This Labour government is delivering defence investment into Plymouth - and it's only the beginning.

Strange to see myself on TV in my Royal Marines uniform this week! This was filmed last year before the election. I’m always blown away by how professional & motivated the people who sign up to become Commandos are. I never had a training role as a regular, so it was a privilege to be involved.

My first time back on Salisbury Plain Training Area as an MP brought mixed emotions: Awe and pride in our soldiers and their relentless focus on fighting and winning on the one hand. But equally: alarm at how slow our defence system is responding their pleas for modernisation.

Top story on @telegraphnews.bsky.social this morning carrying my argument for defence investment supercharging growth. We must: - Manufacture at scale and export, like the French do - Reform civil service commercial paralysis - Joint venture with Ukrainian companies on UK soil

Defence spending is an investment in our number one mission: growth. It can create tens of thousands of skilled, secure and unionised jobs in manufacturing and technology. We can export to NATO, unlock private investment, and secure our economy. #PoliticsLive @bbc-politics.bsky.social

"Reform MPs reject British values and spew Kremlin propaganda. The British people will see through their dangerous rhetoric." ✍️ Five Labour MPs elected in July @miketapp.bsky.social @willstonemp.bsky.social @fredthomasuk.bsky.social, Helena Dollimore, and Paul Foster

I'll be on PoliticsLive at 12:15 today. 👉 Watch live at: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live...

We must be clearer with the public about the threat of Russia ✍️ @fredthomasuk.bsky.social

Great morning on the doors. @lukepollard.bsky.social Many residents mentioned delight that we have secured Derriford’s new A&E after years of empty Tory promises. We knock doors all year round, not just at election time!

Derriford A&E Campaign - A 🧵 (1/19)During the general election last year I promised that I would fight tooth and nail to improve NHS services in Plymouth, and committed myself to deliver the new A&E Department that Derriford so desperately needs.

Yesterday, John Healey announced publicly that we deployed a Royal Navy submarine to surface next to a Russian spyboat in our waters. This marks a major shift in military transparency. (1/2) 👇

Like many in Plymouth, I come from Cornish family. My grandfather spent his life working & championing what it means to be Cornish. He would be devastated at Cornish people missing out on new houses, jobs and powers. Isolation and nationalism are not worth it. www.facebook.com/share/v/19oQ...

📣 I’m hiring a constituency intern. 💡 Are you a team player? Do you care about Plymouth? Do you want to help change our community for the better? 👉 Apply now, details at: www.w4mpjobs.org/JobDetails.a...

Derriford Hospital has just declared another critical incident. Thank you to everyone at Derriford who is working hard under difficult circumstances at this time. Please help if you can by following the advice below 👇

“We should swim in those waters” Beautifully articulate from Democrat @schatz.bsky.social on the need for us on the left to talk and listen to right wing concerns. “It’s not just that we should go on Joe Rogan… we should listen.” Well said. Back to Twitter… www.politico.com/news/magazin...

During a Defence Committee session, Fred Thomas MP questioned whether the UK's current defence spending aligns with the increasing threats identified by senior defence figures and NATO leadership. ukdefencejournal.org.uk/concerns-rai...

🌊 I’m delighted that Plymouth has been awarded £1.6 million funding for the exciting ‘Sea for Yourself’ cultural programme. 👉 Culture is a huge part of what makes our city so great. It was a pleasure to meet Plymouth Culture at Parliament for the announcement & I look forward to seeing it develop.

Western support to Ukraine will always cause a reaction from Russia. When the West makes headlines out of Russian threats, Putin benefits. At Defence Committee, I asked what Russia may do next to raise Western concerns about supporting Ukraine 👇

Last week I joined staff on a night shift at Derriford A&E. I saw first-hand the challenges staff are facing, and the urgent need for more space. I’m now calling for Health Secretary Wes Streeting to visit our hospital, to meet the fantastic staff, and better understand the support they need 👇

Yesterday I spoke on GB News about Syria and what developments might mean for refugees returning home. If we want to reduce asylum claims and create conditions where refugees can return home, we must pursue conflict prevention, peace and stability around the world. Watch 👇

I was delighted to chair a meeting this morning with Alex Norris MP, Minister at MHCLG. To meet defence demands, we are clear that Plymouth needs investment in our skills, housing and transport. We had a constructive meeting and will continue to work together to bring growth to our city.

Thank you to everyone who nominated a local business for my Small Business Saturday Awards. I'm very pleased to say that the winner was Honey's Coffee in St Budeaux!

🎄 Lovely Christmas dinner with my team in Plymouth. I'm so proud of my team and all the people we've helped since I was elected, through casework, surgeries, visits and more. I've got a brilliant team and I'm looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together for Plymouth.

On a night shift at Derriford A&E in Plymouth, seen heroics by staff delivering care for Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. But we desperately need more beds, more space: Investment. I’ll be following up with @wesstreeting.bsky.social and @karinsmythmp.bsky.social urgently back in Westminster.

On a night shift at Derriford A&E in Plymouth, seen heroics by staff delivering care for Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. But we desperately need more beds, more space: Investment. I’ll be following up with @wesstreeting.bsky.social and @karinsmythmp.bsky.social urgently back in Westminster.

The UK must be able to make, produce, train with and use at scale the capabilities that are having success today in Ukraine. Today at Defence Committee I asked how the SDR will learn lessons from Ukraine and ensure UK Defence is equipped to face the challenges of modern warfare 👇

Many residents in Plymouth contacted me asking me to attend the #FurFreeBritain reception in Parliament. ​ I was very pleased to go and support the campaign. ​ I know that the public are appalled by the cruelty of the fur trade and I will continue to back a ban on fur imports and sales.

It was great to catch up with Plymouth Community Homes today, ask a few questions on behalf of residents & hear more about their work. I'm usually out & about in Plymouth on Friday's but today I was in Parliament for votes. Grateful for technology allowing me to still be connected in for Plymouth.

Today’s vote is not an easy decision. I’ve been communicating with residents for weeks and listening to evidence from experts. I have decided to vote for the Bill, because I believe people with a terminal diagnosis should have the freedom to choose the means & timing of their passing. Read more 👇

It was great to talk to Year 9 students today about democracy and how our politics works. They asked me some brilliant questions about politics. We need our young people to be excited about politics, their ability to create change, and understand the value of our democracy.

Unlike in the US and AUS, our Special Forces cannot be scrutinised in UK Parliament. Today at Defence Committee, I asked the Defence Secretary John Healey if he thinks we have enough Parliamentary oversight of UK Special Forces 👇

I know how important Derriford Hospital is to our community in Plymouth and beyond. Labour’s £22.6 billion investment into the NHS is a huge boost, turning the page on a decade of Conservative underfunding & mismanagement. I asked the Deputy Prime Minister at #PMQs how this will help Derriford 👇

HMS Albion and Bulwark will always have a historic value to Plymouth. But it’s the right decision for Plymouth, and our national security, to retire them. These ships were already effectively mothballed by the last Government. It was commonly understood that they were never going to sea again.

Beautiful Sunday on Dartmoor. All of twenty minutes drive from Plymouth. We are so blessed as a city to have this stunning wilderness on our doorstep.

It has been so refreshing to have a new approach to working cross-Party in Plymouth. Yesterday we had our second cross-Party meeting with the city’s three MPs, Council Leader and Chief Exec. All of us are committed to working together in the best interests of our city and the folks who live here.

Fair to say that I was put under some pressure on Sky yesterday by Sam Coates, but we make no apologies for the tough choices we took so that we can save the NHS. That’s why I became an MP.