The River Loddon is a haven for nature and provides a fantastic habitat for many creatures, most notably a large array of fish. The Loddon is of great historical importance to Basingstoke and provides a pleasant environment for people to enjoy.
Basingstoke is a great place to live, and we want to keep it that way. High levels of house building and economic growth will put pressure on our air quality. All of us have a responsibility to reduce our impact on the environment.
Inspiring Women is a local, non-political forum established by Maria that draws together women from different fields to share their experiences in their careers and the challenges that they have faced.
Having had constituents in the past who were affected by carbon monoxide poisoning, and with the headquarters of the Gas Safe Register being based in Basingstoke, Maria has been a strong advocate for gas safety related issues.
Maria has launched a Parliamentary Petition “Basingstoke Residents Against Motorway Service Areas” to demonstrate residents’ concerns about two separate proposals for new motorway service areas on the M3 around Basingstoke. Signed copies need to reach Maria by Monday 16 April, after which Maria will formally present the petition in Parliament.
For too long politics was seen as for men only. Maria believes that having more women in elected office helps to improve politics locally and nationally. Maria is the first woman to be elected to Parliament in North Hampshire, the 265th woman ever to be elected as an MP and the 38th ever to be appointed as a Cabinet Minister. Maria wants to see more women in Westminster to ensure we have a representative Parliament.
Maria ran a six month campaign for a change in the law when she was contacted by one of her Basingstoke constituents who had been affected by 'revenge porn' being posted online.
Basingstoke is one of the top ten centres of employment in the South East, and supporting local businesses is one of Maria’s key prioritiesHaving worked in business for almost 20 years before becoming an MP, Maria has first hand experience.
Basingstoke is a great place to live and Maria wants to keep it that way. Lower taxes puts money back into people’s pockets.“More money in people’s pockets means they can choose how to spend it, which in turn can benefit the local economy. 45 000 people have seen their taxes cut in Basingstoke in the past 5 years and almost 5 000 have been lifted out of tax altogether.
