This week Martin Salter, the Labour MP for Reading West, called on the Prime Minister to introduce rules in the House of Commons to bar MPs taking up paid second jobs.

Reading West MP Martin Salter will, on Sunday 14th June, become the first person to abseil down the iconic new Blade building in Reading’s town centre, as part of a fundraising drive for the charity, “Children with Leukaemia.” Mr Salter will be abseiling from 400 feet as part of One Big Drop - a national event being staged at eight centres around the UK. His drop will take place at approximately 9am.

First of all can I say thank you to all those people who have been emailing or calling my office, urging me to reconsider my decision to stand down at the next election after 25 years in public life in Reading. Whilst I appreciate all the kind things that have been said, I’m afraid my mind is made up. I’m very much looking forward to the next chapter in my life and to using what skills and experience I’ve amassed to benefit the work of a national charity.

First of all can I say thank you to all those people who have been emailing or calling my office, urging me to reconsider my decision to stand down at the next election after 25 years in public life in Reading. Whilst I appreciate all the kind things that have been said, I’m afraid my mind is made up. I’m very much looking forward to the next chapter in my life and to using what skills and experience I’ve amassed to benefit the work of a national charity.

Conservative “backwoodsmen” MPs finally dropped their opposition to a Bill sponsored by Reading Borough Council and supported by Thames Valley Police and town centre businesses and street traders aimed at regulating the activities of pedlars who were undermining the legitimate traders in the town. Currently, pedlars are able to operate under the 1871 Pedlars’ Act on the purchase of a £12.50 annual pedlars’ licence. Police and council officials had reported widespread abuses with the selling of counterfeit goods and the arrest of a number of pedlars for a variety of offences including illegal immigration.

Reading West MP Martin Salter has joined forces with his Conservative colleague across the river in the Henley constituency in a joint submission to the public inquiry into the proposed toll hike by the Whitchurch Bridge Company. The Company plans to double the toll to 40p for each crossing which represents an effective five-fold increase over the last six years.

Following the recent revelations surrounding MPs’ expenses, Reading West MP Martin Salter, and Labour candidate for Reading East Anneliese Dodds have published a seven-point plan to clean up and restore faith to the political system. Mr Salter one of just a handful of MPs who do not claim for a second home despite living a considerable distance from London.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Reading West Martin Salter who chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on Gurkha Rights expressed his joy and delight at the change of heart by the Government when they announced that Gurkha soldiers who retired prior to 1997 would be allowed to apply to settle in the UK.

Labour Angling Spokesman and Reading West MP Martin Salter spoke up for angling once again in the House of Commons this week in a debate on the “Condition of Rivers” in Westminster Hall timed to coordinate with the launch of the “Rivers on the Edge” campaign supported by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the RSPB [...]

It was my sad duty to say goodbye to a much loved figure in Tilehurst and West Berkshire this week. On Monday I attended the funeral of Brian Dowding, the former Westwood councillor. Brian was elected to the old Newbury District Council in 1973 as an Independent, later joining the Liberal Democrats and becoming their group leader for a while. He was an active member of Tilehurst Parish Council and was personally responsible for the creation of the Calcot recreation ground which would be blighted forever if the dreadful Blue Living proposals were approved at Pincents Hill by West Berkshire Council. Brian was a man of great humour, integrity and energy who put far more back into life than he ever took out. He was someone who went into politics for all the right reasons and who will be sorely missed.