The city of El Fasher in Sudan fell to the Rapid Support Force last week after a lengthy siege which saw the militia group build an earthen wall around the city, trapping those inside who faced daily attacks and mass starvation.

Some good changes in this review but…where will new teachers come from? Who will pay for them? How will schools fit new subjects into a packed day? Equal status for languages, culture, arts, nature, adventure, sports & life skills but how will it happen? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

I’m very relieved to see the Government take the long overdue step of banning online pornography showing strangulation or suffocation. I find it completely abhorrent that young women today see this as something fairly normal, that they might be expected to take part in.

This is a shocking accusation against Ofwat. If proved true, it only further emphasises why the Government should get on with the job of scrapping Ofwat and replace it with a new, powerful regulator capable of holding rogue, sewage-dumping water firms to account.

Absolutely heart-breaking research from the McCain Foods’ inaugural Farmdex report today, showing that a third of British farmers are making a loss or only just breaking even. It makes the Chancellor’s tone-deaf refusal to reverse the family farm tax even more shocking.

The family farm tax was flawed from the start, hurting real farmers while letting big investors off the hook. In this Autumn Budget, the government must not turn a blind eye and should scrap this damaging and counterproductive tax. @sarahdykeld.bsky.social

Proud to vote against Farage’s Bill in Parliament today to withdraw the UK from the ECHR. His vision for Britain, founded upon division, which would turn us into Trump’s America, is fundamentally against the values we all hold dear. We stopped him today and must continue to do so going forward.

Weeks ago, the Prime Minister promised the UK would lead the rebuilding of Gaza, but despite the fragile ceasefire holding, not enough aid is getting into Gaza. It is clear who is causing this obstruction, and the Government must call Israel out.

We know that being in school is the best way for most children to reach their potential. And that absence from school, particularly when persistent, can impact children both academically and socially.

Delaying the Schools White Paper, and with it long-awaited SEND reforms, until 2026 is an absolute betrayal of every child with special educational needs and disabilities and their families.

Boris Johnson today labelled former Education Secretary Gavin Williamson’s efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic ‘heroic.’ There are many words I could use to describe it, but that certainly is not one of them.

I’m deeply disappointed to hear the Farming Minister rule out softening the government’s misguided family farm tax. To refuse to rethink it at all is really worrying. South Devon is covered with family farms and every single one I visit is deeply concerned about the impact of this tax.

It’s great to see new state-funded schools for children with special educational needs open in Devon. I hope this will be the first of many and I wish them every success.

It is a huge relief to see Gazans celebrating in hope of a ceasefire. The task of rebuilding Gaza, restoring health to a starved population and building peace will be immense. Hard to imagine. But we must help make this happen. I hope all hostages will finally be returned home now.

I’m thrilled to have been asked by Ed to take up a new spokesperson role for the Liberal Democrats – focusing on Schools.

Westminster Voting Intention: RFM: 33% (-1) LAB: 17% (+1) LDM: 16% (+3) CON: 14% (-2) GRN: 12% (=) Via @findoutnow.bsky.social, 24 Sep. Changes w/ 17 Sep.

Pleased to show my support for the #CANBill at the Lib Dem conference's first dedicated climate and nature day. @zero-hour.bsky.social

Great to see @carolinevoadenmp.bsky.social today at #LDConf. Thanks for signing our open letter asking #Government to lower #ElectricityPrices and for talking to us about the need to drive #renewable uptake in #rural areas currently reliant on #oil systems.

Second event of the day at #LDConf, looking at the role of colleges in regional skills growth in partnership with @aoc-info.bsky.social. Delighted to have @carolinevoadenmp.bsky.social, @hughesdavid.bsky.social, David Crew, Phil Sayles and @richherrett.bsky.social on the panel.

So pleased to see this new guidance introduced from the Health Secretary. This is exactly what happened to my family years ago – my late husband was told by his GP that he didn’t expect cancer in a healthy 42-year-old.

A UN commission has today concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. They are not alone in this conclusion. Amnesty International shares this view. As do Israel’s two largest human rights organisations, the world’s leading genocide scholars, and nearly half of the British public.

Our internationally renowned national parks are home to our most iconic landscapes, and symbols for the value of protecting nature. This report is outrageous and reflects the scale of a sewage crisis that this government has been slow to fix www.theguardian.com/environment/...

This is a big concern. No one would think of the South West as a crime hotspot, yet the crime rate is growing here, while shrinking elsewhere. We need much higher investment in community policing and in programmes, like LandWorks in South Devon, that deliver low rates of reoffending.

Painstaking international diplomacy is not working fast enough. Last week I called for the government to take the action it should have taken long ago: sweeping trade sanctions, sanctions on Netanyahu and his entire Cabinet, and a commitment to recognise Palestine without conditions.

Proud to have met Crispin and Rachel recently in Kingsbridge. Best of luck to both of them at the Stand-Up Paddling World Championship this year! SUP Paddling is completely self-funded, so if you want to contribute to Crispin and Rachel and get them to Abu Dhabi this October you can do so here:

I am pleased to hear that the Drinking Water Inspectorate has decided to take South West Water to court over the cryptosporidium outbreak in Brixham last year. It’s important we find out exactly what South West Water knew, and when, and why they told people the water was safe to drink when it wasn’t

Conservative MPs jeered when I urged the Prime Minister to help end the starvation and suffering in Gaza. Sickening, but they won’t stop me raising this.

Here we have yet another example of the economic vandalism caused by Brexit. Years of wasted money, time, and effort trying to address the damage of the Conservatives’ disastrous deal with the EU.

The cut in the Russian oil price cap to $47.60 is just a drop in the ocean. We need tougher action: 🚫 Ban UK imports of fuels made from Russian oil 🚫 Block UK firms from shipping/insuring Russian LNG 💰 Slash the cap to $30 Hit Putin’s war chest. Stand with Ukraine.

I’m pleased to see high profile figures such as Esther Ghey put pressure on the government to introduce a full ban on smartphones in schools with funding to help schools manage it. We know this a public health emergency for our children and teenagers. The existing guidance isn’t strong enough.

Fantastic!

Access to nursery places is crucial for parents who need child care, but the Government’s promise of 30 free hours a week will put huge pressure on already stretched nurseries, particularly as many will not be adequately compensated.

Home Office planning to halve time asylum seekers given to find accommodation 28 days to find a job and somewhere to live. Who comes up with this nonsense? Stop pandering to Farage’s nonsense!

How can a Health Minister who mere months ago promised to ‘rebuild the NHS’ justify such deep cuts to our health services in Devon? The fact that these cuts are happening is bad enough but the inconsistent way they have been communicated is deeply troubling.

Some 190 journalists have been killed in Gaza. The two deadliest wars in history claimed about 70 journalists between them. As a former Reuters journalist I abhor this slaughter of those bearing witness to the horror of Gaza. To call it a “tragic mishap” is obscene.

Pleased to contribute the below article to Farmers Guardian, where I reflected on what Labour’s first year has meant for our farming and rural communities. Have a read here. 👇 www.farmersguardian.com/blog/4516792...

Again and again, the Government says the situation in Gaza is intolerable, grotesque, horrific, and yet, nothing changes.

It’s hard for many to imagine the deep levels of poverty children are living in the UK. Solving this crisis surely must be one of the most urgent challenges for our government to address.

Really pleased to see the Leatside Pharmacy campaign feature on ITV West Country this Friday. If you want to add your name to the thousands calling for Leatside Pharmacy to reopen, then do so here: www.change.org/p/overturn-n...

Pleased to have signed this letter with my Liberal Democrat colleagues

Happy 77th Birthday to our NHS 🎉 Thank you to all the incredible healthcare workers across South Devon who do such an amazing job in often difficult circumstances.

Any talk of changes to EHCPs is bound to cause concern among parents. However, it’s clear to anyone involved that the system is broken, and in many places, it takes far too long for a child to get the support they need.

This is shocking and yet another example of Labour’s totally careless attitude towards our national parks. Back in April, I wrote to the Nature Minister about national park funding, which, it turned out, had been heavily slashed. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Today we marked 97 years since women won the vote on equal terms with men with a commemorative photocall of women MPs – organised by @centenaryaction.bsky.social Each MP received a beautiful, personalised sash by Remake Newport, marking their place in the history of #WomenInParliament.

"Investing in dementia support is known to save the NHS money in the long term - keeping people out of hospital who don't need to be there..." Very pleased to sign this letter from @carolinevoadenmp.bsky.social

My statement ahead of today's debate on the Government's proposed welfare changes. 👇

It’s vital all teachers are prepared to meet a range of needs in the classroom, so this additional training is welcome news. But mainstream teachers cannot be expected to meet the needs of the highest need children, so adequate SEND provision will always be required. inews.co.uk/news/educati...

Absolutely what is needed from Devon County Council. This will bring in the stability that is so important for kids going into care. If they can stay in a familiar environment and be looked after and supported near home, they’ll have much better chances of improved long-term outcomes.

This is welcome news, but I constantly hear from private nurseries that current government funding does not cover costs, so while more places are welcome, it’s only going to work if the free hours are sufficiently funded. Many nurseries are already on the brink! www.theguardian.com/education/20...

I’m looking forward to co-chairing a joint Fisheries APPG & APPG for Shellfish Aquaculture event tomorrow with my colleague @melanieonnmp.bsky.social. We’ll be exploring how to use the #FishingAndCoastalGrowthFund to support thriving #seafood communities. Register to join at loom.ly/293nmg4.