Sir David Amess Summer Adjournment

Bayo Alaba Excerpts

Thursday 16th July 2026 Commons Chamber

[Mr Bayo Alaba (Southend East and Rochford) (Lab)]

I am deeply honoured to have the opportunity to speak in the Sir David Amess debate. Sir David’s life was defined by public service, including the 24 years he spent representing the constituency of Southend West. Indeed, it was in Sir David’s memory that Southend was granted city status in 2022.

That passion for our stretch of south-east Essex coastline is something I share, and something that makes sense when we consider what it has to offer. From Wallasea Island and Shoebury east beach to Southend pier and the Kursaal, there is plenty to shout about along our shores. Yet although the coast is crucial to Southend East and Rochford’s character, it also poses its own unique set of challenges. Bordered by water on three sides, we are physically isolated, an obstacle compounded by a single century-old link road and our location at the end of the railway line. I regularly hear from local residents, business owners and farmers about the impact that regular cases of standstill traffic has on their daily life and work. The cost of that, however, is felt most acutely by our young people. Teenagers in coastal areas like ours suffer worse adult health than their inland counterparts, achieve below-average GCSE results in maths and English, and go on to earn lower wages.

There is, however, good reason to be hopeful. Southend is one of the country’s fastest-growing seaside resorts, with more than 7 million visitors choosing the city for their seaside day trips each year. That is unsurprising when you consider the regeneration efforts of recent years, which I have been proud to play a part in. It is a particular pleasure to see the steps being taken to return our iconic Kursaal to public use.

Coastal communities are also beginning to feel the benefit of the turning economic tides generated by this Labour Government. The promise of local government reorganisation and devolution is also set to pave the way for greater community control of spending. In Southend and Rochford district, we know what the solutions to our problems are. We know how to unlock the huge potential for growth that exists along our coast, and in our towns and in our rural areas.We recognise the impact that a new link road would offer, and the opportunities that would be created by improved access to high-tech skills training. That is why I am proud to be reigniting the mission to secure a new link road into south-east Essex, and why I am working to attract new industries and investment into our area.

As I believe Sir David Amess understood, the success of south-east Essex is defined by our spirit of hard work and self-improvement. If our communities are given the tools to succeed, I have no doubt that we can achieve incredible things.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Judith Cummins)]

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.