Last Monday, out of nowhere, the government paused its plans to carve-up Devon’s local authorities. What followed was one of my most dramatic days yet in parliament. For weeks, I had been raising the alarm about the government’s plans for Devon. As a reminder, these would have seen Exeter, Torbay, and Plymouth Councils expand, with a new Devon Council sandwiched in the space in-between. This may sound pretty insignificant, but trust me, had this plan gone ahead, the repercu

Parliament has just broken up for conference recess after a short but busy period grappling with issues like high street regeneration, the water industry, and our trading relationship with the EU. My parliamentary term resumed with a debate on the provision of face-to-face banking services – something that I have campaigned on since being elected in South Devon. Since 2015, 95% of bank branches have closed in South Devon, including Santander and Lloyds in Brixham. Though t

Today MPs voted against the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. As a supporter of the Bill, I am of course deeply disappointed by this. But I don’t believe this is the end of the debate. Nor do I believe this result should distract from the urgent need to improve palliative care. Many of the Bill’s opponents cited the dire state of hospice care as a reason for their opposition. I hope that after today’s vote they channel their energy into ensuring everyone receives the

I’m so proud to have been re-elected as Vice Chair of the Hospitality and Tourism APPG this week. Hospitality is a cornerstone industry and contributes so much to so many communities, including ours in South Devon. But I often feel the government doesn’t treat the industry with the respect and seriousness it deserves. I’m sure most have seen the statistics showing how many jobs have been lost since Labour came to office or how many pubs are closing every week. If you haven’t,

The Social Housing Bill contains many welcome measures but fails to address an issue that is hollowing out villages in South Devon: the disposal of social housing stock by registered providers. Over the last five years, 3,600 new homes have been built across South Devon, yet more than 2,400 families remain in housing need. The government argues more housebuilding is the solution to our housing crisis. Clearly, that’s not the case. When a single social rented home recently cam

Did you know exports of British food to the EU have dropped by nearly £3bn since Brexit? That’s absolutely shocking and speaks to what a nightmare trading with our closest neighbour has become. It was clear this summer that Starmer’s time as PM was ending, but one of the most frustrating things about his resignation was the postponement of the UK/EU Summit. Now, that’s not to say a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement – which would reduce the costs and bureaucracy attached to