This kind of story is precisely why we need greater public control of our water industry! www.thetimes.com/business/com...

I was proud to support the work of Louise Thompson and the campaigners on the issue of securing a Maternity Commissioner. Having led a Westminster Hall debate on a Maternity Commissioner, I welcome the announcement that the UK will have its first Commissioner for Maternity and Neonatal Care.

Businesses - we need you! From tomorrow, businesses can access the new Youth Jobs Grant, paying £3,000 for every eligible young person they hire. This is a major investment, helping up to 60,000 people aged 18-24. If you're part of a business, sign up here: business.gov.uk/recruit.

Great speech from Andy B - filled with optimism and hope. It was deadly serious about using devolution to drive reindustrialisation and fix our failing utilities. Brilliant to see the focus on building the social homes we desperately need, as well as the more collaborative political culture.

I'M RECRUITING! DEADLINE THIS THURSDAY Are you passionate about #Folkestone #Hythe & #RomneyMarsh? Do you enjoy being a member of a team? Are you a problem solver and love a challenge? If Yes is the answer, then apply to join my Constituency Office team. www.w4mpjobs.org/Default.aspx

Very concerned by the news of a burst sewer pipe at Sandgate Road. Everyone should stay out of the water at Seabrook Beach - this is a precautionary measure. Am eager to see Southern Water fix this problem and prevent it from happening again. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The situation on the M25 reveals that we must prepare our infrastructure and emergency services for more frequent heatwaves. Climate change is making extreme weather events more likely - to deny that means putting lives at risk. To prepare for that, means saving lives.

A constituent has been stuck on the M25 near Oxted for 8 hours. It is 40 degrees. She has kids with her and is running out of water. The person from the car in front has been airlifted to hospital. Surrey Police and National Highways have protocols for this situation - please implement them!

10 years on from Brexit, can anyone actually feel the benefits of the decision in either: a) the cost of living b) job opportunities c) ease of doing business with the EU d) ease of travelling in Europe e) ease of studying in Europe f) phone a friend

PM’s statement today was dignified. His achievements are significant: Renters’ Rights Act, Employment Rights Act, Water Special Measures Act and the start of rail renationalisation, amongst others. He's represented us on the world stage with deft diplomacy. I thank him for his service.

📢 I’M RECRUITING! 📢 Are you passionate about #Folkestone #Hythe & #RomneyMarsh? Do you like working as part of a team? Are you a problem solver and willing to learn? If Yes is the answer, then I dare you to apply to join my Constituency Office team here - www.w4mpjobs.org/JobDetails.a....

Huge Congratulations to Andy! In May, Reform won all of the council wards in Makerfield. Today, Andy trounced Reform by 20%, winning 55% of the vote! He ran a campaign based on hope and optimism. Makerfield voted for change. Let’s deliver it. 🌹

Glad to see the Justice Committee’s report on the Courts and Tribunals Bill published today, and pleased to have contributed to it. Our report raises serious concerns about Magistrates’ court capacity, recruitment and workload, and doubts whether the Government’s model will… (1/2)

Great British sell off continues... Sad. www.thetimes.com/business/com...

Looking forward to this! Register below!

"Nearly 1 million young people aged 16 to 24 in the United Kingdom are not in education, employment or training. That’s one in 8 young people - and rising." Alan Millburn is right - tolerance is no longer acceptable.

Interesting new data from British Future showing most Labour inclined voters don’t back a 10 year route to settlement. With net migration at new lows, this makes clearer than ever that the earned settlement proposals don’t belong on Labour’s policy platform. www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...

Appalling scenes and displays of racism over the weekend. I don’t believe these marches seek to ‘Unite the Kingdom’ in any way but instead incite division by scapegoating minority communities.

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...