On 23rd June, I brought to the floor of the House of Commons an Adjournment Debate on access to GP services. While my focus was on the growing challenges faced in North Down, the debate struck a chord far beyond my constituency
Opponents of grouse shooting often ignore the economic and environmental realities of this activity. So, when I was asked to open a debate on this issue, as a member of the Petitions Committee, I jumped at the chance to set the record
GPs are the front door of the NHS. They diagnose and treat illness, prevent disease, and provide vital mental-health support. They are the first point of call when a person is feeling unwell, they offer so much more than a diagnostic and
The campaign to get the criteria for speed camera siting changed is one that I have been working on for far longer than I have been an MP. Like many of the new 2024 intake of MPs, I was a councillor prior
From Richard Branson to Lord Alan Sugar to James Dyson, the United Kingdom has long been the home of entrepreneurial spirit. We encourage, we celebrate, and we praise the innovation behind enterprise that bring economic growth to our modest in size but
I never imagined I’d lead a campaign to ban cousin marriage. Like many, I was unaware of its prevalence and impact until professional warnings and mounting public concern landed on my desk. That reality changed everything. In parts of Britain, particularly in
I have long been an advocate about removing animals from medical testing. I am the chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Phasing Out Animal Experiments and on behalf of the Petitions Committee recently opened a Westminster Hall debate on banning dogs
Just three hours away, in the same time zone, and without significant colonial baggage, the relationship between the UK and Morocco, whilst always cordial, is way short of its potential. The sticking point – the UK as the peer-group backmarker on Rabat’s
It has always been one of my top priorities to ensure that infrastructure in our areas is accessible and reliable for all, and an essential part of this is access to cash. More and more, our rural and semi-rural areas are seeing
Last week I was privileged to host the e-petitions debate relating to the use of cages and crates for farmed animals. The debate provided a real opportunity to highlight how many animals are kept in restrictive cages and crates and have a
I have watched in horror as Gaza has been reduced to a landscape of rubble and despair: children dying of hunger, families drinking brackish water, hospitals rendered inoperative by deliberate bombardment and blackouts, civilians shot dead while queueing for food. In the
ADHD services are in the UK are failing. Underinvestment and poor organisation mean that children, young people and adults are not getting the diagnosis and treatment they deserve. Increasingly patients are met with challenges when trying to access care. Whether it be
The Prime Minister remarked that action on child poverty will be a “measure of what this government does”. I could not agree more. The Child Poverty Taskforce is set to unveil its strategy later this year, with measures such as introducing free
It’s been more than seven years since the Court of Appeal ruled that changes to public sector pensions unlawfully discriminated against younger workers, and the Government introduced the McCloud remedy to fix it. The changes saw thousands of dedicated public servants forcibly
Work experience is more than just a line on a CV—it can be a turning point. For many young people, especially those without connections or confidence, a placement in the right setting can be the difference between a future full of possibilities
We need growth. It’s the key part of the Government’s agenda and it’s a fact that our economy has to get going again. That’s why it was so important for me to lead the crucial debate on Government support for rural businesses.
On 1 July, MPs will vote on the biggest package of cuts to welfare since George Osborne’s years of austerity. The Government’s own assessment predicts that 250,000 people will be pushed into poverty as a result of the proposals – including 50,000
Bristol Airport stands at the forefront of an extraordinary opportunity — not just for our region, but for the country. The future of flight and the British aviation industry are being written right here in the South West, and they’re powered by
The public is deeply worried about the impact of assisted dying on vulnerable and disabled people, find a major new poll for Care Not Killing. Asked, “If assisted dying were legalised in Britain, how concerned or not would you be that the
It was an honour to have the chance to put a debate to Westminster Hall this week on the subject that this House has considered the USAID funding pause and its impact on UK International Development. While decisions regarding an American government
Britain was forged in the fires of the Industrial Revolution. Regions like Teesside were the powerhouses that helped build a global economy. Towns like Middlesbrough, once proudly stood as “Ironopolis”, at the centre of global industry. The metals produced in our foundries
Being Chair of the Petitions Committee has been a learning curve and also a joy. One is exposed to a wide variety of topics that make the general public tick, from animal welfare to school reforms and the infamous call for another
Politicians have tried multiple times to bring mass transit back to Leeds, without success. We’ve had everything; plans for trams, a trolley bus scheme, an elevated railway (not dissimilar to a Simpson’s style mono-rail) and even an underground proposal if you go
The Irish Sea border, dividing Northern Ireland (NI) from Great Britain (GB), is defined by the Windsor Framework. It introduces ‘Not for EU’ labelling requirements for companies based in GB wishing to sell certain food products to Northern Ireland using the Green
The benefits of outdoor education experiences are obvious to anyone who has ever gone for a hike through a muddy field while wrestling with an Ordnance Survey map, abseiled, spent the night camped in a lakeland forest, climbed a rockface or kayaked
Last year, NHS funding was a key issue for so many candidates ahead of the general election, particularly for myself and the Liberal Democrats. This issue is deeply personal to me, with my wife having worked for the NHS for longer than
Having led a debate just last week in which I bemoaned various government policy decisions – such as cuts in real terms to the UKRI budget, the shelving of the exascale supercomputer in Edinburgh, and a general lack of investment in specialist
Long-term health conditions are one of the greatest challenges facing our NHS and our society. Addressing this will take more than short-term fixes. It requires a determined, coordinated, and sustained effort. We have been promised a long-term plan for the NHS, and
One of the most striking things about working in the pro-life movement is how often we’re told our views are “extreme” or “out of touch.” Yet, when you actually ask people — when you listen to them, not the headlines — a
As an ex-miner and Member of Parliament for a coalfield community, I have been contacted numerous times by both constituents and non-constituents, about the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme, otherwise known as the BCSSS. It’s a topic close to my heart, as
Tool theft is not a minor inconvenience. It is a devastating, growing crime that is hitting tradespeople across the country, often with no accountability and no justice. Over the last year, I have been campaigning to change that. It’s time our justice
Space. The final frontier, or an extraordinary opportunity? The stuff of science fiction, or the way to drive productivity in our economy? Space today is both unique and ubiquitous. Who knows that when you tap your credit card on the tube ticket
Last week, the Strategic Defence Review containing the Government’s plans to rebuild our armed forces was unveiled. We also voted on an Armed Forces’ Commissioner Bill. The Commissioner will be an independent person for serving personnel and their families to raise problems
Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is not just a national crisis – it is a moral emergency. In the West Midlands, the scale of this crisis is staggering. Every 30 seconds, a woman or girl reports an incident of violence to
Animal protection is an issue I care deeply about and have done ever since I was a teenager. It’s one of the causes that took me into politics and to Parliament – a commitment to improving the way we treat farm animals.
In the past four years, maternity wards across England have closed their doors more than 2,200 times. That is not a typo. According to House of Commons Library date, between May 2020 and April 2024, 2,201 closures were reported by NHS trusts—848
When you’re elected to Parliament, you’re full of ideas. After walking countless miles, knocking thousands of doors, and speaking to even more people, you know by heart the issues that your area is facing, and the barriers that stand in the way
It was an honour to lead the Westminster Hall debate on the decriminalisation of abortion on 2 June 2025. My speech focussed on whether abortion should be de-criminalised. While a small number of MPs spoke passionately against decriminalisation, most MPs favoured this
Every high street should be a place where families feel safe, businesses can thrive, and communities come together, but for too long, too many have been allowed to fall into decline. Last week in Westminster Hall, I stood to debate police visibility
The British public opposes attempts to decriminalise abortion and believes that the criminal law provides “clear boundaries” and protects “everyone involved” finds a major new poll from Whitestone Insight. Asked if “Having an illegal abortion should continue to be a criminal offence
Members of Parliament are deeply concerned about inadequate safeguards in Kim Leadbeater’s assisted dying bill for women and those with eating disorders such as anorexia finds a major new poll from Care Not Killing. The poll, from Whitestone Insight a member of
I write this to the dwindling number of people who question why many MPs, including myself, have been dedicating increasing time to speaking out strongly against the Israeli government’s conduct in Gaza, and our own government’s role in enabling its behaviour. Since
For nearly a quarter of a century, I have stood in the House of Commons as the Member of Parliament for Romford, the town where I was born, raised, educated, and have lived all my life. Yet, for as long as I
New analysis from the Fabian Society, released today, shows living standards declined under the 2019-2024 government for the first time on record. The report, Better off: A plan to improve living standards in one parliament, funded by abrdn Financial Fairness Trust outlines
For more than 15 years, NHS buildings have suffered from chronic neglect. Emergency departments have been flooded by burst pipes, operating theatres have been shut down due to electrical failures, and maternity wards have lacked the basic facilities needed to provide dignified
Before being elected as the MP for Ealing Southall, I was the national officer for disability equality at the country’s biggest trade union, UNISON. I was also a shop steward for many years, representing people with problems at work. Astoundingly, about two-thirds
In an age of self-driving cars and space tourism, it is astonishing that many people in rural Britain still can’t reliably make a phone call or load a web page. I represent Frome and East Somerset, a largely rural constituency, and earlier
Ten-minute rule motions offer MPs an opportunity to seek permission to introduce a Bill to Parliament. While Bills introduced this way go to the end of the long queue of Private Members’ Bills and so don’t make progress, they are in important
For all the headlines one of the most striking things about the Government’s ill-advised reset summit with the EU on 19 May was that there was not a great deal of substance and for most purposes it amounted to little more than
Just before the Whitsun recess, I held a debate in Westminster Hall to highlight a devastating condition that has been ignored for far too long: Chronic Urinary Tract Infections. For thousands of women, this illness is not just painful, it is life-destroying.
