Democracy is the cornerstone of our country. It is how we choose our leaders, hold them to account, and determine the direction of our nation. People judge their local candidates, the party’s manifestos, and vote for those they believe will best deliver
There are moments in public policy when warning signs are visible long before action is taken. Asbestos was once hailed as a miracle material, widely used in homes, schools and workplaces, it was only decades later that its deadly consequences became undeniable
When people ask me ‘why should we care about Nigeria?’ my response is always: ‘how could we not?’ Fifteen years ago, I sat in a comfortable hotel room in Abuja and listened to a man tell me how his wife was brutally
I came into politics to do everything I could to ensure that every single child in every single family has the best possible start in life. So I feel strongly that the existence of food banks in 2026 is stain on our
The UK’s geographic position, distant from fighting in Ukraine or Russian airborne or drone incursions in Estonia or Poland, can lead to people feeling the threat from Vladimir Putin is someone else’s problem. That could not be more wrong. We sit at the
Receiving a cancer diagnosis is one of the most difficult things anyone and their family can go through in life. I remember this from when I had my cancer diagnosis back in 2008. At the time, my daughters were 13 and 14.
The Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has dramatically sacked Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick after what she described as “irrefutable evidence” surfaced of him plotting to defect to Reform UK. In a shock statement, is reverberating across Westminster, Badenoch announced Jenrick has been
For years, universities have rightly been encouraged to take student mental health more seriously. Many have done so in good faith, expanding wellbeing, counselling and mental health support services. But while day-to-day practices have evolved, the law has not. When I led
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood says she no longer trusts West Midlands Police chief after Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban, citing watchdog report failings.
Since being elected in 2005 I have campaigned for safer streets. High streets play a vital part in how safe people feel where they live. Across towns and cities in the UK, communities are struggling under the weight of the proliferation of
As devolved nations, both Scotland and Northern Ireland have full control over their own justice systems. Wales, however, remains an outlier, with Westminster’s continued grip on our criminal justice system denying us the parity of powers afforded to other parts of the
We live at a time when it feels like the UK Labour Government is losing its moral bearings in a way that threatens its connection with the electorate, a particular problem when one remembers it received less votes than when Labour lost
On New Year’s Day, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care set out a very welcome renewed commitment to bring a really strong focus on children’s health and healthcare. This is therefore a very timely moment to make the case
In the debate on Monday, MP after MP of all political stripes stood up to lambast the performance of Thames Water. We were clear. Thames Water is a mess, and it is time to admit that it’s a failing company and it
A petition to cut a day of classes raised important issues, from pupil mental health to teacher workloads. THIS WEEK MPs headed back to school in Westminster – all of us hoping we’d make the grade with constituents in 2026. My first
Every time I drive from one end of my North Devon constituency to the other, I’m reminded of just how indispensable our filling stations are, especially with some of the most isolated across Britain. If you live in a village outside Barnstaple,
In June 2024 my constituent, Owain James, passed away at 35 from a glioblastoma, the most common type of malignant brain tumour in adults. He is survived by his widow, Ellie, and their young daughter. During his treatment, half of Owain’s 14cm
One of the most important legacies that this Labour Government could achieve would be the massive reduction in poverty and the widening of opportunities for millions of people who are currently struggling to get by. In fact, the cost-of-living crisis is now
The reorganisation of Worcestershire Councils will be the largest local government reshuffle in over 50 years. It represents a defining moment for our county, one that offers either the opportunity to deliver better value for money to residents or, conversely, the risk
Since taking office, this Labour Government has begun the serious work of national renewal after more than a decade of austerity and decline. By cutting NHS waiting times, bringing railways back into public ownership, boosting defence manufacturing, and investing in clean energy,
Labour MP Emily Thornberry warns lack of Western condemnation of US action in Venezuela could weaken international law and embolden China and Russia.
In addition to being the date on which the Veterinary Medicines Irish Sea Border comes into effect for the first time, New Years Day will also witness the arrival of the new EU customs procedures on the Irish Sea Border called Import
In April last year, my constituent Jason Knight was cleaning the final window on the home of a regular customer in Westbury when he was electrocuted by 33,000 volts. He was blown seven feet across the garden, waking up on a patch
End of term – and on the second last day I note a tractor pulling a vast trailer-load of very ripe manure through Parliament Square. Methinks the farmers (deeply unhappy about the proposed inheritance tax on their farms) were on their way
My hometown of Blackpool is often talked about as a place in decline rather than a place of possibility. It’s seen as a symbol of what has gone wrong, rather than understood as a community living with the sharpest edge of national
The UK Government’s proposed asylum reforms, outlined in the “Restoring Order and Control” policy statement, threaten to dismantle the UK’s ability to provide support to those who need it most. Beneath the rhetoric of removing the ‘pull factors’ lies a system poised
As Parliament marks what would have been Jane Austen’s 250th birthday, it is worth pausing to reflect not only on her literary genius, but on what her work continues to tell us about Britain today. Austen is often treated as a national
I was proud to lead a Westminster Hall debate on an issue of local, national and international significance: the urgent need to ban small-scale fracking operations. This was a timely moment for a debate. In my constituency of Scarborough and Whitby, Europa
Sewell Setzer was fourteen years old. For ten months, he’d been talking to a chatbot on Character.AI, a virtual companion modelled on a Game of Thrones character. When he told it he wanted to die, it asked if he “had a plan.”
On Monday night, December 15th, I had the privilege of being granted an adjournment debate, which I had requested to hold following many meetings and discussions with a constituent in Harlow and hearing their very own experience and story. The debate highlighted
I spent the majority of my working life before I entered politics in local news. Even as a child I delivered copies of the Local Guardian around south London. My first proper job was at the South London Press and later I
Whilst my constituency is located on the Humber, a world-renowned location for the offshore and renewable energy sector, I recently led a debate in Parliament on the future of the UK’s oil refining sector. This is because, up until developments earlier this
England’s adoption system is experiencing significant strain. As of this December, 3,000 children with Placement Orders remain waiting to be matched with an adoptive family, with average waits exceeding twenty months.[1] Yet one longstanding barrier for self-employed adopters, who receive no statutory financial support, is
New housing developments will be required to install special bird bricks to protect endangered species, despite Rachel Reeves’s pledge to cut regulations.
It might surprise readers to learn that while the UK has a comprehensive military honours system – including the Victoria Cross for gallantry, campaign medals for operational service, and the Elizabeth Cross for families of the fallen – we have no official
Network Rail’s new timetable has come into force – and it is bad news for passengers in our rural communities, like my own in the Scottish Borders. LNER have described the changes as ‘transformational’ – they certainly are. For big cities –
In a country famed for its rain, it seems almost absurd to talk about running out of water. Yet across England, particularly in the South East, water scarcity is placing a severe constraint on our environment, our economy and our ability to
Reform UK’s Martin Murray says it’s time to move on after Ian Cooper quit as Staffordshire council leader over racist social media allegations.
A leaked dossier reveals the Green Party may broaden misogyny rules, potentially disciplining men for disagreeing with women, raising legal concerns.
Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan plans a private member’s bill to ban fox and trail-hunting, close legal loopholes, and strengthen the Hunting Act.
Last night the Palace of Westminster came alive as we hosted the 2025 Parliament News Awards. It was an evening to celebrate leadership, impact and real commitment across Parliament—none more so than our winners, who are driving change in their fields. Kicking
In 1984, 37 workers at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead occupied their workplace to protest redundancies and threats of closure. These men were not vandals, nor were they criminals. They were men defending their jobs, pensions and the future of the communities
Kemi Badenoch urges Nigel Farage to apologise for alleged racist school remarks as classmates and PM Starmer question his denial.
Kemi Badenoch outlines plans to review UK benefits, limit support for low-level conditions, and reassess poverty measures as part of wider welfare reforms.
Since I was elected last year, I have been trying to secure a debate either in Westminster Hall or the Chamber on the issue of the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement Scheme (EACE), but without success. Finally, I managed to secure one for
Homelessness across England is reaching unprecedented levels, driven by systemic pressures, welfare shortfalls and growing financial strain on local authorities. Crisis’s Homelessness Monitor: England 2025 found that 300,000 individuals and families experienced the most acute forms of homelessness in 2024—an alarming 22%
John Swinney says Scottish independence could cut energy bills by a third, boost the NHS, and support economic growth amid criticism from Scottish Tories.
Kemi Badenoch urges Labour to examine ethnicity and religion in the grooming gang inquiry, saying survivors need a full, transparent investigation.
North Staffordshire is globally renowned for its rich heritage in ceramics, with beloved household names like Wedgwood and Duchess China producing bespoke tableware for hundreds of years. While we are proud of the Potteries’ history, we must look with ambition to our
Reform UK faces scrutiny as parties urge an inquiry into its £9m crypto donation and Nigel Farage’s alleged misuse of his parliamentary role.
