Scenes from Los Angeles in recent weeks have felt more reminiscent of a disaster film than an American city in the 21^st century. It's made for shocking viewing, family homes, whole estates, engulfed in flames and burned into ash. These scenes have only served as another devasting and stark reminder that the climate crisis is here and it's not going away.

Inaction on the climate will have consequences across every corner of the country, including right here on the doorsteps of our towns and villages. But equally, the benefits of the green transition can be shared right across the country if we are ambitious in capturing the opportunities it presents for all of us.

One of these opportunities is solar. Solar panels are the cheapest form of power we have and are nine times less expensive than gas. We've seen the consequence of sky-high energy bills as a result of our reliance on foreign fuel, there is no wonder we've seen growing calls to make solar panels standard on all newly built homes.

Backed by dozens of constituents, it's fair to say I've been a relentless advocate for solar panel installation in my conversations with the Housing Minister (perhaps almost to a fault!). But it's clear across our towns and villages there is strong local appetite for this measure, and your voices reflect a collective will to embrace practical, forward-thinking solutions that tackle both household budgets and environmental challenges.

The Government's set an ambitious goal of delivering 1.5 million new homes to address the housing crisis. It's commendable but also provides a golden opportunity to create affordable homes for families and first-time buyers with solar panel rooftops.

To me, ensuring housing regulations make solar on new builds the norm is a must, and an opportunity we can take now that will enhance all future developments. I share in the frustration of residents at the missed opportunities of far too many new homes being built without solar panels at present. At a time when we are rightly doing all we can to drive forward the green transition and deliver the affordable housing our communities desperately need, it seems hard to justify not ensuring we meet these challenges in a more joined up way.

Whether it's strengthening our energy independence, lowering energy bills or helping us achieve our ambitious net-zero agenda – a rooftop revolution has endless benefits.

The move would also signal a bold commitment to climate leadership. After years of backsliding on climate policies, adopting this measure would showcase our intent to reclaim our place on the world stage, in the global fight against climate change. Other places, from California to other parts of the EU have already implemented similar legislation. The UK has the opportunity to follow suit and demonstrate that sustainability and affordability can go hand in hand.

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I'll continue to keep up the momentum on this important issue, but I need your help. Hearing directly from residents is really important to me and my team to understand the issues that matter to you. To make your voice heard, please take a moment to fill out the survey I'm running on my social media channels and together we'll push for a greener future.

You can take part here: https://forms.gle/eQisUnZs8PZznEcy6