A new year message from David Pinto-Duschinsky

Hendon MP David Pinto-Duschinsky (credit parliament.uk)

First and foremost, I would like to wish all Barnet Post readers a very happy new year. I hope you have all enjoyed a relaxing and peaceful festive season.

Whether you have been celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, or simply taking a quiet moment to rest and recharge, I hope the holidays offered an opportunity to slow down, reconnect with family and friends, and appreciate what matters most: the people around us, the bonds that tie us together and the community spirit that makes our area such a wonderful place.

It is the privilege of my life to serve the people of the Hendon constituency, including Burnt Oak, Colindale, Edgware, Mill Hill, and West Hendon, as your member of parliament. I am grateful for every day I get to spend in our community, working hard on your behalf.

I want to say thank you to everyone who works so tirelessly across our communities to make Hendon such a fantastic place to live, not only over the Christmas period, but throughout the year. Our emergency services, police officers, NHS staff, retail and hospitality workers, postal workers, carers, volunteers and many others all play a vital role. Thank you for everything you do.

The new year is an opportunity to reflect and to look ahead. One of my key resolutions for 2026 is to continue working constructively with the local people, groups and community leaders across Barnet, regardless of party, to get things done for our community.

A big part of my role is to champion the issues that matter most to people here: making sure people can see a doctor when they need to, helping people with the cost of living, supporting safer streets, strengthening local services, investing in young people, and ensuring that Barnet remains a great place to work and live.

On each of those priorities, 2025 brought progress. For instance, over the last eighteen months, the government has delivered over five million additional NHS appointments.

Here in Hendon, we’ve seen many neighbourhoods get more dedicated police, with for instance Colindale’s neighbourhood policing team due to expand to 13 officers and PCSOs. Meanwhile, measures in the recent budget will improve the living standards of over 4,000 children in Hendon and ensure all households get £150 off of their energy bills.

But while things have moved forward, I know there is still a huge amount to do. And I am committed to working hard every day in 2026 to deliver real change for our area.

At the heart of my approach is my determination to listen to you and to do all I can to help local people. As your MP, it’s central to all I do and I take it incredibly seriously. That’s why, over the course of the last year, I’ve held more than 60 surgeries and dozens of community events, as well as conducting hundreds of visits and meeting with thousands of local residents.

What’s more, in response to residents’ requests, my office and I have opened more than 10,000 individual pieces of casework. Every week, residents get in touch about the issues affecting their daily lives, from housing and healthcare to local transport, schools, safety, and support with bills as well as questions about national issues.

More than 10,000 times in the past year, a resident has got in touch to raise a query or ask for help and I have taken up their case, provided answers where I can, pressed for action, or worked to resolve a problem. I can’t always fix things but I will always try and I will always be transparent about what I can do and how I can help.

These conversations and requests for support shape my priorities and ensure that the work I do in Parliament and across our community is firmly rooted in the experiences and concerns of the people I represent.

As we enter the new year, I hope it brings you and your family peace, good health, and plenty of joy. Thank you for everything you contribute to our community, in my Hendon constituency and across Barnet. I look forward to the year ahead and to what we can achieve together with optimism and determination.

Once again, wishing you and your family a wonderful festive season and a very happy new year.

David Pinto-Duschinsky is Labour MP for Hendon

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