Climate change is driving 40% of UK food price hikes. Protecting households from spiralling costs of living means protecting the planet. It's time to kick the expensive fossil fuel habit and accelerate the shift towards heating & powering Britain with efficient renewables. @nebriefing.bsky.social

Labour is lifting 450,000 children out of poverty. Almost half a million kids that will be healthier, happier and better educated. This means a more productive, prosperous Britain. It's that simple.

Hospices are being forced to cut services due to lack of funds. They don't just offer medical care—they provide dignity at life's hardest moments. That support must be safeguarded. Tomorrow's Budget must deliver sustainable funding—no more papering over the cracks.

Israel is blocking a million bottles of baby formula from entering Gaza. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians—including children, face imminent starvation. Our Government’s action must match the urgency of this moment. Immediate, widespread sanctions on Israel.

Today, Labour is putting passengers before profit. For the first time in 30 years, rail fares are to be frozen—saving commuters hundreds and easing the cost of living. Public ownership of our train services will put an end to extortionate price hikes.

Who owns Britain? Mostly aristocrats, oligarchs and big corporations. Inheritance tax changes won’t touch their corporations and trusts that never die. Labour should go after these wealthy landowners—not family farmers so vital to food security and climate action.

Sewage in rivers. Toxic waste near homes. Pollution in the air. In one of the wealthiest countries in the world—people shouldn’t have to live like this. I'm delighted Friends of the Earth back my Charter for Community Rights—a path to a fairer, greener future. @friends-earth.bsky.social

The status quo leaves people feeling powerless. Change is done to communities, not with them—leaving areas unfit for happy lives. Time to flip the script. The Charter for Community Rights puts power in local hands, enabling access to nature, healthy homes and liveable places. @thetcpa.bsky.social

The two-child benefit cap forces 109 children into poverty every day. It punishes kids for circumstances they can’t control and takes food out of their mouths. Labour values aren’t just words—they’re a call to action. Scrap the cap.

Communities are routinely at the mercy of profit-chasing companies and dodgy developers. Cuts to bus routes, unaffordable housing, trashed green spaces—too often wealth decides everything. A Charter for Community Rights will give people real power to shape their neighbourhoods.

Developers have no right to trash our environment—it doesn’t belong to them. Labour has always understood access to nature is for the many, not a privilege for the few. We created National Parks and the Green Belt. Nature is at breaking point—real Labour values will rescue it.

Green spaces vanish and unaffordable housing goes up when developers call the shots. A Charter for Community Rights would give local people real power over place-making and the ability to challenge decisions. Power to the people—not the deepest pockets.

There is no conflict between housebuilding and nature—the real conflict is between greed and the kind of country we want. Planning deregulation lets developers put profit before people: cutting quality, hiking prices, and leaving families waiting for council homes.

If we want our national pride back, our political class needs to spend less energy scapegoating refugees and put more into cracking down on flagrant criminal pollution of our countryside. "Oh dear, what a shame, never mind" isn't good enough. Time for "you're nicked, mate!"

Hospices are on the brink. I’ve signed @hospiceuk.bsky.social's letter to the Secretary of State calling for fully funded equitable palliative care, proper NHS contracts and funding for NHS pay rises for hospice staff. It's time to recognise hospices as a vital cornerstone of our health service.

Nature isn’t the enemy of housing—it’s essential for healthy communities. Scapegoating wildlife won’t speed up building, but it will cost us vital habitats. The EAC report is clear: stop this lazy narrative, fix skills shortages, and protect our environment.

📢 Important step forward for chalk streams! I’ve campaigned for months to protect these irreplaceable habitats from serious decline. Glad that the Government will review specific protections in national planning policy. A fairer, greener future is possible if we fight for it.

Nature and housing can go hand in hand. We’ve seen it in the past with garden cities—and now towns planned within a new forest. They show what’s possible. Empower councils to build sustainable council housing that puts people and nature before profit.

Baldock in North East Hertfordshire is set to double in size—but our train station still lacks step-free access. That’s not how you build communities that foster happy, connected lives. New homes must come with solid infrastructure, investment, and services that keep pace with growth.

Today I asked the Prime Minister to support Garden House Hospice in Letchworth. Hospices don’t just provide care, they offer comfort in people’s final days. Our welfare state must support us from birth to end of life—hospices shouldn't have to fundraise just to keep the lights on.

People are fed up with change being done to them, not with them. I’m calling for a Charter for Community Rights—to take power from private interests and give it to communities. Everyone deserves a say in their area and an environment built to flourish—not just survive.

This Armistice Day I paid tribute to our fallen soldiers at memorials in Royston, Buntingford and Braughing. The sacrifice of youth and futures cut short will always mark our nation. Few exemplify this more than Rupert Brooke, whose poem "The Soldier" I read at the Johnson Matthey service.

On Armistice Day, I welcome the Government’s £2m boost to protect war memorials nationwide. We must always remember the courage and sacrifice of those who fought and died for our country. I’ll keep working to ensure their legacy is preserved for generations in North East Herts.

Farage thrives on powerlessness—but his shallow politics offers more of the same, just with someone to blame. Labour must offer hope—real power for people to shape their communities. The Charter for Community Rights replaces blame with agency, and cynicism with change. My @huffpost.co.uk op-ed. 👇

This is a serious test case—if water companies are responsible for this horrendous pollution, there should major fines and prosecutions. If this can't be done, reform clearly needs to go much further.

This week I placed a cross in Parliament's Gardens of Remembrance on behalf of North East Hertfordshire. We will always remember those who gave their tomorrow for our freedom. Their sacrifice must live on in our commitment to peace, justice, and public service.

I'm pleased to be back in the Parliamentary Labour Party and will be pressing on with business as usual representing North East Hertfordshire. My statement on today's news. 👇

Yesterday, the Lib Dems & Reform tried to weaken protections against exploitative zero-hours contracts & unfair dismissal. I voted with Labour to strengthen your rights & deliver secure, well-paid jobs for all. Lib Dem & Reform MPs sided with vested interests & rogue employers.

This is more like it! Plans for a new national forest and housing going hand in hand with nature. Great to see Labour inspired by Garden Cities like Letchworth. Not just better for nature—harnessing green spaces make communities healthier and happier too! www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Leaseholders are being exploited in every corner of North East Hertfordshire. One constituent put it plainly: “They’re making people’s lives miserable.” The harder wealthy landowners fight leasehold reform, the clearer its necessity. Labour will deliver for leaseholders.

75 years ago, the House of Commons chamber was rebuilt, rising from the ashes of WWII. It remains a powerful symbol of Britain’s democratic resilience. Last week, I joined fellow MPs to honour that legacy. It was a privilege to take part in the Speaker's commemorative photo.

British farming is in crisis—a third of farmers are making a loss or barely breaking even. Supermarkets rake in billions while squeezing producers for every penny. We need a fairer deal for farmers to protect food security and restore nature.

Leasehold is the worst kind of parasitic exploitation. Hardworking homeowners ripped off by offshore financiers and aristocratic landowners. We need an economy that rewards those who work for a living—not the rich who exploit them. Labour must end this scandal fast.

Water company shareholders have pocketed over £85 billion of our money. 💸 So why are rivers being pumped with pollution, homes routinely filled with waste and farmland contaminated with raw sewage? Because the system’s designed to make a few people rich—not deliver a decent, affordable service.

I voted to stop Nigel Farage ripping Britain out of the European Convention on Human Rights. It protects free speech and expression—and was vital in securing an inquest on the Hillsborough disaster. Farage wants to take your rights and make it harder to challenge injustice.

I’m calling for a Charter for Community Rights. Nigel Farage feeds off the sense of powerlessness across the country. His shallow politics offers no solutions—just someone to blame. The alternative to Reform UK is real empowerment: giving local people a say over their lives.

The largest crackdown on illegal working ever. Tough new laws mean rogue employers who exploit those without a right to work in the UK now face 5 years in jail, £60k fines per illegal worker, and business closure. No place to hide for those who profit from modern slavery.

Maternity and paternity pay must improve. Parents shouldn’t have to choose between bonding with their baby and paying the bills. They shouldn't be ground down by poverty or rushed back to work. Properly supporting families with their first steps is an investment in our future.

Don't know who this Honchcliff chap is but he is spot on: time for a wealth tax on multiple property ownership and for landlords to pay National Insurance on rental income just like everyone earning a wage—no matter how much wailing and gnashing of teeth from the landlord lobby.

We need a Charter for Community Empowerment. Developers shouldn’t have more power to shape our towns than local residents. Farage feeds off powerlessness–but serves the same rich interests who created it. Labour’s answer must be real empowerment. My letter to the Minister. 👇

Thames Water is such a basket case—it’s hard to keep up. 2024 = its worst ever score for environmental performance, yet bills were up massively this April. As usual, it's the worst of all the water companies too. A £260m refund is a start but the whole industry looks increasingly irredeemable.

Labour’s Renters’ Rights Act is now law. That means greater protection from rent hikes and unfair evictions for 11 million renters—giving people the security to put down roots and build lives. Reform and the Conservatives voted against banning no-fault evictions. Whose side are they on?

Hugh's Law will provide day-1 financial support for parents of seriously ill children. Nobody should have to choose between paying the bills or being at their child's bedside. I'm calling for this vital support to be in the next King's Speech.

So sad to hear we've lost absolute national treasure, Prunella Scales. A comedy icon, lifelong Labour supporter, and former CPRE (@cprecountryside.bsky.social) President who fought to protect our countryside and challenged the stigma around Alzheimer's. We need more like her. Rest in peace.

Survivors of abuse never should have had to pay hundreds of pounds to take their personal details off public records. That will soon end. Labour scrapping this fee is a vital step that will further protect those trying to rebuild their lives.

Awaab’s Law is a powerful legacy for a little boy who should still be here. No family living in social housing should have their home blighted by dangerous damp and mould. Labour's new rules will force action within 24 hours. Negligence is no longer an option—it’s a crime.

The Conservatives left us one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. Labour was elected to reverse that damage. Right-wing deregulation and letting greed rip failed. National renewal means breaking with that model and restoring nature like we promised.

Endless deregulation for short-term "growth" only serves the rich and powerful. Nature, local democracy and affordable homes come second to their profits. We need well-planned council housing to raise living standards while cherishing not trashing nature.

I’ve tabled a Parliamentary Motion calling out Thames Water’s failures. Our water system isn’t designed to deliver decent service—it’s built to make water firms rich. It's high time they were forced to cough up and put right the flooding and pollution across North East Hertfordshire.

Baldock to KGX in just 36 mins from December! Improvements to GTR timetables will mean faster, less crowded trains for Letchworth, Baldock, Ashwell & Morden, and Royston commuters. Nationalising GTR offers the chance for even bigger transformation that puts passengers before profit.