation, including right here in Plumstead.
Abena Oppong-Asare MP said:
“Residents made clear how important it is to keep Plumstead Police Station open and accessible.
“It was important for me to make representations to the Met Police and the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime and I’m delighted that they have listened and confirmed the front counter in Plumstead will stay open.
“This is a positive outcome for local residents and a real example of the community’s voice being heard.”
The updated plan means seven more front counters will stay open than originally proposed, as part of the Met’s efforts to make tough choices to close a £260 million funding gap while maintaining public access to policing services.
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Plumstead-police-station-2.jpg9201379Abena Oppong-Asare MPhttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngAbena Oppong-Asare MP2025-10-16 10:31:272025-10-16 10:31:28Abena Oppong-Asare MP Welcomes Commitment to Keep Plumstead Police Station Front Counter Open
Abena Oppong-Asare MP has today written to the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime to raise her concerns about the proposed closure of the front counter at Plumstead Police Station.
Plumstead Police Station plays a vital role in the local community, serving as an important hub where residents can access policing services and support to help keep the area safe.
In August, it was announced that the Metropolitan Police Service is planning to close the front counter at Plumstead Station. The rest of the Station will remain as it was to continue with its normal work. However, this change would mean that residents in Greenwich borough would need to travel to Lewisham, Bexleyheath or Bromley to report a crime in person.
After speaking with local residents over the summer, who have shared their reservations about these plans, Abena has today written to the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Kaya Comer-Schwartz, to raise her constituents’ concerns directly with those making the decisions.
She has also copied in Sir Mark Rowley, the Met Police Commissioner, and Sir Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London.
In her letter, Abena said:
“While I appreciate the financial and operational pressures currently facing the Metropolitan Police Service, I believe it is vital that decisions of this nature fully consider their potential impact on public confidence, accessibility, and community safety.”
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Plumstead-Police-Station.jpg361643Abena Oppong-Asare MPhttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngAbena Oppong-Asare MP2025-10-13 19:22:012025-10-13 19:24:15Abena Raises Concerns about Plan to Close Plumstead Police Station Front Counter
Delighted to visit a number of important stalls and take a tour of the Labour Party Conference Exhibitions this year!
From protecting woodlands & supporting animal welfare, to promoting breakfast clubs & raising awareness of prostate cancer – there were so many inspiring campaigns!
I also took a moment to meet the teams from the British Heart Foundation (BHF), Dementia UK, the Stroke Association and Pancreatic Cancer UK.
Thanks to all the constituents who reached out to me. See my social media post below and more photos from my visits also.
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/JH101876.jpg16002400Abena Oppong-Asare MPhttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngAbena Oppong-Asare MP2025-10-08 16:02:142025-11-26 16:02:37Visiting Stalls at Labour Party Conference
Abena Oppong-Asare, MP for Erith and Thamesmead has today (Friday 6 June) come out in support of the Labour government’s plans to deliver a free nutritious meal every school day for over half a million more children, as Labour puts £500 back into parents’ pockets every year by expanding eligibility for free school meals.
This news comes after the successful launch of free breakfast clubs earlier this year, including at local primary schools in Erith and Thamesmead. Abena Oppong-Asare MP was delighted to visit one of these schools – Jubilee Primary School – to witness firsthand the positive difference the breakfast clubs are already making for local pupils and their families.
This announcement now means from the start of the 2026 school year, every pupil in Erith and Thamesmead whose household is on Universal Credit will have a new entitlement to free school meals. This will make life easier and more affordable for parents who struggle the most, delivering on Labour’s Plan for Change to break down barriers to opportunity and give children the best start in life.
The unprecedented expansion will lift 100,000 children across England completely out of poverty. Giving children the access to a nutritious meal during the school day also leads to higher attainment, improved behaviour and better outcomes – meaning they get the best possible education and chance to succeed in work and life.
The expansion will mean half a million more free lunches across England, on top of the 3 million already dished out every day – bringing the numbers up towards 8,880 right here in Erith and Thamesmead constituency.
Since 2018, children have only been eligible for free school meals if their household income is less than £7,400 per year, meaning hundreds of thousands of children living in poverty has been unable to access free school meals.
Labour’s historic new expansion to those on Universal Credit will change this and comes ahead of the Child Poverty Taskforce publishing its ten-year-strategy to drive sustainable change later this year. It comes on top of targeted support for families being hit the hardest with the cost-of-living crisis, with urgent action including raising the national minimum wage, uprating benefits and supporting 700,000 families through the Fair Repayment Rate on Universal Credit deductions.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
“Working parents across the country are working tirelessly to provide for their families but are being held back by cost-of-living pressures.
“My government is taking action to ease those pressures. Feeding more children every day, for free, is one of the biggest interventions we can make to put more money in parents’ pockets, tackle the stain of poverty, and set children up to learn.
“This expansion is a truly historic moment for our country, helping families who need it most and delivering our Plan for Change to give every child, no matter their background, the same chance to succeed.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:
“It is the moral mission of this government to tackle the stain of child poverty, and today this government takes a giant step towards ending it with targeted support that puts money back in parents’ pockets.
“From free school meals to free breakfast clubs, breaking the cycle of child poverty is at the heart of our Plan for Change to cut the unfair link between background and success.
“We believe that background shouldn’t mean destiny. Today’s historic step will help us to deliver excellence everywhere, for every child and give more young people the chance to get on in life.”
Labour is also offering more than £13 million in funding to 12 food charities across England to redistribute thousands of tonnes of fresh produce directly from farms to fight food poverty in communities.
The Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate scheme is helping farms and organisations to work collaboratively to ensure edible food that might have been left in fields instead ends up on the plates of those who need it, including schoolchildren. This comes as part of Labour’s wider Food Strategy, helping to drive change and support a healthier, more sustainable and resilient food system.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:
“Poverty robs children of opportunities and damages their future prospects. This is a moral scar on our society we are committed to tackling.
“By expanding Free School Meals to all families on Universal Credit, we’re ending the impossible choice thousands of our hardest grafting families must make between paying bills and feeding their children.
“This is just the latest step of our Plan for Change to put extra pounds in people’s pockets – a downpayment on our Child Poverty Strategy, building on our expansion of free breakfast clubs, our national minimum wage boost and our cap on Universal Credit deductions through the Fair Repayment Rate.”
Abena Oppong-Asare, MP for Erith and Thamesmead, said:
“I know from speaking directly to local parents how much the stain of child poverty has impacted families in Erith and Thamesmead.
“That’s why I fully support this decisive and much needed action to expand the entitlement for free school meals to thousands of children across Erith and Thamesmead, lifting many out of poverty and putting money back in parents’ pockets.
“Children deserve the best start in life, and I’m proud that Labour is delivering this through its Plan for Change.”
To ensure quality and nutrition in meals for the future, Labour is also acting quickly with experts across the sector to revise the School Food Standards, so every school is supported with the latest nutrition guidance.
This new entitlement will apply to children in all settings where free school meals are currently delivered, including schools, school-based nurseries and Further Education settings. We expect the majority of schools will allow parents to apply before the start of the school year 2026, by providing their National Insurance Number to check their eligibility.
Schools and local authorities will continue to receive pupil premium and home to school transport extended rights funding based on the existing free school meals threshold.
This is just the latest step in Labour’s Plan for Change to break the unfair link between background and opportunity, including rolling out free breakfast clubs, expanding government funded childcare to 30 hours a week for working parents and commitment to cap the number of branded school uniform items.
From April 2026 until the end of parliament, millions of households are set to receive a permanent yearly above inflation boost to Universal Credit. The increase, a key element of the Government’s welfare reforms to be laid before Parliament, will tackle the destitution caused by years of inaction that has left the value of the standard allowance at a 40 year low by the early 2020s.
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/GsqnqU_XcAACiJL.jpeg13501080Abena Oppong-Asare MPhttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngAbena Oppong-Asare MP2025-06-06 15:43:312025-06-06 15:43:32Abena Oppong-Asare MP Welcomes Labour’s Free School Meals Expansion Plan for Thousands of Erith and Thamesmead Children
Pupils in Erith and Thamesmead are set to benefit from essential maintenance fixes being rolled out in schools across the country thanks to the Labour government, with up to £110.3 million being invested in schools across London alone through the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF).
Children at these local schools will benefit from a share of £470 million for projects in education and healthcare settings, set to fix crumbling roofs and remove dangerous asbestos – restoring pride in England’s classrooms and undoing years of dangerous Conservative neglect.
The five schools in Erith and Thamesmead that will benefit from the fund include:
Christ Church (Erith) Church of England Primary School
Shooters Hill Sixth Form College
St Augustine of Canterbury Church of England Primary School
Trinity Church of England School, Belvedere
Windrush Thamesmead Primary School
These schools will benefit from a range of essential upgrades, including urgent fire safety improvements, modern heating systems, and other critical infrastructure repairs. This will ensure local pupils are kept warm, safe, and in the best possible environment for learning.
The funding is part of Labour’s mission to fix the dire state of public services inherited from the Conservatives and deliver investment and reform through the Plan for Change, supporting children to get the best start in life.
It is part of a record £2.1 billion investment into the school estate this year – £300 million more than the previous year – as Labour forges on with delivering for the public by investing in our children, their futures and the future of this country.
MP for Erith and Thamesmead, Abena Oppong-Asare, said:
“Parents across Erith and Thamesmead will remember the terror of the RAAC crisis, the fear that children were no longer safe in their own school because of years of Tory neglect.
“Labour is turning the page through our Plan for Change, literally fixing the foundations of our schools so local children are in a safe environment where the can achieve and thrive.
“Having spoken directly to many schools in our community, I know just how urgently these improvements are needed. These upgrades will make a real difference to staff, pupils, and the future of our local schools.
“With free breakfast clubs, cheaper uniform costs and safer schools, Labour is setting children up for the best start.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:
“The defining image of the school estate under the previous government was children sitting under steel props to stop crumbling concrete falling on their heads. It simply isn’t good enough.
“Parents expect their children to learn in a safe warm environment. It’s what children deserve, and it is what we are delivering.
“This investment is about more than just buildings – it’s about showing children that their education matters, their futures matter, and this government is determined to give them the best possible start in life.”
Labour’s investment will deliver energy efficient, warm classrooms with safe outdoor spaces that are not just fit for lessons, but for the future. Creating a welcoming and supportive school environment for generations of children so they can achieve and thrive as they progress through their education.
A further £1.4 billion will back the acceleration of the School Rebuilding Programme this year, with a commitment to kickstart projects at 100 schools this year alone, as Labour seeks to fix the foundations of our school estate.
Rejuvenating schools by delivering new, high-quality buildings that are not just energy efficient but fit for all pupils needs.
This will provide high-tech facilities that will raise the standards of education through new sports halls, IT rooms, school kitchens and playgrounds that children and staff can enjoy for years to come.
Projects will be delivered during the 2025 to 2026 financial year, with the first upgrades expected to begin this summer.
In recent years, fly-tipping has skyrocketed by a fifth whilst the number of prosecutions has fallen by the same amount. The failure to punish these criminals has left our high streets, roads and countryside buried under an avalanche of rubbish.
Having campaigned on this issue during my time in opposition, I strongly welcome the new Government’s tough stance on fly-tipping and waste crime. For far too long, under previous Governments, waste criminals and fly-tippers who blight our communities went unpunished undeterred. That ends now.
Councils will now have the power to work with the police to identify, seize, and crush vehicles used by waste criminals. Drones and mobile CCTV cameras will be deployed to track down the cars and vans used by fly-tippers so they can be taken off our streets and destroyed.
Those who operate illegally will face serious consequences – with new legislation introducing prison sentences of up to five years for those caught transporting or dealing with waste unlawfully.
These are strong but necessary steps to clean our streets, both here in Erith and Thamesmead and across Britain as well. I will continue to keep a close eye on how this policy is implemented locally, and I welcome any concerns or suggestions constituents may have as we work together to tackle this important local issue.
Pleased the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs personally addressed this vital issue facing Erith and Thamesmead in the video above.
My Post on Social Media supporting the Government Announcement:
https://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/DSC_1182.jpg7161200Abena Oppong-Asare MPhttps://www.abenaoppongasare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SM-Logo-3.pngAbena Oppong-Asare MP2025-05-09 15:57:382025-05-09 15:57:39Backing the Government's Crack Down on Fly-Tipping
