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I led a Parliamentary debate on ports and port connectivity, where members from all the edges of the country came to talk about their very different ports and their potential. As an island nation, our prosperity is closely connected to the strength of our ports. Our towns flourish where ports thrive, and decline where harbours have silted up, and trade moved on. Supporting our ports and making sure they are well connected is vital to our national success and resilience, yet the infrastructure needed to support the growth of our ports is not always in place. That’s why improving rail connectivity must be a priority. The Railways Bill is a welcome step because it places a duty to promote rail freight and set growth targets. This matters a lot when a single freight train can take up to 129 lorries off our roads - with clear benefits for the environment and local communities. In Falmouth, I have been campaigning to reopen a short stretch of track linking the docks to the branch line, which has not been used for 20 years. With the rebirth of the critical minerals industry in Cornwall, there will be a big demand for freight transport. There are other connectivity challenges, beyond transport. Ports are facing growing constraints in accessing the grid. With the sector moving towards decarbonisation, demand for electrification is increasing, yet limited grid capacity is holding projects back. We can see that in Falmouth, where plug-in power for ships is available, but restricted capacity means it can be used only by smaller vessels. Like many ports, Falmouth is looking ahead. And it is well placed to support the emerging floating offshore wind (FLOW) sector in the Celtic Sea; the docks are being redeveloped to service turbines and are surrounded by a cluster of innovative marine engineering businesses, designing anchors and floating platforms. Falmouth can play an essential role in the clean energy transition, and this would create jobs for our kids – that’s why I urged for a “no regrets” investment. You can read more of my speech here: Ports and Port Connectivity - Hansard - UK Parliament

It has been 10 years since the tragic death of Jo Cox, Labour MP for Batley and Spen, who was killed in her constituency during the EU referendum campaign on 16 June 2016. Her death shocked across the political spectrum. Jo made an impact in Parliament. She was a strong advocate for many causes, campaigning on the rights of women and girls and standing up for the marginalised and vulnerable in society and across the world. She was driven by her belief that a fairer, kinder and more tolerant world was possible, and a strong sense of public service. In fact, Jo has helped my own path towards becoming an MP. I was fortunate to be part of the 4th cohort of the Jo Cox Women in Leadership Programme, which supports women in the Labour Party to become future leaders in politics and public life. It was a valuable experience, bringing me closer to inspiring women and helping build confidence and skills and counter ‘imposter syndrome’. It encouraged me to push myself out of my comfort zone and on to things I thought I’d never do – like enter Parliament at age 51! Jo’s legacy emphasises the urgent need for unity and understanding, especially in light of the recent awful murder of Henry Nowak, which, despite the wishes of his family, became a focus for wider tensions and acts of violence, reflecting the dangers of increasingly divisive politics. As well as the shocking scenes in Belfast, after a man was attacked and badly injured, where homes have been set alight. These violent backlashes highlight how quickly anger can escalate when we are divided. In her maiden speech, Jo said, “…we are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us”, and this sentiment feels increasingly resonant as time goes on.

I was sad about Keir Starmer’s resignation. The Keir I know is a decent and honourable person who cares very much about this country and the people in it. In the first four of his six years running the Labour Party, he stabilised and turned around our party, made it fit to govern and won an election. In the last two years he has stabilised and turned around the direction of the country. He has a long list of achievements as Prime Minister - from rebuilding the NHS, restoring our international reputation with authority and dignity, trade deals, making progress with immigration and significantly cutting the numbers of hotels and small boats for the first time after years of chaos. Lifting half a million children out of poverty, free childcare, employment and renters’ rights. Nationalising rail and steel. Progress to fix water. We passed 50 laws in the first Parliamentary session, and I’m proud of the great majority of them, and the benefits will be seen by ordinary people for years after he has gone. However, obviously that will take time. I did not want a leadership election. I wanted stability for the country so we could get on to deliver on all the things we promised in the manifesto. We were elected to do a job and improve the country, and we are not even halfway through. I am glad that Keir is staying in post until a new leader can be chosen to enable as smooth a transition as possible. For my part, I will now be making sure that any potential new leader understands what Truro and Falmouth, and Cornwall more widely, need from our Government. The people in this constituency will always be my absolute priority.

The 5p fuel duty cut will now continue until the end of 2026. This means many people in rural areas like Cornwall who rely on their cars will be able to breathe a sigh of relief as they now have some certainty until the end of the year. Additional support is also available for those who use their vehicles for work, with increased tax-free mileage rates this year. This is particularly important for sectors such as health and social care in Cornwall who travel further than the average for jobs. There’s extra support for important sectors facing higher fuel costs. Hauliers will be given a 12-month road tax holiday. The Government sees the essential role of the road haulage sector in keeping goods moving and its huge exposure to fuel costs. From 15 June, farmers and other red diesel users will see their fuel duty cut by over a third until the end of the year - the lowest rate in over 20 years. This helps keep the cost of business down at a difficult time when red diesel prices are around 50% more than their pre-Iran war levels. These measures offer short-term relief while we work hard to end our reliance on oil and gas as a country and switch to renewables, EVs and rail freight where possible.

Good news on the economic front, inflation has fallen to 2.8%, and the rate of economic growth was higher than expected at the start of the year, which is the highest in the G7 – one of our manifesto pledges. This has allowed targeted support to ease the cost of living and to boost the economy this summer. For Cornwall, these measures will be particularly helpful. A temporary VAT reduction from 20% to 5% on children’s meals and eligible children’s activities over the summer holidays will help families better afford days out, while supporting hospitality businesses that depend on summer footfall. Free bus travel for children aged 5–15 will also be available throughout August, with unlimited journeys and no registration required. The government funding is available for every operator that wants to sign up to the scheme and will help make it easier and more affordable for families to travel across Cornwall during the school holidays. This support is particularly welcome given the pressure on local transport following the withdrawal of the First Group from Cornwall’s bus services. We are helping local families and the visitor economy by ensuring Cornwall remains an affordable and attractive place to spend time this summer.

We live on a peninsula surrounded by sea on all sides. It is essential that our children can navigate the sea safely and understand how their coastline is changing. Crantock Surf Life Saving Club has around 190 members, mainly young people, and a long waiting list. It plays an important role in the constituency teaching beach safety, training future lifeguards and providing a space for the RNLI to operate. Plans for a new, more resilient clubhouse have now received planning permission and would replace the building that has fallen into disrepair. When I visited earlier this year, I met a member of the Making Space for Sand (MS4S) team, a government funded coastal resilience project led by Cornwall Council, supporting communities like Crantock to adapt to coastal change, including rising sea levels, erosion, increased storm activity and shifting sands. MS4S has already helped the club remain operational by providing secure container units to protect equipment at all tide levels. It also confirmed that a new clubhouse could be safely built on the existing site and has contributed funding towards its redevelopment. Crantock SLS continues to seek further funding to complete the new clubhouse for local children and lifesaving provision.

I was in the House of Lords for the State Opening of Parliament, watching & listening closely. The ceremony is steeped in centuries of tradition and can feel distant, but its focus is firmly on the future. It brings together the Commons, the Lords and the Crown so the Government can outline the legislation it plans to introduce. There is a lot we aim to do. We are stepping up work to fix our broken water and sewage system, which matters greatly here in Cornwall, as well as raising school standards and better supporting working families. Economic growth remains central to our plans, including attracting investment, improving trade deals and protecting key industries like steel, which is being brought back into public ownership. The King’s Speech was also a moment to take stock. In the past year, 50 Acts of Parliament have been delivered. These include new employment rights, stronger protections for renters, steps towards public ownership of our railways, and falling NHS waiting lists benefiting hospitals like Treliske. Labour governments can make such a difference to people’s lives, and I have waited a long time to be part of a government that can do that. Progress is being made, but there is more to do in this Parliament. We will keep fixing what is broken, rebuilding what has been neglected, and delivering the change people need.

Earlier this year, Cornwall faced a growing crisis in septic tank waste disposal following severe storms and heavy rainfall. Treatment works struggled with capacity, forcing companies to transport waste long distances up to Bristol. This was costing a great deal of money and time. There were even cases of sewage overflowing onto streets. In response, I coordinated a joint letter from Cornish MPs to the Water Minister, Emma Hardy. This led to a roundtable with the Environment Agency, South West Water and industry representatives to urgently address the issue. Everyone agreed to work together, and this collaboration has delivered results. Capacity has been increased at Hayle sewage treatment works, meaning it can cope even during heavy rainfall, and additional capacity has also been secured at Newham in Truro and in Plymouth. This should cover this year and possibly next, while longer-term plans are developed. This is good news for Cornwall’s visitor economy as holiday parks and camp sites fill up, and a great example of what can be achieved when people work together, cross-government and cross-agency, with business. It moves things on quickly and gets stuff done.

I have been working hard to bring rail freight back to Falmouth Docks. Funding has now been secured for a feasibility study, which is an important step towards reopening the line. Making better use of rail will be key to a more resilient and sustainable future for Cornwall. If successful, this could remove up to 77 lorries from our roads per train. It would also unlock significant benefits for Cornwall’s economy, supporting some of our new mining companies to transport Cornish critical minerals. I have been working closely with partners to move this forward and will continue pushing for progress.

Since I came to Parliament, I have been a member of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Scrutiny Committee. The Committee has published reports on the future of farming, the water industry, biosecurity at the border and fishing, amongst other things. I am honoured to have been promoted to Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra). As a PPS, I will join Defra to support Secretary of State Emma Reynolds and other Ministers in their work. The role is so important for Cornwall as it covers policy areas such as farming, fishing, food production and security, and water. It also comes at a pertinent time for the Department. Just recently, in the King’s Speech, the Clean Water Bill was announced. This will sit alongside the Water (Special Measures) Act, which received Royal Assent in 2025. These new measures will help clean up our waterways and put a stop to sewage pollution. Defra has also released a Land Use Framework, Animal Welfare Strategy and new farming schemes, which will be published this summer. I will, of course, remain focused on representing the people of Truro and Falmouth.

Cornwall Council has been allocated a capital cash injection of £9.19 million in High Needs Provision funding for 2026–27, as part of a national investment to increase specialist school places and strengthen specialist support in mainstream settings. This funding will support improvements to SEND provision across Cornwall and help more children receive the right support closer to home. The funding comes at a critical time, with demand for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in Cornwall having risen by 87% between 2019 and 2025, which exceeds the national increase. Cornwall Council’s allocation is 9% higher per pupil compared with other rural authorities with dispersed populations, recognising the high need and additional challenges and costs we face as a rural and coastal region. Alongside this capital investment, Cornwall has also received over £3 million to establish an ‘Experts at Hand’ service. This will help provide a bank of educational psychologists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists, so local children with SEND receive timely support at an earlier stage. Through casework, roundtables and surgeries, I have been in conversation with many families and service providers across Truro and Falmouth, who know the SEND system and its challenges well. This investment represents a step towards addressing some of those concerns and improving SEND provision in Cornwall.

I know that a lot of families and businesses in Truro & Falmouth are feeling the impact of global energy pressures as a result of the conflict in the Middle East. I was pleased that this Labour government announced a series of steps to help end our dependence on international fossil fuel markets and move towards cheap, clean power that’s in our control, whilst bringing our energy bills down for good. And it’s what we need to do for the planet. Win-win. Steps being taken: Taking steps to delink gas and electricity prices, including by introducing new fixed price contracts for electricity generators, ensuring their prices will not surge in the event of future gas price spikes Increasing the Boiler Upgrade Scheme Grant available to households on heating oil and LPG, taking the total grant to £9,000 Expanding the Social Housing Fund with an additional £100m of funding to upgrade tens of thousands of social homes this year Making it easier to own EVs and solar panels by removing the need for planning permission for EV home charging and rooftop solar Expanding GB Energy’s solar for schools programme to an extra 100 schools so they can fit solar panels this summer Speeding up grid connections Mandating community benefits so that communities that host new wind and solar will directly benefit from the projects through community funding