Kevin McKenna MP
LightNews LightNews
banner
kevinmckenna.co.uk
Kevin McKenna MP
@kevinmckenna.co.uk
7.8K followers 1.1K following 250 posts
Labour MP for Sittingbourne & Sheppey and former nurse. For help & support please email [email protected] with your name and address.
Posts Replies Media Videos
kevinmckenna.co.uk
In fact the local councils and other services don’t know how many people live here full time, leading to a mismatch in funding

This in an area containing multiple neighbourhoods that are in the most deprived in the country, where poor public transport exacerbates the lack of local services
Map of deprivation covering Sittingbourne and Sheppey, showing the lower super output layer of neighbourhoods with several of them in Sittingbourne and on the Island being the bottom few percent in the country
November 14, 2025 at 9:08 AM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
Add in the local challenge in Sittingbourne and Sheppey, which being in the South East with its housing costs and pressures, and also being blessed by lovely beaches, has a load of holiday parks & caravan sites that have become housing of last resort for people priced out of the rest of the region
Satellite map of the Isle of Sheppey, with some but not all of its caravan sites, holiday parks and park-home sites marked on it
November 14, 2025 at 8:51 AM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
A film you’ve seen more than seven times with a gif
November 1, 2025 at 9:10 PM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
Sorry? The only person tone deaf here is Cole

This isn’t political reporting, it’s just a calous slur

It may come as a surprise to Cole but the British public can see the horror in Manchester and the horror in Gaza and still see the humane path through both of them

Hamish is one of the best of us
October 4, 2025 at 10:01 PM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
💰 Sheppey’s getting £20 million in funding from the government and YOU get a say in how it’s spent!

🗣 Have your say now – take my quick survey: forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/respon...
September 25, 2025 at 5:40 PM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
Given the context and the crowd, despite Musk’s weasel words, this was a call for violence against the British state, from a foreign national who controls a major propaganda engine, and has engineered it to monetise hate
September 13, 2025 at 9:04 PM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
🚜 Farmers, growers, foresters & contractors thinking of new kit?

The Farming Equipment & Technology Fund can help! 💰

✅ Boost productivity
✅ Manage slurry
✅ Support animal health

⏳ Apply by midday 10 July: defrafarming.blog.gov.uk/.../fetf-202....
July 7, 2025 at 4:21 PM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
My Statement on the Universal Credit and PIP bill.
July 1, 2025 at 6:37 PM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
Fantastic to welcome Defra Minister Baroness Hayman to Sheerness re open the King Charles Coastal Path. With most of the route open you can walk from Sheerness to Leysdown via Elmley & Swale Nature reserves, lunch at The Ferry House, & see magnificent architecture in Bluetown & Queenborough
June 25, 2025 at 8:10 AM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
While there’s lots of good stuff in the welfare bill that will help people in Sittingbourne and Sheppey, I can’t support the current proposals on PIP.
That’s why I’ve joined more than 100 Labour MPs demanding the government thinks again and listens properly to the voices of people with disabilities.
Text of a parliamentary motion stating that while the House supports the principle of social security reform and helping people into work, it opposes the Second Reading of the Universal Credit and Personal Independent Payment Bill. Reasons include: lack of consultation with disabled people and carers; absence of current employment impact analysis; delayed implementation of support funding; projected increase in poverty affecting 250,000 people, including 50,000 children; no assessment of health or care impact; and pending government reviews related to disability assessments and employment support. Image showing the names of 108 Members of Parliament who have signed a reasoned amendment opposing the Second Reading of the Universal Credit and Personal Independent Payment Bill. These MPs support the amendment due to concerns about lack of consultation with disabled people, delayed impact assessments, insufficient funding timelines, and projected increases in poverty.
June 24, 2025 at 2:21 PM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
Today the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was passed by the House of Commons and will move to the House of Lords. I received a lot of correspondence on this Bill, all of it heartfelt and sincere and while I may not agree with your position I do appreciate the time you took to write to me.
June 20, 2025 at 6:04 PM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
Great visit to SWEEEP-Kuusakoski Ltd today to discuss how recycling fits into the economy in Sittingbourne and Sheppey

Fab to see that on #nationalfishandchipday the team were getting a free lunch on the company from Tom and Lisa's Mobile fish and chips as part of their summer food festival
A fish and chip van with a big Union Jack design on the side at Sweep-Kuusakoski recycling in Sittingbourne, giving out free lunches to the staff on the UK’s national fish and chip day 2025
June 6, 2025 at 7:42 PM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
Today is International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia

Last week I met Trans people, their families and friends in the constituency to hear their profound fears after the UK Supreme Court judgment

I agreed to work hard alongside them to make sure their rights are protected

1/3
Progress Pride Flag
May 17, 2025 at 8:57 AM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
My weekly update for this week is below.

This week's focus is on the mental health conference I held today. Thank you to all those who attended, including the Mental Health Foundation, @gamblingwithlives.bsky.social, Swale CVS, NexYouth, and our local NHS Talking Therapies team.
May 9, 2025 at 6:56 PM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
Everyone I’ve talked to in since being elected has raised mental health as one of our biggest challenges locally. Groups dealing with this don’t always get the chance to link up and share what they’re doing, so today I’ve set up a constituency conference to bring people together to help address this
May 9, 2025 at 7:38 AM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
To mark VE day, my team laid a bouquet of flowers on my behalf at a service held by Sheerness Town council to celebrate VE day at Sheerness War Memorial. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend in person following my father's funeral.
A photograph of Sittingbourne War Memorial with wreaths laid to commemorate Victory in Europe Day
May 8, 2025 at 3:10 PM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
This week, as your MP, I...

👮 Met with the Chief Inspector of Kent Police
🪖 Attended a briefing on defence and security at Chatham House
🗣️ Spoke about Sheppey Passports in the House of Commons

You can read my full weekly update below:
I hope everyone in Sittingbourne and Sheppey had a wonderful Easter break and were able to take a chance to relax and spend time with friends and family over the bank holiday. I marked Easter by giving a reading at Minster Abbey on Good Friday, it was great to see so many people attending the pilgrimage, with processions carrying crosses up the hill from across the Island, before a moment of collective reflection, with the incredible view of the Swale, Kemsley, the Sheppey Crossing and Sittingbourne in the distance. Afterwards I went to Minster Abbey Gatehouse Museum, which has fantastic exhibits and documents about the social and natural history of Sheppey. It is a wonderful place to visit and learn more about this unique part of Britain. As with all the museums and heritage groups across Sittingbourne and Sheppey the fabulous volunteers really make it special. I’d like to build on my recent conversation with Visit Kent to see how I can work with them and Swale Borough Council to maximise the support for these groups, and bring more people to see them. I got to see one of the notorious “Sheppey Passports”, of which more towards the end of this update. It was then good to spend time relaxing and enjoying the spring weather with family and friends over the rest of the weekend, but on Easter Monday came the incredibly upsetting news about the death of His Holiness Pope Francis. As someone who was brought up as a Catholic and for whom the Church was incredibly important throughout my formative years and still is to my family and loved ones, this is a profound moment of grief. Pope Francis has left a deep impression on many people, through his life of service and the way he exemplified the moral values of his faith through his actions, humility and commitment to peace and social justice. My thoughts and condolences are with everyone grieving his loss and hope that we all can take inspiration from his commitment to living for other people, treating everyone, even strange…
April 25, 2025 at 6:37 PM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
Happy St George's Day to everyone in
Sittingbourne and Sheppey!

It was a real privilege to attend the St George's Day
Reception at No 10 with Major Lynne Clifton of the
Salvation Army.
A photo of two people smiling in front of the doorstep to Number 10 Downing Street
April 23, 2025 at 5:36 PM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
🧑‍⚕️📈 Over 1,500 extra GPs have been recruited since 1st October.

Bringing back the family doctor and ending the 8am scramble for appointments were key commitments in Labour's manifesto, and I'm delighted that we've been delivering on this promise.
In the middle of the page is a drawing of a doctor writing in a notebook. Above and below, the text reads "Labour has recruited 1,500 more GPs since October"
April 8, 2025 at 3:21 PM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
I was appalled to discover over the weekend that Seashells family hub will face an 87% cut in their funding next year. This choice made by the Conservative run Kent County Council (KCC) will only fund a small proportion of the essential services that Seashells currently provides.
A graphic with the headline "Statement on Seashells Family Hub". Below and to the left is the text "KCC's appalling cut to Seashells' funding is a betrayal of local people. I am calling for KCC to reverse this cruel and unnecessary decision." To the right is a photo of Kevin. The full text of the statement is in the posts below this
April 1, 2025 at 4:21 PM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
A really positive announcement from the Labour Government today, further delivering it's plan for change. We've funded over 1,000 flood protection schemes helping protect 52,000 more homes and businesses.
A photograph of Kevin standing by the beach at Minster during an interview with KMTV.
March 31, 2025 at 8:10 PM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
If you're looking for a job or support getting into work, head down to Swallows Leisure Centre in Sittingbourne for today's job fair
March 31, 2025 at 10:20 AM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
Wishing all my family, friends and everyone who is celebrating a great St. Patrick’s Day today!
March 17, 2025 at 5:24 PM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
I know that like me, many other people living in Sittingbourne and Sheppey will be very concerned on hearing the findings in the CQC (Care Quality Commission) report on Medway Maritime Hospital, run by Medway NHS Foundation Trust.

My full statement on the report can be found below:
A graphic which looks like an iPhone Notes app, with a yellow header that says Kevin's notes, a subtitle with the date "March 5 2025 at 10:00 AM" and the title "Medway Maritime Hospital". The text reads: I know that like me, many other people living in Sittingbourne and Sheppey will be very concerned on hearing the findings in the CQC (Care Quality Commission) report on Medway Maritime Hospital, run by Medway NHS Foundation Trust. The report is based on an inspection from early last year and is very difficult reading - I'm appalled by the conditions that patients and staff have been faced with. Nobody should have to wait for 50+ hours without access to wash facilities, and staff must be able to speak out without fear of reprisals. I'm glad to hear that since the inspection, through the hard work and incredible dedication of Medway’s NHS staff, there have been improvements made to many of the problems identified by the CQC. It is clear though that more must be done. The Labour Government was right to call in Lord Darzi to review the state of the NHS and diagnose its problems. I fully support his recommendation to shift more care from hospitals into the community, as for people here in Sittingbourne and Sheppey The statement continues: This is the biggest single thing that would improve their care. This approach is already taking shape, with the Community Diagnostic Centre and new beds on Sheppey helping to ease pressure on Medway Maritime Hospital. However, we must go further. I urge the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board to collaborate with Kent County Council and other organisations and care providers locally, to bring Integrated Neighbourhood Teams to Sittingbourne and Sheppey — a model that has shown successes in East Kent and other areas of the UK. These teams will strengthen support for both our GPs and hospital services, ensuring patients, especially those with the most complex needs, get the care they need closer to home. Let’s work together to build a more resilient and effective healthcare system for our community. The statement ends with Kevin's signature and his name & title.
March 5, 2025 at 10:44 AM
kevinmckenna.co.uk
The current system of local government just isn’t working for Sittingbourne & Sheppey. Too often, Kent County Council has shown it doesn’t understand the needs of our most deprived areas, and doesn’t adequately support the people who need them most.

I asked a question in the House on this topic:
March 3, 2025 at 7:19 PM