Paul Kohler MP
Lib Dem MP for Wimbledon, bar owner & previously legal academic at UCL, New College Oxford, SOAS & QM
NI Shadow, member of Home Affairs Select Committee & NI Committee.
Promoted by Liberal Democrats, 1 Vincent Square, SW1P 2PN
www.paulkohler.uk/
- Lucy Jaffe & I sat down with the Transform Justice podcast to discuss Restorative Justice & what needs to change to expand its use. You can listen to the episode here: pod.fo/e/3895fe
- Bus services are critical for my constituents - in some cases they're the only public transport options available. Following the recent announcement from operator Go Ahead, I've written to Sadiq Khan, asking for guarantees about the future of local bus services.
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- In 2018, I used legal action to stop Sadiq Khan closing Wimbledon Police Station. Now, Lib Dem colleagues on Richmond Council are doing the same to protect their last public-facing police station. It’s disappointing Merton’s Labour Council won’t do the same here. www.paulkohler.uk/news/article...
- Today we remember the six million Jews who were victims of the Holocaust and all those who suffered under Nazi persecution.
- I enjoyed visiting the head office of Smartway Pharmaceuticals in Wimbledon and meeting their leadership team. It was great to see first-hand the work they do in supporting patient access to essential medicines.
- It was fantastic to attend the Women In Sport reception & hear about their focus on women in coaching getting to the top level. I also loved catching up with Brian Moore, who happens to be a constituent!
- I enjoyed meeting with representatives from Merton Cycling Campaign. We discussed the benefits of active travel, how to ensure safety for all road users & the dangers of illegal e-bikes.
- It was wonderful to meet Laura and Nick, who run the New Malden Chiropractic Clinic, and hear about their work providing community-based care.
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- It was wonderful to join Thai Pongal celebrations in Raynes Park at the weekend, as part of Tamil Heritage Month.
- The response to my letter to the Department for Transport, on behalf of a constituent, about bike theft at railway stations👇
- Reporting back from another busy week ✏️
- Now the unredacted plans for the proposed Chinese Embassy have been released, I asked the Minister why key details were initially omitted - but he was unable to tell me.
- As Liberal Democrat Northern Ireland shadow, I'm at the heart of my party’s fight to ensure the UK remains in the ECHR. Read more in my latest column👇 www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/news/2576057...
- It was lovely to meet Raynes Park Guides last week. We chatted about their work in the community & how I got into politics.
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- I’m proud to be your MP for Wimbledon. Whether you’re facing issues with immigration & visas; pensions; health & social care; welfare & housing concerns; environmental protections; matters of crime & community safety - my team & I are here to help.
- Twice I asked the West Midlands Police CC Craig Guildford at Home Affairs SC whether they'd used AI to prepare the report justifying banning Maccabi Tel Aviv fans & twice he said no! I'm pleased he's finally admitted it, but why did it take so long? www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c3...
- The response from the Local Transport Minister to my letter about ZipCar ceasing operations & the impact on London emissions, congestion & net zero goals 👇
- Reporting back from last week 🗓️
- Wonderful reception on the door in Kingston this weekend as one of the five teams out canvassing across Old Malden. From the cleanliness of the streets to the state of the roads, the contrast between Lib Dem Kingston & Labour-run Merton is striking.
- Exciting day yesterday recording an episode of the Transform Justice podcast, discussing the power of Restorative Justice. Episode coming soon...
- I wanted to share some information on travel changes over the festive period from TfL, in case these are useful: tfl.gov.uk/status-updat...
- Wonderful news, not just for university students, but school pupils, those in FE & young people generally. Taken far too long, but I’m absolutely delighted the government has finally begun to reverse one of the Tories’ most counter-productive mistakes. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
- I was delighted to visit Peldon Rose, a business in the heart of Wimbledon, and hear about the incredible work they do in offices across all of London
- It was brilliant to see behind the scenes at the Royal Mail Wimbledon depot & see their operations during the busy festive period. Thank you to the team for the warm welcome!
- Lovely to meet Jack from Wimbledon Tattoo Studio. We talked about the ongoing parking challenges in Raynes Park & the real impact they’re having on local businesses, concerns I’ve been hearing from many others too. I reassured him I’m pushing Merton Council for action.
- I enjoyed catching up with Alex Woolf from Romulus, who manages Wimbledon Quarter. We discussed the exciting plans they have coming up for the Quarter, including future plans for the anchor store & introducing some new family focused activities.
- My deepest sympathy to the victims, friends & families of all those murdered & injured in this cowardly attack. This is where antisemitism leads and why we must combat it at every turn. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
- Great to be at the Queen’s University Belfast Research Showcase. Timely insights on NI’s economic growth as the Committee continues its work, & excellent conversations with those driving innovation in digital technologies & life sciences.
- I’ve written to Wes Streeting, expressing my concern about Merton’s shockingly low breast cancer screening rates. I've asked for support for our long-running campaign to boost access to these life-saving services for women in our community.
- Having repeatedly raised the unacceptable delays & cancellations on the District Line, TfL have now confirmed to me they’ve secured the money to replace the signalling system & Network Rail interface in 2026. Wonderful news, but I’ll reserve final judgment until it happens.
- Pleased to join colleagues supporting Al Pinkerton's Bill, calling for a UK-EU Customs Union. It’s critical we fix our broken trade relationship with Europe & cut the mountains of red tape ushered in by the Conservatives’ botched deal.
- I asked the Minister what steps the Government is taking to fix the mess the Tories left our criminal justice system in & make more efficient use of our courts
- It was great to visit the Health Zone Shop & Clinic in Wimbledon town centre. We talked about business rates, parking pressures & competing with online giants as an independent shop. #smallbusinesssaturday2025
- I loved calling in at the Lantern Arts Centre in Raynes Park and hearing about their upcoming production of Rapunzel. Their commitment to the arts and the community is brilliant to see, not to mention their fabulous wardrobe! #smallbusinesssaturday2025
- At the Peace Symposium in Manor Hall Park, I spoke alongside faith and community leaders about the importance of standing together at a time of rising tension. Nobody in our community should ever feel threatened because of their ethnicity or their faith.
- It was joy to meet students from Hall School & answer their questions. It was also great hearing about their engagement throughout UK Parliament Week!
- The response to my letter to the Climate Minister, on behalf of students from the Ursuline School, on the need for action on climate change 👇
- Lovely to visit Gardenia florist in Wimbledon Village, which brings so much colour & character to the high street 💐 Wonderful to meet with the founder, Jamie, & see their commitment to sustainable processes & plastic-free packaging. #smallbusinesssaturday2025
- It was fantastic to chat to pupils at Donhead Prep School about how they’ve been getting involved with UK Parliament Week. Thoroughly enjoyed answering their questions & the impromptu debate about the price of plastic bags!
- My latest column on Wimbledon Park expansion, and the All England Club's legal stalemate 👇 www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/news/2565002...
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- Disappointing U-turn from Labour on introducing a Tourist Tax today. In Sept, the former Tourism Minister dismissed the idea, rightly saying many already feel taxed enough 👇 Now, Brits could face £518M in additional tax. Hospitality & tourism are strongly opposed.
- The Chancellor’s £370M for NI barely scratches the surface. Stormont is already £400M over budget, with public services under immense pressure. 🧵
- Without any serious attempt to re-engage with Europe, the Chancellor has passed up the single biggest tool at her disposal to improve the economy & confront the £90bn Brexit deficit. Ed Davey is spot on, higher taxes won’t deliver the growth we need.
- The Met is hosting a Community Crime-Fighting event for Merton residents on 2nd Dec, where you can meet our local policing team & the Met Police senior leadership and raise any questions or concerns. Please find tickets & details here: url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/RMnOCXL8Ei...
- I asked the Minister why, given the Home Office was briefed in advance it was likely visiting fans would be banned from the Villa-Macabi match, that the government failed to offer additional support until after the ban was announced.
- Thank you to staff & pupils at Rutlish School for welcoming me last week. It was concerning hearing from the Headteacher about funding pressures schools face, but a real highlight to speak with the Year 12 & 13 Politics classes & answer their fantastic questions.
- It was wonderful visiting Malden Manor Primary and meeting the student ambassadors & councillors. I loved hearing their thoughtful questions & sharing what life is really like as an MP. It was brilliant to see so much engagement from such a young age.
- This is a disturbing report, the veracity of which I will, as a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee, do all I can to assess, during our dialogue with the West Midlands’ Chief Constable, Craig Guildford on the Maccabi fans’ ban. www.thetimes.com/article/80e1...
