Zöe Franklin

From today, I will not be updating this account. I will be continuing on the following platforms: Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram (see graphic for details), so do come and follow and engage with me there.

Parliament heads into summer recess next week, but far from slowing down I've been extremely busy over the last 7 days working hard for #Guildford and our villages both in Westminster and across the constituency... Here are my highlights!

When I asked the Government about this back in October they wouldn't commit to a timeline, so I am very pleased to see this announcement. I've spoken with many 16 and 17 years old during school visits and have been impressed by their questions, understanding and desire to see positive change. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c93kkg37n3kt

AI use is central to educational transformation, yet no statutory standards currently govern use in schools and its reached a critical juncture. According to Ofcom, 50% of children aged eight to 17 have already used AI tools. The MIT Media Lab recently released a study that showed students using ChatGPT displayed dramatically lower brain activity than those writing without AI with brain scans revealing a 32% drop in cognitive load. The Liberal Democrats and I are calling for a public health approach to the online world, including AI, to ensure that children remain safe online and can enjoy their childhood as intended. You can watch my speech in full on YouTube👇 https://youtu.be/x6RZ9Kap2iY

I've been meeting with constituents, raising their concerns with ministers, leading in debates, questioning the government and attending constituency events this week - working hard to deliver for #Guildford and our villages! These are my highlights...

This weekend I'm pleased to be celebrating the end of my first full year as the Member of Parliament for #Guildford constituency! It's been a busy, but incredibly rewarding year, but the hard work hasn't stopped... These are some of my highlights from this week.

It’s a year to the day since I had the privilege of being elected as the Guildford constituency’s Member of Parliament. I cannot believe that 12 months have already passed. Being an MP is a job I truly love. You can read more about my first year on my website👇 https://www.zoefranklin.co.uk/stay-informed/article/one-year-as-mp-for-guildford-and-our-villages

Congratulations to @UniOfSurrey for winning this grant, which will fund research into paediatric acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). I wish the team every success in its work to find safer, more effective alternatives for treating this aggressive form of childhood cancer. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8j1p4ywyxmo

It's 97 years to the day since women won the vote on equal terms with men. I'm immensely proud to be the 646th female MP and I was delighted to join a commemorative photocall of women MPs earlier, organised by @CentenaryAction, to mark the occasion. We each received a personalised sash by @RemakeNewport to mark our place in the history of Parliament.

I was pleased to attend the ‘Next Steps for NEETs’ conference at the University of Surrey, an important initiative, led by the High Sheriff of Surrey, bringing together local government, education and healthcare providers, police, charities, and community leaders to address how we can better support young people not in education, employment, or training (NEETs).

Delighted to visit the @RoyalSurrey Community Open Day over the weekend. It was a fantastic event, giving the public the opportunity to tour their facilitates, speak with staff and find out about the future of Royal Surrey. Thank you to Royal Surrey Chair, Joss Bigmore, for showing me around and the Royal Surrey Charity for their generous support in ensuring the event didn't need to be ticketed.

From supporting young people with autism to tackling local flooding and celebrating community wellbeing, it’s been a busy and rewarding week across #Guildford and our villages.

Local Government in Surrey is changing. On Friday 9 May, all district and borough councils across Surrey, including Surrey County Council, submitted their final Local Government Reorganisation Plan to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Two models have been submitted, both of which are financially viable - a two-unitary model and a three-unitary model. I am personally backing the three-unitary model as I believe it will deliver the best outcome for Surrey residents. The government has launched a consultation to enable resident's to provide feedback on the proposals. The consultation is open until Tuesday, 5 August and you can have your say by following this link: https://www.surreylgrhub.org/local-government-reorganisation-consultation

I spoke in Parliament to question the Solicitor General on how, in the context of the recent Supreme Court ruling that defines sex in the Equality Act 2010 as strictly biological, the Government is ensuring that the UK continues to meet its legal obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights. Read more on my website: https://www.zoefranklin.co.uk/news/article?tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=News&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=107189&cHash=210ef94fdbb8872bcf7f30640cb940d8

The Business and Trade Committee has launched an inquiry to better understand the key challenges facing small businesses. In last year's Autumn Budget, the Government pledged to publish a Small Business Strategy, outlining its vision for supporting small enterprises across the UK. This inquiry will shape clear recommendations for the Small Business Strategy to ensure it meets small businesses' needs and establish benchmarks to hold the Government accountable. If you're a small business owner please share your thoughts👇 https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=nt3mHDeziEC-Xo277ASzSugWXtlS9G1OpuyhNtc2h8lUMlFTTkJOVTREM0ZPRFBRMksxU0Q0NkpCSCQlQCN0PWcu&route=shorturl

Jimmy Lai is a British citizen and founder of Apple Daily, once Hong Kong’s largest Chinese-language independent newspaper. He has now spent over 1,600 days in solitary confinement since the paper was forcibly shut down by the authorities. Today marks four years since nearly 500 police officers raided the Apple Daily newsroom and froze the assets of its parent company. To mark the anniversary and honour the seven Apple Daily journalists still in prison, Reporters Without Borders have published a special edition of the paper. As a member of the APPG on Hong Kong, I was pleased to receive a copy of this powerful commemorative edition and speak with Reporters Without Borders representatives about the decline of press freedom in Hong Kong.

I was recently contacted by a #Guildford constituent who, due to his voice disability, spasmodic dysphonia, finds it extremely difficult to access essential services such as banking because automated phone systems often cannot understand his voice. Frustratingly, there is often no clear option to bypass them. Digital inclusion is vital, everyone deserves fair and equal access to services. Read more on my website👇 https://www.zoefranklin.co.uk/news/article?tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=News&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=107144&cHash=56de7ef2b1ee231adaea74597509c95c

This morning, I joined others in #Guildford town centre to attend the Armed Forces Day flag-raising ceremony at the Guildhall. #ArmedForcesWeek runs from 22nd–28th June 2025 and is a time to recognise and thank all those who serve, past and present, including their families, veterans, and cadets. The week also includes Reserves Day on Wednesday 25th June, and culminates in Armed Forces Day on Saturday 28th June, when communities across the UK will come together to honour the extraordinary contribution of our military personnel. You can learn more about Armed Forces Week and the programme of events on offer by following the link below👇 https://www.armedforcesday.org.uk/