The Great British Summer Savings scheme has officially started and lasts for the whole of August! - VAT cut from 20% to 5% on many family activities - Cheaper kids’ meals - Free bus travel for 5 to 15-year-olds in England

You may have seen that I often refer to 'cases' as part of the work I am doing to support South East Cornwall, but what does that actually mean?

Casework updates from July!

Young people in Cornwall are struggling to get to college, work placements or apprenticeships. Although the £2 fare cap and bus franchising pilot are good steps forward, my Cornish colleagues and I know that much more needs to be done so that our young people can fully achieve their potential.

Our region has been selected to launch the new South West Fostering Hub, which will provide specialist support for the most vulnerable teenagers and boost the number of foster carers through over £3 million of funding.

It was great to be part of the Take Back South West Water discussion at Unite the Hill Festival at Maker Heights. We spoke about how we deliver lasting reform of the water industry, from stronger regulation and accountability to giving local communities a bigger voice.

I am honoured to have been appointed as a Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Foreign Office. To protect our interests here at home, we must work with our international allies and partners to strengthen our defence, security and economic development.

Social media companies influence what millions of us see online. We need transparency, accountability, and effective regulation.

I was proud to stand alongside local people calling for change at the Tamar Bridge Protest. Residents shouldn’t have to pay every time they leave South East Cornwall to get to work, attend hospital appointments, visit family, or grow their business.

I have previously stood up in Parliament and called for the UK to ratify the High Seas Treaty, which is a major global treaty to protect the world’s ocean Now that the UK has ratified the Treaty we are clearly demonstrating our commitment to supporting our ocean and protecting coastal communities

My next surgeries are in Lostwithiel on Friday 24th July in the afternoon and in Saltash on the morning of Saturday 25th July.

Many local families face low wages, seasonal employment, high housing costs, and poor connectivity and access. I raised these issues in Parliament because our needs must be properly recognised rather than treating every community the same.

I met with the British Dental Association to speak more about the issues we are facing and what needs to be done so that we can access NHS dentistry in our communities. I’ve also raised issues of recruitment and retention with the Minister responsible and asked parliamentary questions.

Ahead of the upcoming Tamar Tolls Action Group Protest, I met with the Minister for Roads and Buses, Simon Lightwood MP, in Parliament to speak more about the recent challenges on the Torpoint Ferry and how we can ensure the long-term resilience of the Tamar crossings.

I recently attended a fishing debate in Parliament and, while I wasn’t able to speak during the debate, I followed up afterwards by meeting with the new Fisheries Minister, to discuss these issues and the challenges facing fishing communities in South East Cornwall.

Following months of campaigning alongside patients, clinicians and charities, the NHS will now routinely fund dabrafenib for people with rare BRAFV600E histiocytic tumours where standard treatment has failed.

I’ve been working closely with local CROs, Ministers and colleagues, and the CEO of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to ensure every possible option is considered regarding call out payments.

Coastguard Rescue Officers (CROs) do an invaluable service for our coastal communities in South East Cornwall to keep us safe, no matter the conditions. We truly appreciate the efforts that they put in day in, day out.

It has been an exciting time for The Story of Emily in St Ive, near Liskeard over the past couple of months. Their hard work has been recognised through awards, and they recently celebrated the centenary of Emily Hobhouse, who the museum is dedicated to.

What another spectacular Liskeard Show! We had some fantastic weather, but I’m sure many of us are ready for a break from this heatwave! It was an honour to speak again as South East Cornwall’s MP and celebrate the best of our agricultural sector.

On BBC Politics South West, I welcomed Cornwall’s bus franchise pilot, which looked at the way buses operate in other areas, and how we can apply those principles to more rural communities. Cornwall is one of only three areas in the UK to be part of this type of pilot!

It was great to be back at Looe Community Academy to meet with the Headteacher and members of staff. We had an honest conversation about some of the challenges the school is facing, alongside the exciting work underway to improve outcomes for pupils.

I know that we need to take action to address concerns about NHS dentistry. So, I’ve raised our needs in Parliament to the Department for Health and Social Care and demanded a meeting to discuss the urgency of fixing recruitment and retention issues in areas like ours.

Continuing to take action to support defibrillator access, I have written a letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care about what steps are being taken to ensure that support is available to maintain defibrillators and to improve public awareness about CPR and defibrillator use.

Read my statement on Sir Keir Starmer's resignation below 👇👇👇

Sir David Attenborough has spent his life helping us to see the beauty and wonder of the natural world. During a recent debate in Parliament about a permanent national monument in his honour, I raised the importance of ensuring any work is designed and created by British artists.

TamarTag applications are now available fully online, which is good progress to save people time and make it a bit easier to access essential services across the Tamar. But it’s a measure that should already have been in place for years. We need technology that is fit for 2026.

I recently met with representatives from Sheviock Parish Council in Tredis to speak more about the issues that they have faced with an energy provider hiking up their defib energy bill from £144 a year to £1400. I am pleased that the supplier has taken appropriate steps to address their concerns.

In coastal areas across the UK, including here in South East Cornwall, Coastguard Rescue Officers bravely tackle situations to keep us safe around our coastline. I recently wrote to the Chief Executive Officer of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency calling for a meeting to discuss the decision.

I attended a deeply moving event in Parliament to celebrate the life of Jo Cox, 10 years after she was murdered. We thought of her family, friends, and everyone in her life who loved her.