It was great to catch up with a group of Bedford and Kempston constituents who were in Parliament for a tour today. I am very proud of the passion for politics in our towns, and always keen to encourage people who want to be a part of our democracy both locally and in Westminster!

Jess Brady, 27, died of stage 4 cancer after 20 GP visits with dismissed symptoms. Her family’s loss led to Jess’s Rule: ➡️ After 3 GP visits for the same or worsening symptoms, doctors must review & rethink. Now national guidance, backed by the Royal College of GPs—a step that could save lives. 💛

The UK Government has taken the historic step of recognising a Palestinian state. But Gaza still faces a humanitarian catastrophe. The UK must expand sanctions on the Israeli government, push for a lasting ceasefire, get more aid to civilians, and secure the release of hostages.

Pleased to see Home Office funding for the Safer Streets campaign making a real difference! 👏 Huge thanks to Bedfordshire Police for their summer-long crackdown on ASB in Bedford town centre. Visible policing by consent, intelligence-led ops & genuine community engagement works.✅ rb.gy/4ikc9l

It was a pleasure to meet Elizabeth from @CWGC for a fascinating tour of Bedford Cemetery (Foster Hill Road), where over 220 WW1 & WW2 casualties are commemorated. “Lest we forget” is not just about remembrance, but about learning from the past. Book a free CWGC talk: www.cwgc.org/our-work/out...

Honoured to return to Pakistan in my new role as Trade Envoy. Conversations in Islamabad and Karachi have left me optimistic about strengthening our trade and investment ties and setting the stage for the upcoming UK Pakistan Trade Dialogue. @ThePBC_Official, @lance_domm & @ukinpakistan

Here is my statement on why I'm voting against the Terminally Ill Adults Bill. Legalising assisted dying without having universal, high-quality palliative care does not offer true choice. I thank the many constituents who have written to me on this important and emotive issue.

This morning I met with the headteacher of Bedford Road Primary, and the Chair of Knowledge School's Trust. I was thrilled to have a tour of the school and meet with staff whilst the pupils enjoyed the sunshine in the playground.

Spoke in yesterday’s Westminster Hall debate on swimming facilities. Many constituents have raised concerns about the possible closure of Trinity Pool in Bedford. I urged the Govt to support public pools and will keep pushing locally too. Read more incl. Govt response: shorturl.at/dVxJl

🏥NEW FUNDS FOR BEDS HOSPITALS REPAIRS📈 An NHS that is fit for the future means rebuilding our neglected healthcare estate. It will take time to fix, but today's funding news shows this govt is taking the real steps towards achieving it. #ChangeBegins #NHS

Great to catch up with Universal Studios executives today now that the dust has settled from the excitement of the announcement. The response to the news has been brilliant, particularly great to see so much enthusiasm locally for the benefits this project will bring.

I was thrilled by the PM's fantastic news for our area today! He was spot on about the UK's world-class creative industries, and the benefits this project will bring to Bedfordshire. I will ensure my constituents' voices are heard every step of the way - roll on 2031. #UniversalStudios #bedford

I'm so pleased we’ve secured the renewal of £7.3m of special grants funding for Beds Police, on top of the overall budget increasing this year. Working with Beda PCC John Tizard and fellow Beds MPs on this was vital in ensuring we take back our streets and keep our towns safe and welcoming for all.

A privilege to attend Bedfordshire Lord Lieutenant's honours celebration and presentation ceremony today. A brilliant celebration of the achievements of local Bedfordshire people, including quite a few familiar faces! Thank you very much for having me.

At #PMQs today I was pleased to confirm the PM shares my commitment to ensuring Bedford & Kempston sees the benefits from growth and investment in our region. A world-class theme park and resort would be at the heart of this!

This is great news. Only Labour can be trusted to get our NHS back on its feet. There's more work to do, and I welcome the government's vision and drive to deliver for patients. #NHS #LabourParty

Tonight, I’m voting to deliver the biggest upgrade to workers' rights in a generation! ✅ Ending zero-hours contracts & fire-and-rehire ✅ Day 1 paternity, parental & bereavement leave ✅ Strengthened sick pay & flexible working rights ✅ Fair Work Agency to enforce fair practices Time to #MakeWorkPay!

A pleasure to meet this morning with senior clinicians and management of De Parys Group at their new Enhanced Medical Services Centre. This meeting followed my open letter to local GPs in January, to discuss how our primary care is fairing here in Bedford & Kempston.

Happy St David's Day to everyone in Bedford and Kempston, and beyond! Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus i bawb yn Bedford a Kempston, a thu hwnt!

Three years ago today, Putin launched his full scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine stood strong & with int support continues to do so. Today the stakes couldn’t be higher. The future of global security and of the post 1945 security order hangs in the balance. Labour still stands with Ukraine.

Bedfordshire Police are one of the first forces to pilot Raneem’s Law, a new scheme embedding an independent domestic abuse advisor in our Force Control Room to overhaul emergency responses to domestic abuse. It's all part of Labour's mission to halve violence against women & girls in a decade.

📈Some really good news today about our NHS - almost 2.2 million extra appointments have been delivered during the first five months of this new government. Of course, I know that for many people here in Bedford and Kempston, this is only the start of the work we must do.

Great start to the day at the Community Coffee Morning in Christ The King Church! ☕ There were loads of local organisations here with stalls, it was great to go along and have a chat, huge thanks to everyone who gave me their time.

I know many of you are eagerly awaiting news on Universal Studios so I raised a Question in Parliament today during the Chief Secretary to the Treasury's statement on The Chancellor’s major national investment and growth speech this morning... fb.watch/xp-ylbf0PD/

I welcome the news of £17m in further UK funding for aid in Gaza. The appalling civilian suffering from lack of basic supplies and healthcare must stop, and the ceasefire creates an opportunity for vital support to reach the people. www.gov.uk/government/n...

I am deeply honoured to be appointed as the UK’s Trade Envoy to Pakistan. This is an incredible opportunity to foster stronger trade ties, promote investment, and unlock mutual growth between our two great nations 🤝

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending the opening ceremony of the new prayer hall and dining hall at Sri Guru Ravidass Sabha and Community Centre. The Ravidassia community in Bedford play a vibrant and active role in community cohesion - many thanks for having me!

Spend just one hour watching and counting the birds in your garden, local park, or from your balcony this weekend. Only count the birds that land, and then share your results with #BigGardenBirdWatch & @TheRSPB! to help monitor our feathered friends who are under threat from the climate emergency.

Reeves to instruct national wealth fund to work with mayors to boost growth

Today I spoke with the Chancellor about progress on the exciting proposal to bring Universal Studios to Bedford. The project has huge potential to transform our region. While the Chancellor couldn't go into detail as talks are ongoing, things look positive! I will share updates in due course 👀

The Government has tripled funding to local authorities to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. In Bedford, we see far too many people being forced to sleep rough. If you or anyone you know needs help, I urge you to reach out for help via www.bedford.gov.uk/housing/home...

The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel is an important but fragile moment of hope. We must work to secure lasting peace. Only then can the rebuilding begin. Today, I called on the Foreign Secretary to back a lasting peace & two-state solution, as well as help get vital aid to Gaza. #GazaCeasefire

Time’s up for ticket touts. We’re delivering on our promise to fans. This Labour government will cap resale prices and ban ticket hoarding. Find out more about the consultation and have your say ⬇️ www.gov.uk/government/c...

With the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill coming before the House last week, I wrote on the absolute importance of ending child abuse, as well as the need for truth and honesty in our politics. Read my @bedfordindependent.bsky.social column here👇

I was very pleased to vote for the Renters' Rights Bill yesterday, to make renting fairer and more affordable for tenants. The Bill will: ❌End no-fault evictions 💷Stop renters being ripped off by upfront payments 🏠Protect tenants from damp and mould I support tenants in Bedford & Kempston.

This Labour Government has launched a new Independent Water Commission to: ✅ Strengthen regulation ✅ Boost investment ✅ Reform the water sector We will clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.

In the shadow of the fatal stabbing in Bedford on Friday, Mr Yasin asked the Home Secretary to ensure special grants to Bedfordshire Police are maintained... #bedford #bedfordnews #knifecrime #policefunding

Bedford Borough will benefit from £1,168,000 of the the £57 million announcement today to provide a raft of support through Start for Life services to families with babies, from pregnancy up to the age of two. This is on top of the £69 million announced in the Budget for a network of family hubs.

Successive governments have failed on social care. It’s not a shortage of good ideas that’s the problem, but a shortage of good politics. Today that changes with Louise Casey. Britain has a social care crisis. Here’s how we’ll work together to fix it 👇🏻 www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Very pleased to be on Bluesky. Looking forward to respectful engagement, especially with my constituents in Bedford and Kempston. #LabourforBedford