Slough’s MP will lead a group in parliament aimed at representing the political interests of the Southeast.

The Southeast All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) elected Tan Dhesi as chairman at its inaugural meeting on Tuesday, September 10. It has cross-party membership.

The group is comprised of MPs and representatives from councils across the area who meet to discuss ‘critical regional issues’ including housing, local transport, and pressures on public services.

New members include the Liberal Democrat MP for Maidenhead Joshua Reynolds, the labour MP for Bracknell Peter Swallow, and Woodley and Earley’s MP Yuan Yang, also Labour.

40 councils across the Southeast are active members of the group, including Berkshire authorities Reading Borough Council, Bracknell Forest Council, West Berkshire Council, Wokingham Borough Council and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

Mr Dhesi, first elected to parliament in 2017, is also a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims.

The group works to represent the ‘aspirations and challenges’ of Muslim communities across the country, as well as investigate ‘prejudice, discrimination and hatred’ faced by Muslims.

The previous Southeast APPG focused on rail infrastructure, housing, greens and devolution as key areas for discussion.

All member meetings take place twice a year, with one in the Winter and Summer, while the executive meets four times a year. There are also meetings with guest speakers throughout the year, which previously have included the Bank of England.

The group in July pushed the new Labour government to give them a ‘seat at the table’ for devolution talks.