This week was a fitting moment for a debate on the future of the nuclear industry in Cumbria given it marks the anniversary of the world’s first civil nuclear power station, Calder Hall, in my constituency. It was a landmark moment for
Before becoming an MP, I worked for 22 years in the NHS, including a role as a mental health nurse. Working there I saw how deep rooted the issues are within our mental health system. Children as young as nine were self-harming
I think it is fair to say that whilst many of us recognise sepsis as a serious condition, most people do not understand the real danger it poses and how often it is mistaken for another illness. The cases of both my
THIS year marks the 200th anniversary of the RSPCA: the oldest animal welfare charity in the world. Two hundred years ago, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals met in a London coffee shop at a time when the issue
With only around two hundred chalk streams worldwide, they are a precious feature of our natural environment, and I’m highly privileged to have four within my constituency of Harpenden and Berkhamsted. Being waterways uniquely containing mainly spring water, chalk streams hugely enrich
When people asked me on July 5th whether the incoming Labour Government would do anything to derail the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, pointing out that its most important clauses weren’t due to be commenced until August 1st, I assured
As we approach the first anniversary of the 7 October terror attacks which shook Israel to its core, we are all witness to the continuing scenes of carnage, destruction, and the shocking human toll on civilians, from the 1200 killed in Israel,
Lord Collins, the new FCDO Minister has had a long-standing commitment to the people of Africa, and he will bring expertise and humanity to the many challenges he now faces – the most urgent of which is the catastrophic war in Sudan.
The Government might be able to ignore my request for a meeting to discuss their disastrous decision to impose VAT on independent school fees, but they won’t be able to ignore my Westminster Hall debate. I warned at the election, and I’ve
A year has passed since the former Chancellor imposed a staggering 10.1% increase in excise duty on Scotch whisky and other spirits. This was the largest such tax hike in over four decades, and the result has been nothing short of disastrous
