Torbay Hospital has secured £2.367 million from the Estates Safety Fund to tackle urgent infrastructure risks. I raised these exact concerns with the minister last week. This funding is welcome, but we still need at least £350 million to rebuild a hospital being held together by scaffolding.

Big win in West Devon 🎉 Lib Dems gain Okehampton South from the Greens with 57.1% of the vote! Third Lib Dem victory in six months within Mel Stride’s constituency. Momentum is building 💛 #LibDemWin #OkehamptonSouth #WestDevon

Spoke in Parliament on the Fraud, Error and Recovery Bill. Improvements made, but risks remain. We must protect fairness and avoid mass data trawling. I urged support for Amendment 43 to strengthen oversight and safeguard rights. Let’s build a system that works for everyone.

Last week I spoke at the Turn2Us Breakfast Reception for the launch of Stop the stigma. Fix the system. I backed calls to improve DWP and job centre culture so no one feels shame seeking support. We need a welfare system built on dignity and compassion. #StopTheStigma

Yesterday in Parliament I met Jennifer from Think Local Act Personal to discuss digital exclusion at the Mind the Gap event. We explored why inclusive design matters and how co-producing with people who draw on care is vital to tackle barriers early.

Spoke in the Opposition Day debate on welfare. While helping people into work matters, the motion unfairly targeted the vulnerable. We need investment in health, better work support, cultural reform, and scrapping the two-child cap for a fairer system. youtu.be/Tq2qNbGUZKU

📢 Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust is closing — a big loss for our community. Thank you for the amazing response so far! If you haven’t signed, please add your name and share. Let’s keep these spaces protected and community-led: digitallibdems.typeform.com/to/WMW5DOCC

Families gathered at Torquay Town Hall on Monday for #EveryPairTellsAStory, displaying children’s shoes to highlight failures in the SEND system. Torbay joined 92 areas calling for accountability, inclusion and reform. Shoes will be donated to Barnardo’s.

Met Health Minister Karen Smyth to push for urgent investment in Torbay Hospital. It’s the 3rd oldest in the UK with crumbling buildings and sewage leaks. I also fought to protect coronary care services. No funding yet, but I’ll keep campaigning. Thank you for your support! #Torbay #NHS

I’m calling for a Retiree Red Phone hotline after HMRC failed to answer 83M calls in 10 years. With pensions just £22 below the tax threshold, thousands more retirees could face tax without support. Pensioners deserve real help, not endless hold music. #HMRC #RetireeSupport

A quick round up of some of the things I was working on last week 👇

Torbay will come together on Sunday 9 November and Tuesday 11 November to honour the service and sacrifice of the Armed Forces community across the UK and Commonwealth. Remembrance Services and Ceremonies will take place throughout the Bay. Full details: www.torbay.gov.uk/news/pr9382/

My latest newsletter is out now—catch up on the biggest local updates here: prod.cdn.everyaction.com/emails/van/L... Don’t miss future editions! Subscribe today at 👉 www.torbaylibdems.org.uk/newsletter

This week I joined neighbouring MP Caroline Voaden at the APPG for Hospitality & Leisure to hear from industry leaders ahead of the budget. The message was clear: the sector is struggling. In Torbay, hospitality is vital. I’ll keep pushing for urgent reforms to help these businesses thrive.

🌱 Great to join Year 1 pupils at All Saints Babbacombe for a bulb-planting session with Little Green Change last week. The children learned how planting daffodils, snowdrops and bluebells helps pollinators thrive. Big thanks to Clare and the team for inspiring young environmental champions.

This week I met with Ken Bluestone from Age International to discuss their campaign for a UN Convention on the Rights of Older People. With Torbay’s older population, this issue hits close to home. We must ensure dignity, safety and respect for older generations everywhere

The Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust is closing. I’ve launched a petition urging Torbay Council to protect sites like Berry Head & Occombe Farm with full public input. These spaces belong to us all. 👉 Sign and share: digitallibdems.typeform.com/to/WMW5DOCC

The latest edition of my weekly e-newsletter is landing very soon—packed with updates, campaigns, and community news you won’t want to miss! Subscribe now to ensure you never miss a copy: www.torbaylibdems.org.uk/newsletter

Last Friday’s Torbay Lib Dems dinner was a fantastic evening full of energy and community spirit. Great to welcome Daisy Cooper MP, South Devon MP Caroline Voaden, and former Torbay MP Adrian Sanders. A packed room, lively conversations, and a real buzz.

On Monday in Parliament, I challenged the government on the harmful two-child limit in the benefits system. Over 730,000 children are living in poverty because of this policy. I asked the Minister to acknowledge the damage and work with the Treasury to overturn it.

Today in Parliament, I raised the heartbreaking story of Jean Hill, whose husband died at just 47 due to infected blood products. Jean has campaigned for justice for 30 years. I urged the Government to urgently release compensation to the estates of those who have passed. It matters.

In Parliament this week, I raised concerns about violence against Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest in the West Bank. A number of Torbay residents have written to me about this issue, deeply troubled by reports of settler attacks. I urged the UK government to hold Israel accountable

Yesterday I spoke in Westminster Hall to defend the International Baccalaureate. It transforms lives, boosts social mobility, and broadens opportunity. Cutting it for just 0.04% of the education budget is wrong. I urge the Minister to think again. #SaveTheIB #Torbay #Education

I’ve handed in my giant open letter to Wes Streeting, signed by hundreds of Torbay residents, calling for urgent investment in our crumbling hospital. If you haven’t signed yet, you still can online. Let’s keep the pressure on! 💪

Today I made my 150th contribution in Parliament, calling for better stroke support in Torbay and Devon. With high stroke rates and cuts to local services, survivors are being left behind. Rehab must be a right, not a privilege.

📣 On Monday in Parliament I challenged the government on their promise that no one would be worse off moving to Universal Credit. Lib Dems across the UK are seeing the opposite. I asked for evidence of support for those losing out and will keep pushing for answers

📣 12,000 cases and counting — thank you, Torbay! Since becoming your MP last summer, my team and I have worked on over 12,000 issues, from housing and health to animal rights and the environment. Each case reflects someone seeking support or change, and I’m proud to stand up for our community.

New figures show GP delays in Devon have surged 104% since 2018, with 367,000 waits over 28 days. Lib Dems are calling for urgent action: a right to a GP within 7 days, funding to reopen surgeries and a 24/7 booking system via 111. Torbay patients deserve timely care.

Torbay groups and charities can apply for grants up to £2,500 to run Warm Spaces this winter. These offer free hot drinks, support and dignity for all. Apply via the council website. To be listed, email [email protected] with ‘Warm Spaces’ in the subject line.

A quick round up of some of the things I was working on last week 👇

Joined the League Against Cruel Sports in Parliament to push for a stronger Hunting Act. Loopholes remain and enforcement is weak. Animals deserve better. Grateful to all campaigning for change. #AnimalWelfare #BanHunting

My latest newsletter is out now—catch up on the biggest local updates here: prod.cdn.everyaction.com/emails/van/L... Don’t miss future editions! Subscribe today at 👉 www.torbaylibdems.org.uk/newsletter

The latest edition of my weekly e-newsletter is landing very soon—packed with updates, campaigns, and community news you won’t want to miss! Subscribe now to ensure you never miss a copy: www.torbaylibdems.org.uk/newsletter

Sad news: Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust is closing. Staff face job losses, and vital public assets return to council hands. We must ensure transparency, protect our green spaces, and involve the community in what comes next.

Torbay Hospital is at breaking point. My GIANT letter to Wes Streeting calls for urgent action—visit, protect services, fund the rebuild. Add your name and help us fight for the healthcare our community deserves: www.torbaylibdems.org.uk/campaigns/si...

I was pleased to add my name to the letter supporting Hugh’s Law and the It’s Never You campaign. No parent should have to choose between being at their child’s bedside and financial survival. Our welfare system must be there when families need it most. #HughsLaw #ItsNeverYou

Huge congrats to our SAS doctors in Torbay and South Devon! Special shoutout to Anita German, SAS Doctor of the Year, and Niki Burke for her inspiring leadership. Your dedication makes a real difference. Torbay is proud of you! #NHS #SASDoctors #Torbay

Yesterday in Parliament, I called out the dire state of Torbay Hospital—one of the oldest in the UK. With sewage leaks and scaffolding holding parts together, it urgently needs investment. I’ve asked the minister to meet with me and hospital leaders to push for the funding that is badly needed.

I spoke in Parliament against cuts to IB funding in state schools. At Torquay Boys Grammar, my son thrived through the IB. These cuts threaten social mobility and language learning. I’m urging the Government to reverse them and protect access to world-class education for all.

I joined a packed meeting at Paignton Methodist Hall to discuss the future of the Monastery building. Locals want a community space and a stronger identity. If you have ideas for how the Monastery could be used, email [email protected]. Let’s shape its future together.

I spoke in Westminster Hall today about the growing homelessness crisis. What we see on the streets is just the tip of the iceberg. I called out the deep cuts to mental health and homelessness services in Torbay and urged the government to intervene. We need political will to act.

Met with Nationwide Caterers Association (NCASS) last week to hear from the mobile caterers, bars and cafes that power our food and festival scene. These microbusinesses face real pressure from corporate dominance in live events. I’ll keep pushing for fairer competition and a level playing field.

A quick round up of some of the things I was working on last week 👇

Last Thursday was Restart a Heart Day, highlighting the life-saving power of CPR and defibrillators. I launched a campaign pack for MPs to boost survival rates. I continue to fight for cardiology services in Torbay and believe this is about saving lives, not party politics.

My latest newsletter is out now—catch up on the biggest local updates here: prod.cdn.everyaction.com/emails/van/L... Don’t miss future editions! Subscribe today at 👉 www.torbaylibdems.org.uk/newsletter

The latest edition of my weekly e-newsletter is landing very soon—packed with updates, campaigns, and community news you won’t want to miss! Subscribe now to ensure you never miss a copy: www.torbaylibdems.org.uk/newsletter

🎪 Castle Circus will be bursting with creativity this weekend as This Is My Circus takes over — a celebration of art, music, and community spirit. I’ll be dropping in to soak up the energy. Join us for workshops, performances, and pop-up exhibitions. #ThisIsMyCircus #TorbayArts #CastleCircus

Torbay is celebrating Children of Foster Carers Week 2025, recognising the amazing young people who help create loving homes. As someone adopted young, this means a lot to me. Huge thanks to all who support fostering in our Bay. Find out more: 01803 207845 or [email protected]

Recently I visited Maker Arts CIC in Paignton, an inspiring alternative education hub supporting young people facing barriers to learning. Their creative, hands-on approach builds confidence and skills for life. I’m keen to support their work and help expand opportunities for every student.

Want to make a difference in Torbay? Join my constituency office in Torquay as a volunteer. Gain experience, support local casework, and build skills. No political background needed—just a passion for helping others. Get in touch: [email protected]