Putney MP Welcomes a 'King's Speech for Talent'

Fleur Anderson endorses government programme

Fleur Anderson responding to the King's Speech in the House of Commons

May 18, 2026

Putney MP Fleur Anderson has welcomed the Government’s first King’s Speech as an “ambitious and practical programme of change” that she says will make a real difference to residents across the constituency.

We mistakenly reported earlier that she had also endorsed Keir Starmer and that she had signed a letter opposing a leadership contest but she has asked us to point out that she has deliberately not stated her position on whether or not the Prime Minister should stay.

Speaking during the House of Commons debate following the address, Ms Anderson highlighted what she described as the Government’s early achievements since taking office — including raising the minimum wage, introducing day-one sick pay, ending Section 21 evictions, returning South Western Railway to public ownership, and lifting an estimated 450,000 children out of poverty by scrapping the two-child benefit cap.

She said the 37 Bills announced in the King’s Speech would “touch every part of life in Putney”, with particular significance for housing, water quality and leasehold reform.

“This is a King’s Speech for talent,” she told MPs. “Britain’s got talent and Putney’s got talent. This King’s Speech shows that this Government back the talent of Putney’s young people.”

Ms Anderson singled out several Bills she believes will have immediate relevance for her constituency.

She welcomed the Government’s commitment to long-term investment in social housing, describing it as essential for families struggling with overcrowding and insecurity. She also highlighted the proposed cladding remediation legislation, which she said would be particularly important for residents in Putney still living with the legacy of unsafe building materials.

The MP also backed new clean water legislation, arguing that stronger regulation and enforcement would benefit communities along the Thames and Wandle.

On leasehold reform, she said the acceleration of the transition to commonhold would “make a tangible difference to thousands of constituents trapped in unfair or outdated arrangements”.

As a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Ms Anderson used her speech to emphasise the importance of the Government’s proposed “EU reset”.

She cited the Committee’s recent report, which concluded that closer alignment with the EU must be guided by a clear strategic vision rather than piecemeal agreements. She called for progress on a veterinary and sanitary agreement to reduce border checks, mutual recognition of professional qualifications, rejoining Erasmus+, a youth mobility scheme and stronger defence and security co-operation through frameworks such as Security Action for Europe.

Ms Anderson voiced strong support for raising the minimum age for social media use to 16, backed by robust age-verification measures. She said her position was shaped by recent discussions with pupils at Hotham Primary School, Putney High School and Ashcroft Technology Academy, who shared concerns about the impact of algorithms and addictive design on young people’s wellbeing.

She argued that “the time has come to set a clear principle that childhood should not be shaped by algorithms designed to maximise engagement at any cost”.

Turning to foreign policy, Ms Anderson welcomed the Government’s stance on Ukraine and Iran, but urged stronger action against illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. She also called for urgent funding to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in Sudan.

She argued that development spending should be understood as “frontline security spending”, helping to prevent instability that armed groups exploit and creating space for diplomacy.