Some MPs have said they are quitting X amid reports its AI tool is being used to create sexualised images. Ofcom launched an investigation into Elon Musk's social media platform and its chatbot, Grok, which is reportedly being used to create and share undressed images of people, as well as "sexualised images of children". In the south of England, MPs Layla Moran, Darren Paffey and Vikki Slade are among those announcing their departure from X in recent days. The full article c

A new constituency-wide campaign has been launched inviting residents to share photographs of places they value across the mid Dorset and north Poole areas. The Love MDNP project is asking people to submit images of favourite locations, ranging from countryside and heathland to town centres, parks and lesser-known spots, with entries open until 6 February as part of the first stage of the campaign. After submissions close, a shortlist will be chosen and put forward to a publi

Vikki Slade, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, has joined Whizz Kidz, the UK’s leading charity for young wheelchair users, at a parliamentary event calling for urgent reform of disabled bus pass legislation in England. Under current rules, disabled people are only guaranteed free bus travel between 9:30am and 11pm. While some Travel Concession Authorities extend these hours, many do not, creating a postcode lottery that prevents disabled people from accessing work, education

Vikki Slade, Member of Parliament for Mid Dorset and North Poole, has announced The Old Inn, Holt as the winner of her Pub of the Year competition. The full article can be read here .

More than 123,000 patients in Dorset waited over a month for a GP appointment in October, prompting calls for a new legal right to be seen within seven days. Liberal Democrat analysis shows the figure represents a 213 per cent rise compared with July last year, when Labour took office, with waiting times increasing sharply across the county as demand continues to grow. The full article can be read here .

A change to inheritance tax rules for family farms has been welcomed locally, with the Government raising the threshold from one million pounds to two point five million. The move follows sustained pressure from farming communities and Liberal Democrat MPs, after concerns that earlier plans could have forced long established family farms to sell land or cease trading, particularly in rural parts of Dorset. Vikki Slade said the decision was a positive step but warned it did no

Hospital admissions for flu have risen sharply, prompting calls for urgent community vaccination measures to protect vulnerable Dorset residents. Calls have been made for vaccinations to be delivered in familiar community venues across Dorset, including village halls, pubs and churches, as pressure on NHS services increases and hospital admissions linked to flu rise week on week. The proposals have been backed by Vikki Slade, who says Dorset’s older population means the count

Andrew Kenway has been named the first Local Hero Award winner for Mid Dorset and North Poole after being recognised for his contribution to community life. The award, launched by Vikki Slade MP, is designed to highlight individuals and organisations whose everyday actions help strengthen communities across the constituency, with a focus on work that often happens quietly and without public recognition. The full article can be read here

Thousands of people have signed a petition opposing the controversial mandatory digital ID policy, an MP says. Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, Vikki Slade, has urged ministers to scrap the policy. This comes after a Westminster Hall debate on the subject. The full article can be read here .

MP is calling to give council powers to restrict junk food advertising near schools and other places where young people spend considerable periods of time. Mid Dorset & North Poole MP Vikki Slade is working to table a new clause in the devolution bill giving councils the power to regulate advertising on privately-owned billboards. The full article can be read here

A Dorset athlete’s Olympic selection has led to renewed calls for action on sports funding after local MP Vikki Slade said financial pressures were putting young talent at risk. Jacques Jefferies, whose grandmother lives in Mid Dorset and North Poole, will represent Team GB at the Winter Olympics in February. He has reached the highest level of his sport but is covering his own costs through a fundraising page. The full article can be read here .

Council leaders across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire say Wessex should be allowed to press ahead with mayoral elections in 2027 following Government delays to devolution plans elsewhere They say the region has already completed its local government reorganisation and is ready to move forward. In a joint statement, they said they want Wessex to join other fully unitary areas preparing for mayoral polls in the same year. The full article ca

A DORSET MP is calling for funded school transport to be extended to 16 and 17-year-olds after concerns were raised by students at Purbeck School. MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, Vikki Slade, visited the school to meet students and see its new Purbeck Complex Communication Base, which supports SEND pupils. The full article can be read here .

High street hospitality venues across Mid Dorset and North Poole face growing pressure, according to MP Vikki Slade, who says a VAT cut could offer immediate relief for local businesses. Polling commissioned by the Liberal Democrats shows that more than half of people across the South West are worried about losing their local pub, while many fear the closure of bars, nightclubs, cafés and restaurants. Vikki Slade said local businesses are dealing with rising costs alongside

A BCP Green Party councillor says public services need to be brought back into public hands after a regulator found Wessex Water failed to adequately maintain and upgrade its wastewater network. Wessex Water, which provides sewage services in Dorset, has proposed an £11 million enforcement package to avoid being fined £10 million by the Ofwat. The full article can be read here

Despite a grim weather forecast, huge crowds lined the streets of Wimborne for the annual Remembrance Parade ahead of the service taking place in the Minster. It was conducted by the Revd William French, chaplain of Wimborne Royal British Legion assisted by clergy of the town. Dignitaries attending included Vice Lord Lieutenant of Dorset, the Hon Charlotte Townshend, High Sheriff of Dorset Callum Bremner, Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick, Vikki Slade MP and Sir Wil

A DORSET MP has called for urgent action after it was revealed that HMRC failed to pick up 83 million taxpayers’ calls. Vikki Slade, Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, has called for urgent action to tackle HMRC’s customer service crisis, including a new “Retiree Red Phone” hotline to support pensioners. The full article can be read here

GP appointment waiting times have reached a 'record high' prompting concerns from a Dorset MP. New figures show more than 377,000 appointments across the county have involved waits of over 28 days since January – a 165 per cent rise compared with five years ago. Continue reading here

Just two per cent of bicycle thefts in Dorset were solved last year, prompting Liberal Democrat MP Vikki Slade to call for tougher action and national support for police. New data from Dorset Police shows only 17 people were charged or summonsed out of 793 reported thefts across the county. Vikki Slade, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, said cycle theft is becoming “effectively decriminalised” and is backing a proposed national crackdown called “Operation Bike Bait.” Continu

The Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole welcomed the Government’s decision to extend the Decent Homes Standard to cover Ministry of Defence (MoD) accommodation for the first time. Following years of campaigning by the Liberal Democrats, the Government has agreed to amend the Renters’ Rights Bill to require all service family homes to be assessed annually and reported on. Read the rest here .