A real pleasure to visit Pirton Primary school this week to talk about my work as our MP 💬 Some top questions from pupils who’ve clearly got some great careers as journalists ahead of them! 😅

The Local Power Plan has been making headlines this week, bringing ownership of energy directly to the doorstep of communities and letting the public invest directly in their schools, sports clubs and community assets. You can read all about Labour's plans to bring power to our communities below:

Proud to have been named a Men’s Health Champion by Movember! For too long stigmas around everything from mental health to prostate cancer have held back men’s health Looking forward to working with Movember and the Labour Group for Men and Boys to keep championing action!

As an ex-children’s services lead I know the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support fund really matters for those who rely on it. Last year’s uncertainty caused understandable concern. Im glad the Government is acting, extending it to 2028 and increasing it by 10% for 26/27.

Britain’s biggest ever investment in community energy ⚡️🎉 Our £1bn local power plan will: 🤝 Ensure local areas can own the benefits of the green transition 🇪🇺 Build on models that already work across Europe 📈 Unlock the equivalent of up to three (!) nuclear plants of energy

More investment in clean power for local services 💰🔋✅

The latest apprenticeship stats are in... Are you tired of me saying it yet? 🆙 Starts up 🆙 Participation up 🆙 Achievements up Turning the corner, with Labour.

Notable that Spain are implementing legal accountability for platform execs for infringements as part of their online safety packages. Last month I wrote for @huffpost.co.uk why fast moving risks and asymmetric information may make this necessary 👉 www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/amp/entry/po...

What can we learn from Grok about keeping women safe online? 💻 ❌ Big tech can’t be left to lead on this for itself ⏱️ In a world of fast evolving threats, we need to find ways to act faster ✅ But when we do act, change is possible

Fighting armed forces insurance injustice 🏡 Do you think insurers should to more to support service personal and their families? Have you been impacted by these issues in the past? Let me know in the comments 👇

The plight of Britain’s boys is a growing political talking point A group of Labour MPs has launched a campaign to produce a coherent, centre-left response to the issues facing young men According to co-founder @alistrathern.bsky.social, it's an area where progressives have "ceded the field on"

Fantastic to join with some great colleagues and organisations to launch the Labour Group for Men and Boys. Progressive politics hasn’t always been confident enough in tackling head on some of the challenges facing men and boys in Britain today. It’s time to put that right.

UK medical graduates used to compete among themselves for roles across the NHS. But after changes made by the last government, they are competing against global candidates. I’m glad having raised the concerns of several local medical graduates, Minsters have listened and acted.

Real change for leaseholders 🏠 ✅ Ground rents capped at £250 a year, cutting bills for thousands. ✅ Removing draconian and exploitative forfeiture powers, which saw people lose their homes. ✅ Banning new leaseholders and allowing leaseholders to convert to Commonhold.

Remembering Private Jonathan Kitulagoda 🇬🇧 I am grateful to the Deputy Prime Minster today for taking the time during PMQs to pay respects to Private Jonathan Kitulagoda. Having grown up locally, Jonathan was the first British soldier killed by enemy action in Afghanistan, on this day in 2004.

🧑‍🏫 Taking your experiences to drive SEND improvements 🧑‍🏫 A consistent theme of my local workshops on challenges children and families have faced in special educational needs provision has been the need to improve training for staff across educational settings... so here it is.

Victims *must* be at the heart of the Service Justice System and we are strengthening protections and improving accountability to do just that in our Armed Forces Bill. This is a no-fail mission for me. www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Great to see the Ministry of Defence leaning in to its responsibilities to halve violence against women and girls with this new law for victims of sexual assault, domestic abuse or stalking by serving military personnel. www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Great to get out on the doorstep today, after the last few weeks there was certainly plenty to talk about! Thank you to everyone who braved the cold to speak to us 💬

NATO Article V has been triggered only once: by the US after 9/11. When our ally called, we in the UK didn't hesitate to stand with them. 636 British men & women paid the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan, with many more living with their injuries today.

Record breaking £15bn investment to upgrade homes and cut bills ⚡️ Clean, bill cutting technology can’t be just for those who can currently afford it. Our plan will: ✅ Lift 1 million families out of fuel poverty ✅Triple solar panel installation ✅ Support heat pump uptake

A pleasure to visit Breachwood Green pre school’s Forest School last week! 🌲 They’re a great example of enriching early years provision 👶 From expanding childcare funding to 30 hours to investing in local provision, we’re championing access to quality, affordable childcare ✅

This Saturday we held our first walk and talk event to put men’s mental health in the spotlight. It was packed with powerful and important conversations. We all have a part to play in breaking down stigmas around men’s mental health and ensuring everyone has someone to turn to.

Well that lasted a whole 8 hours from this morning then…

Thank you to everyone who came along to a great discussion event in Shefford today! 💬 Whether it’s boosting local GP capacity or taking on CBC over pothole ridden roads, my work is always better for your input ✅

Cracking turnout at 8am this morning for our men’s mental health walk and talk event!

Cutting Local NHS Waiting Lists by Over 20,000 ✅📉 Investment and targeted reforms are starting to pay off. Since the general election, waiting lists across our local NHS trusts have fallen by more than 20,000. But we’re not stopping here.

One of the issues families regularly raise with me about SEND provision is the lack of training for teaching staff 🧑‍🏫 Every child deserves the right support. So I’m delighted Government has listened and acted, investing £200m in an ambitious new training scheme for educators ✅

Another fall in NHS waiting lists 📉 There’s a long way to go yet, and too many people’s experience of the NHS still simply isn’t good enough. But today’s waiting list falls are another welcome sign that our investments and reforms to the NHS are paying off ✅

Changes to Grok by X are an important win and testament to everyone who called out this grim practise. Especially the many women who did so knowing it would make them a target for exactly this abuse. Plenty more to do, but a welcome reminder that it’s in our power to make online spaces safer.

Record breaking deal for new renewable energy 🚀 Today we anounced a the largest ever expansion in renewable ofshore windpower. This will play a vital role in driving forward the transition to clean, secure and price stable renewable power and will create enough energy to power over 12m homes.

This year we’re strengthening your rights at work 💪

It’s a joke to think making access to Grok’s capability for digital sexual assault a paid for feature recognises the severity of the issue, and the distress it continues to cause. I wrote for @huffpost.com about why politicians and regulators must act with the urgency required ✍️

The grim use of AI tool Grok to creat fake sexual images has laid down stark challenges for regulators and politicians. It’s imperative we meet them. My thoughts in @huffpost.co.uk on what this latest fight means in the battle for online safety ✍️ www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/politi...

Thank you to everyone who came to my latest SEND roundtable today 💬 From extra funding to more specialist places we’ve made progress, but fundamental changes are needed. I’m determined we ensure every young person gets the support they need to succeed ✅

Clean solar power has a vital role in getting us off polluting oil and gas ☀️ Together we’ve: ✅ Secured bill cutting panels for local schools and hospitals ✅ Persuaded the Government to require them on new homes ⏳Now I’m pushing to get more panels on car parks and warehouses!

"My post had simply crossed his timeline, and his first instinct was to strip me as naked as the public chatbot would allow. The ease of access to this technology on a mainstream social media platform streamlined his misogyny." www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/grok...

The story of the UK’s first ever community owned pub… 🍻 And why I’m backing @coopparty.party.coop’s campaign for stronger community ownership powers ✅ 👉 youtu.be/6_Gs7MHAyxU

Zero tolerance for AI sexualising images of children ❌ It’s been sickening to hear reports of AI tools on social media platforms being used to create sexualised images of children. Today in Parliament I pressed Ministers to refuse to tolerate vile practise.

The Red Lion pub in my constituency is the UK’s 1st ever community owned pub! 🍻 But we need stronger community ownership rights to ensure local areas can protect the assets that matter most them ✅ Great to speak to the Mirror with @coopparty.party.coop about why this is so important 👇

We’re delivering the biggest reforms for animal welfare in a generation 🐶🎉 Including a long overdue ban on the inhumane farming of puppies ❌

Delighted we’ve secured funding for 130 extra SEND provision places in Central Beds 📈 There’s no single silver bullet for the challenges facing SEND education, but this is another welcome step forwards ✅

Great to stop by Hitchin Carers Cafe’s Christmas party yesterday! This weekly group has become a lifeline for local carers. A huge thank you to Hitchin Tilehouse Rotary club for making it possible, and to all our carers who do so much for so many across our community 👏

And that’s a wrap in Westminster for Christmas 🎄🎅🏼 A busy few days of constituency events and engagements ahead. But as the last sitting week in Westminster draws to a close, I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who’s engaged in my Parliamentary work this year. 👏

Having long campaigned to improve provision for young people with additional needs, I’m delighted we’ve secured funding for 130 additional SEND places across Central Beds 📈 I’ll be pushing CBC to ensure they use this funding to deliver the right provision for our community ✅

🚨🏡Great news on our Unadopted Estates campaign!🏡🚨 Two new Govt consultations now out on: ✅ Better protections from rip off management companies ✅ Reducing unadopted estates in the first place Lots more to do, but these are some crucial steps forward 👏

📣 Great news for young people: thousands will once again have the chance to study and train in Europe for a year 🇬🇧🤝🇪🇺 The loss of Erasmus was one of the many failures of the last Government’s Brexit deal. Today I spoke in the House of Commons about how we’re putting this right.

It’s time to stop ducking the challenges faced by men and boys... For too long politicians haven’t seemed to see or speak to some of the specific challenges facing men and boys growing up Britain today. Today I pushed Ministers to ensure we step up and ensure we do.

📈 More investment for SEND places in our schools. Since being elected, I’ve campaigned hard on the lack of provision for families across our Hitchin constituency. Councils must do better, but they also need proper national backing. That’s why we've invested £3bn.