The Foremans are trapped in a horrific situation. The latest development is deeply troubling - the family's contact with them has been cut off for more than a week. You'll be hearing a lot more from myself and the family next week about what we need from the Gov! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Delighted to see that Sandgate Granville Parade Beach is open officially as a bathing site in my constituency from today! It is a beautiful shingle beach for swimmers and kayakers. www.gov.uk/government/n...

Massive respect for Josh Simons’ decision to resign. Andy is already delivering for GM, whether it be public control of buses, tackling homelessness and creating a world-class technical education system. We must get behind him and his vision of Manchesterism and do it with passion and energy!

NEW: The Labour Party must allow Andy Burnham to stand if a Commons seat becomes available, Folkestone & Hythe MP Tony Vaughan argues. The Labour backbencher tells ITV Meridian's The Last Word it is "really important that there is a contest involving all of the talents".

The Labour NEC must make its view clear now and end the uncertainty. If a leadership contest is triggered, the Labour Party cannot exclude the most popular politician of any political party in the U.K and someone with significant executive experience.

Last night I explained to Channel 4 News why I believe the PM now needs to set out a timetable for a leadership election. www.channel4.com/news/public-...

Rayner's statement today is right. We need the right people and personalities at the top. She's also focusing on policy, which needs to be more transformative of our political economy, more willing to take on the vested interests propping up a failing status quo. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

1. Labour needs a second term to renew this country after years of Tory failure. On the current trajectory, we won’t get there because we will lose, and Farage will win. That should be nobody’s legacy.

Last week, I asked Women and Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson what assurances can be given to businesses and groups that they can confidently be trans-inclusive following the EHRC's draft code of practice.

Caught up with Joe Bennett last week. His courage has been inspiring since his parents, despite their innocence, were arbitrarily detained in Iran. I’ve written to the PM urging him to take this case up as a matter of urgent priority, so we can get our citizens back, like France did.

Main measures in the Renters’ Rights Act come into force today: 1. Abolishing no fault evictions 2. Enabling tenants to leave with 2 months’ notice at any time 3. Landlords cannot demand more than one month’s rent in advance Let's now use the state's power to build more affordable housing

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs SC is doing a brilliant job! Don't forget that the gov can temporarily nationalise a water company if it's repeatedly breaching its licence - through the Special Administration Regime under the Water Industry Act 1991. www.theguardian.com/business/202...

No worries, it's helping us get closer to European strategic autonomy! www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...

What happened in Golders Green yesterday was so tragic. My thoughts are with Shloime Rand and Moshe Shine, their family, friends and our Jewish community. We must redouble our efforts to root out antisemitism in our society.

Ahead of announcements on ECHR reform next month, the Legal Affairs Committee of the Council of Europe, of which I am a Vice Chair, has issued this statement. It is crucial that any changes do not compromise the integrity and authority of the ECHR system as a whole.

Good on you Mr Mayor! www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

We cannot allow AI to deepen wealth and income inequality or cause mass, structural unemployment. We need to ensure our labour force are AI-able and that we have a national retraining fund to support those who lose their jobs due to AI. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

I’m holding a Parliamentary screening for Blue Has No Borders, a documentary filmed in Folkestone highlighting the social divisions many coastal communities are facing at the moment. Tickets are available in the link 👇 #BlueHasNoBorders #CommunityCohesion www.eventbrite.com/e/parliament...

It's not feeling like a very Special Relationship if all we keep getting are insults and threats. We must keep the digital services tax. It's hardly that punitive - it's a 2% levy on the revenues of major US tech companies. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

The International Criminal Court must investigate all of the Israeli military air strikes against journalists. It was the United Nations that said that the rate of journalist deaths in Gaza since October 2023 was “unprecedented.” www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Happy St George's Day! For me this is a day of celebration and reflection I think to myself, why is our country still so unequal, so divided, why do we still have food banks and homelessness? Here's to a more equal, fairer, more just England

We can't be militarily dependent on the USA We need strategic autonomy when it comes to our military, energy and industrial base. Macron was right to go on about it, but he forgot that you need a powerful state - free market forces won't deliver it! www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Productive meeting with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions discussing exciting new plans for Folkestone and Hythe’s new Youth Hub! The government is giving us extra support to create more jobs and study opportunities for young people across our district. #folkestone #hythe #romneymarsh

With Labour, the number of patients waiting for treatment is down...again.

Debate around Mandelson fixates on process, vetting, Sir Olly Robbins' role, but it's about judgement He should never have been considered. Karen Pierce had cultivated strong relationships in the MAGA world - she was a professional diplomat. That's before we get to Epstein, Russia, China links

So wrong! This would have dire consequences for our social contract, our society, our culture, our economy and for our standing in the world. www.ft.com/content/b9d9...

We’re making mornings easier for families in Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh. ✅ Free Breakfast Clubs ✅ 30 Hours Childcare ✅ Cheaper Uniforms #folkestone #hythe #romneymarsh #FreeBreakfast

Thoughtful piece. 3 things I think would help: 1. More opportunities for young people to express themselves through sport and culture 2. Not focusing on GDP, but wellbeing 3. Proactive policing that builds trustful relationships within communities www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...

Been campaigning with Labour Cllr candidates in Cliftonville, Islington and Worthing. It's striking how much people want change, not tinkering, but system-level change. If we're not the anti-status quo, imaginative and innovative change makers, people will just succumb to apathy.

I know that there's deep concern in my community about Palantir's role in the NHS. I am very worried about Palantir's access to sensitive medical data. Government should be studying the break clause in the contract! We need data sovereignty, especially in our NHS.

I don't think they know either. It's been about regime change, preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, correcting the wrongs of historic American policy on Iran Then, they expect NATO, a defensive alliance, to weigh in. Complete absence of strategy www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

Ok, Mr Hinton is waiving his bonus, but I know how angry my constituents are about water pollution in Folkestone and Hythe - this isn't going to cut it. We blame big corporates - that's part of it, but we privatised a natural monopoly - economic illiteracy? www.ft.com/content/0fde...

'Actions have consequences'. Words have consequences too. The populist right's first move is to debase language. Progressives and Liberals must counter this before talking about philosophies and policies. The dignity of democracy lies in our capacity to debate. www.politico.eu/article/i-th...

Didn't think I'd be saying this, but well done Meloni! The UK should not be engaging in any defence cooperation with Israel whilst it continues its violations of international law and we must not resume free trade agreement negotiations! www.reuters.com/business/aer...

Great to be out in Islington yesterday supporting @heathernstaff.bsky.social, @nuturan.bsky.social and Maia Hamilton who have been doing some incredible work for the area: tackling anti-social behaviour, planting trees and increasing the stock of affordable housing! @islingtonlabour.bsky.social

Happy Nepali New Year 2083! We are incredibly lucky in Folkestone to have an incredible Nepalese community, which is integral to our history and our Folkestone family. To all those celebrating... Naya Barshako Subhakamana! नयाँ वर्षको शुभकामना!

This is so tragic. It's what happens when we give up on a rules-based order and embrace a power-based order. How can we regenerate the international system so that might does not make right? Q myself and Parliamentarians need to be thinking about urgently. www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Congrats to Peter Magyar - most importantly got Viktor Orban out of power. Conservative nationalism fails wherever it is tried! Usually results in economic stagnation, corruption and cronyism. www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...

Thought for the weekend: Yes to more defence spending, but we can't also forget we need to invest in education to upskill workers, in health to improve people's wellbeing, on housing, so people have a foundation, on cilvil society and culture, so people have access to information and ideas.

If we want a ceasefire that becomes a lasting peace in the Middle East, Israel must stop bombing Lebanon. They are bombing a country that has a displacement crisis and a food crisis according to the UN.

North Sea drilling? Why? Rosebank and Jackdaw would only displace 1-2% of gas imports, wouldn't lower energy prices or produce major tax revenues - 90% of the North Sea's oil and gas has been burned. We need to produce energy not for profit, but with communities and the climate in mind.

My constituent, Joe Bennett, is right. The swift and safe return of the Foremans along with other innocent political prisoners in Iran must form a core part of the peace talks We also need a special envoy designed for dealing with arbitrary detention www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Deeply saddened to hear of four deaths due to an attempted Channel crossing. We need to break the incentive structure propping up the trafficking gangs - only safe and legal routes delivered upstream can do this. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

From Sep 24 - Sep 25, knife‑enabled crime fell by about 9%, but in that year there were still 50000+ offences. That's why the gov has launched its Knife Crime Action Plan - the aim is to halve knife crime within a decade. Check it out here: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69ce1b...

Glad to see the Gov is introducing a temporary cap on student loan interest rates at 6%. Interest rates on Plan 2 (undergraduates) and Plan 3 (postgraduates) loans will be capped at 6% from Sep2026. This is about protecting borrowers from inflation spikes!

My thoughts are with the families of the two people who have died in a Channel crossing attempt. www.lbc.co.uk/article/migr...

It’s been a pleasure to be out in Cliftonville today to campaign for the wonderful Joanne Bright. Jo has a fantastic record fighting to tackle violence against women and girls. She would be an incredible asset to the people of Kent if elected to Kent County Council on April 9th. #JoanneBright

🌍 Introducing the Future Homes Standard 🌍 Under these rules, new builds will feature solar panels and heat pumps as standard, ending the era of gas boilers. This crucial upgrade will save households up to £830 a year on their energy bills.

@oliviabailey.bsky.social is right. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

New Funding for SEND Places in Kent 🏫🙌 I am delighted to welcome the Labour government's announcement of a record £860 million national investment to deliver more specialist places for children with SEND.