A huge thank you to my constituent Lisa, to our local campaigners, and to the more than 15,500 people who signed the petition. Your voices are being heard. 💛

Here is my weekly roundup of highlights from last week in Parliament and across Ely and East Cambridgeshire. 👇

Earlier this week I planted a tribute in Parliament’s Garden of Remembrance, in memory of all those from Ely and East Cambridgeshire who have fought for their country around the world.

🎙📻 This morning I spoke to BBC Radio Cambridgeshire’s Dotty McLeod before joining my constituent Lisa Smart, Ian Sollom MP, Pippa Heylings MP, Cheney Payne and other local campaigners at 10 Downing Street. @iansollom.bsky.social @pippaheylings.bsky.social @cheneypayne.bsky.social

Today I visited 10 Downing Street with my constituent Lisa Smart, from Cottenham, whose daughter received end-of-life care at the Arthur Rank Hospice.

🚆 Met with the Minister for Rail this week to keep up the pressure for long-overdue upgrades to the Ely Rail Junction. It was a constructive discussion — I’m encouraged the Government is open to exploring the huge economic and environmental benefits this project could unlock for the whole UK.

📺 Catch me on BBC Politics East, this morning from 10am on BBC One. Or watch on iPlayer here: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

This week, I spoke up for pupils, parents, and staff affected by cuts to funding for the International Baccalaureate (IB) — particularly those at Impington Village College, where many of my constituents study.

We just stopped Nigel Farage’s plan to drag Britain out of the ECHR and tear up people’s rights. Farage wanted to scrap Churchill’s legacy and bring us closer to Trump's America.

Here is my weekly roundup of highlights from last week in Parliament and across Ely and East Cambridgeshire. 👇

Today, I stood with my Liberal Democrat colleagues to defeat Farage’s attempt to tear up people’s rights and drag Britain out of the ECHR. Farage wants to do away with the Britain Churchill built and turn it into a version of Trump's America. We stopped him.

Stay in the loop! 🔔 Sign up for my newsletter to get updates on local issues, campaigns, and what I’m doing in Parliament for our community.

I was pleased to reaffirm my support for @WASPI_Campaign women in Parliament this week. 1950s-born women have waited long enough for justice. Ahead of December’s High Court hearing, I urge Ministers to deliver fair compensation to all those affected.

Here is my weekly roundup of highlights from last week in Parliament and across Ely and East Cambridgeshire. 👇

The Tories can shout at me all they like, but the truth is their Brexit deal it is hurting our country and Labour won’t do anything about it. Today I urged the Prime Minister to actually fix it.

📢 FUNDING SECURED FOR CHILDREN’S HOSPICES After weeks of pressure by myself and Liberal Democrat colleagues, the Government will move from annual to 3-year funding for children’s hospices—a crucial step toward stability. We’ll keep fighting to ensure every hospice gets the support it needs.

I had a constructive meeting with the Solicitor General today about the upcoming Crime and Policing Bill. As a result, I’ve secured a commitment for a meeting with our local Crown Prosecution Service to strengthen how we ensure offenders are held to account and justice is delivered locally.

Shubh Diwali!

I've had my flu jab - have you had yours? 💉 It’s a small thing that makes a big difference — helping protect not just yourself, but the people around you too. If you haven’t had yours yet, now’s a great time to book it in. Let’s keep each other healthy this winter!

No one should be living in cold, damp, or mould-ridden housing. This vital change to the law will help restore dignity and security to service families across the UK — including those based at many military bases across the East of England. 🏠 www.elystandard.co.uk/news/2554784...

🌊🐟 Yesterday in Parliament, I backed the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill. Eels swim 3,000 miles to Ely — and are celebrated in our annual Eel Festival. Climate change and poaching threaten them. Let’s ban bottom trawling and protect our oceans before it’s too late.

Over 15,000 signatures so far! Thank you to everyone who has signed the petition to save precious palliative care beds at our local Arthur Rank Hospice. It isn't too late to add your name here 👉 www.ecld.org.uk/campaigns/sa...

A few highlights from my week! 🌟

Hospices offer dignity and comfort when it matters most — but they’re being pushed to the brink. It’s time for fair, sustainable funding for hospice care across the UK. Our letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting👇

👉 You can support our campaign by signing (and sharing) the petition here: www.ecld.org.uk/campaigns/sa...

The Government must act now: restore funding to Arthur Rank Hospice, protect children’s hospice funding, reverse the damaging National Insurance hike, and ensure hospice funding always matches local need. www.elystandard.co.uk/news/2554165...

As a Chartered Accountant myself, it was great to host a roundtable with ICAEW members in Ely during recess. A valuable opportunity to hear directly from local accountants about the challenges facing businesses, the local economy, and the accountancy profession. Thanks to all who joined.

Met with the Mayor this week — transport was top of the agenda. 🛤️🚌🛣️ From Ely Junction and the Newmarket Curve to Soham Station, reliable public transport is vital for our communities and economy. I’ll keep pushing for the improvements we need.

✂️🎀 www.elystandard.co.uk/news/2552454...

It’s vital that workers of all ages understand their rights at work and know what support is available to them. Your exact rights and responsibilities will depend on your employment status. Learn more about your rights at work by visiting @age_uk‘s webpage: www.ageuk.org.uk/information-...

Today, alongside my Lib Dem colleague @charlotte-cane-mp.bsky.social MP, I visited the @arthurrankhospice.bsky.social saw the wonderful facilities, and met with Deputy CEO Sara Robins. The hospice is set to lose almost £1 million in funding next year, leading to a loss of 9 out of its 23 beds.

Today I returned to Arthur Rank Hospice. We discussed the £829k deficit they're now facing next year due to the withdrawal of funding — risking 9 of 23 beds. 👉 Please join the thousands of residents who have signed our petition to save these beds: www.ecld.org.uk/campaigns/sa...

This #BlackHistoryMonth we remember Olaudah Equiano, once a resident of Soham with his wife, Ely-born Susannah Cullen. From enslavement to freedom, his words helped end the slave trade. Their story is part of our shared history of resilience and justice.

Brilliant to join the Cottenham Village College community to celebrate their new 3G pitch this evening 🎉⚽ A fantastic facility that will benefit students, grassroots clubs & the wider community across Cottenham and beyond.

🪵🪚 Great to visit Timberworks and see responsibly sourced, high-quality timber being processed right here in our community. Fantastic to have a local business creating jobs, supplying local developments, and supporting our economy – all while keeping sustainability at its core.

I was proud to open the new SEND Unit at Spring Meadow in Ely. 🌼 Expanding from 10 to 30 places, it gives children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Speech and Language Communication Needs (SLCN) the calm spaces, sensory room & specialist support they need to thrive. ✨

I spoke in Westminster Hall on SEND earlier this month. Families in Ely & E Cambs face above-average EHCP needs, yet we’re still waiting on Govt clearance for new specialist schools. Parents shouldn’t have to fight for their children’s rights—every child deserves well-funded, high-quality education.

Do you have an issue you'd like to discuss with me? 👥 I hold regular advice surgeries to hear from Ely & East Cambridgeshire constituents. You can find upcoming dates and locations, and book your slot, by filling out the form online (at bit.ly/bookasurgery). I look forward to hearing from you!

Keir Starmer says everyone in the UK will be required to have mandatory digital ID. That’s not the kind of country we want to be. Liberal Democrats have always stood up for people’s freedom and privacy, back our petition to to oppose Labour's plans here: www.libdems.org.uk/nodigitalid

🌟 Thank you to everyone who joined Cllr Yasmin Deter and me at last night's Community Meeting in Cottenham! These conversations are vital for shaping my work—both here in our local area and in Parliament. I’m committed to listening, learning, and standing up for our communities. 💬

🚌 Buses connect people to jobs, education, healthcare, and each other — especially important in rural areas. But unreliable and cut services are leaving communities stranded. I’m calling for proper investment in public transport that’s dependable, affordable, and accessible for all.

Good to visit Cambridge University Press recently. World-leading in research and academic publishing - it's fantastic to have them on our doorstep! We had a wide discussion covering curriculum reform, the role of education in tackling climate change and the value of the publishing sector.

📣 Have you booked to attend my Community Meeting in Cottenham on 24 September? Catch up on the work I’m doing across Ely & East Cambridgeshire and in Westminster — and raise any concerns or questions you may have. Book here: bit.ly/cottenhamwithcharlotte Or email [email protected]

🍻 As part of my work supporting publicans in Ely & East Cambridgeshire, I met with Greene King in Westminster to discuss the vital role pubs play in our communities and raise concerns from the Publicans Network meeting. 🚨 The government must urgently cut business rates to help protect our pubs.

It was a privilege to visit EACH Hospice, Milton. From hydrotherapy to quiet spaces, the facilities are deeply compassionate and thoughtfully designed. Despite their vital work, EACH receives just 15% of its funding from government. We must do more to support hospices like this.

⚽ It was great to meet the Football Foundation in Westminster recently, to hear about exciting projects planned for Ely & East Cambridgeshire. 🦁 With the women’s game growing stronger than ever, it was a real pleasure to meet Lioness Lucy Bronze and talk about how we can maintain this momentum.

🚓Today, as part of National Rural Crime Action Week, I joined Cambridgeshire’s Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT). RCAT does outstanding work on the ground, but they need proper funding to deliver the comprehensive support our communities deserve.

This week I led a debate on supporting neurodivergent people into employment. I was proud to highlight the work of brilliant businesses in Ely & East Cambridgeshire and I urged the government to act- we must do more to help neurodivergent people and those with learning difficulties into employment.

⚧️ As a Liberal Democrat, I stand with LGBTQ+ people and reject all discrimination. Trans women are women, trans men are men, and non-binary people are valid. I’m proud to sign Lisa Smart MP’s letter urging the Minister to ensure the EHRC's Code of Conduct is subject to full parliamentary scrutiny.