It was great to bump into some of our hard working police officers while walking around town. Thank you for the work you do to keep our communities safe.

Good to meet the Ames forces and veterans group at Yeovil Rugby Club. A great mix of Navy, Army and RAF, and impressive to hear they have raised over £2,000 for local charities.

Great to visit Nationwide in Yeovil with Cllr Karina Parsons and see the brilliant work the team does for our community. From Dementia UK Admiral Nurse clinics to digital skills sessions and local fundraising, it was impressive to hear about their commitment to supporting people on our high street.

Over the Xmas period my office will be running with limited staff, but urgent emails will still be checked daily. If you or someone you know needs support this Xmas, I’ve shared key contact details on my website:

Good to visit Chard Delivery Office and see the hard work our posties do, especially at this busy time of year. A huge thank you to everyone making sure post and parcels are delivered on time.

@wessex-water.bsky.social is holding a drop in session in Crewkerne where residents can speak face to face about bills, supply or support. A Community Outreach Coordinator will be there to help. 📆 Wed 11 Feb, 10am–12pm 📌 Crewkerne Town Hall

I was pleased to support Merriott Ladies Group, who organised a fundraising Christmas afternoon tea for 70 guests. They raised almost £1,000 to support research into Chiari Malformation through the Ann Conway Trust, and into Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.

Great to learn more about Sing2Breathe, a local charity using singing to support people with lung conditions like asthma and COPD. There’s now a group in Yeovil every Thursday, 2–3.15pm at Westlands. A brilliant example of community support improving health and wellbeing.

I was delighted to stumble across this old Yeovil ballot box while visiting Antiques Bazaar in Crewkerne. I could not resist buying it. A real piece of local history and a lovely reminder of Yeovil’s long democratic tradition, of which I am so proud to play a part in.

I attended the Beauty & the Beast pantomime at Westland in Yeovil & it was a brilliant evening. A fantastic cast, lots of laughs & a great atmosphere for families. Well done to everyone involved for putting on such an enjoyable show & for bringing so much festive cheer to Yeovil.

Valuable visit to SWEDA to learn about their vital work supporting people with eating disorders across Somerset. Demand is rising, yet eating disorders remain under recognised & under funded. Somerset is lucky to have a specialist charity. More info: swedauk.org

Attended a @thebda.bsky.social event recently and spoke with the Head of the BDA about keeping up the momentum with new NHS dental practices in South Somerset. We also discussed the urgent need for NHS dental contract reform so more patients can access the care they need.

I’ve written to the Defence SoS calling for urgent clarity on the NMH programme & the delayed Defence Investment Plan. Leonardo supports thousands of skilled jobs, & its future depends on this contract. We were promised a defence dividend – I’ll keep pushing until we get answers.

I’ve written to the CEO of EVRi after hearing from constituents about delivery delays, tracking issues & problems contacting customer services. Many local drivers work extremely hard, but these ongoing issues are causing real frustration.

Good to visit Crewkerne Delivery Office and meet the posties during a busy period. Enjoyed seeing the team at work and great to watch Rob receive his South West recognition award.

Congratulations to Todd Lemon from Hinton St George Primary School, who won my Christmas Card competition this year. I was delighted to meet him yesterday and present him with a card signed by the Speaker. A fantastic achievement and a brilliant design.

Attended a lip reading and British Sign Language group. It was really helpful to hear about the challenges faced by people who are hard of hearing and the importance of clear, accessible communication.

Good to welcome members of my Farming Forum to London last week. We met with the NFU to discuss the impact of the family farm tax, farm profitability and the importance of strong grass roots campaigning.

#Somerset MPs @gideonamos.bsky.social, @adamjamesdance.bsky.social and @sarahdykeld.bsky.social have urged the government to invest in the south west as part of the #RailwaysBill: www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/2569442... #LDReporter #Somerton #Langport #Wellington #Yeovil

🚨 Today Al Pinkerton will introduce a 10-minute bill that calls for a UK-EU customs union. It's time for Labour MP's to back our bill and help turbocharge our economy.

Great to attend the launch of Unstoppable by Design, a powerful new book sharing real stories from people living with ADHD. I was pleased to read my section at the event and speak openly about my own struggles.

Spoke in the Chamber yesterday about Budget. Local businesses in Yeovil told me it creates uncertainty, higher costs & no plan for growth. Many are asking “Why bother?” We need ambition, real support for small business & plan that delivers for our communities: youtu.be/8_6GYMaAYJE

I joined Shaun at the Lanes Hotel for cocktail making while we talked about the Budget’s impact on hospitality. These businesses are vital to our communities, yet this Budget offered them almost no support. Rising costs & staff shortages are putting real pressure on the sector.

Met local businesses y'day to discuss Budget. Clear message. No plan, no confidence, no support for people keeping South Somerset going. From hospitality to farming & retail, costs are rising & gov is not listening. Somerset deserves better. More info: www.yeovil-libdems.org.uk/news/article...

It was great to meet Shannon from Preston School this week, during Parliament Week, for an interview for their school newspaper. It is brilliant to see young people taking such an interest in democracy. I am looking forward to seeing the paper when it goes to print on Monday.

At PMQs I pressed the PM on the future of Yeovil’s defence industry. Thousands of jobs depend on the long-overdue New Medium Lift Helicopter contract. Yeovil is leading the way, but Gov delays are creating real uncertainty. I asked the PM to back our industry and finally award this vital contract.

Delighted to have added my name to this letter, calling for a targeted prostate cancer screening programme.

Today I asked the Prime Minister to confirm that the UK will not back any peace deal that rewards Russia for its aggression in Ukraine. Russia must not gain territory or be welcomed back into groups like the G7. That would only encourage more aggression. Our support for Ukraine must remain firm.

Yeovil needs a Budget that brings real change. Families face rising bills, local businesses are under pressure and services are stretched. I am calling for support for high streets, lower energy bills and proper funding for public services. Read more: www.yeovil-libdems.org.uk/news/article...

Thank you so much to @adamjamesdance.bsky.social MP for supporting @salvationarmyuk.bsky.social's campaign to prevent drug deaths in the UK.

"I will continue to press the government to bring forward legislation that ends the use of cages for good" Thank you to MP @adamjamesdance.bsky.social for attending our #EndTheCageAge parliamentary event & calling on the Government to ban cages for UK farmed animals.

Voting is now open in the Somerset Youth Parliament elections. Young people can read the candidate manifestos and vote here: somersetyouthparliament.org.uk/elections/ Please vote before Monday 15 December 2025 and make your voice heard.

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Figures show more than 1,900 sewage spills in the Yeovil area last year — with discharges lasting over 16,000 hours. I recently asked a question to the Minister to demand urgent action. The Government’s response so far is nowhere near good enough: www.yeovil-libdems.org.uk/news/article...

Thank you to everyone who came to my Hinton St George surgery this weekend. It’s always valuable to hear directly from residents about issues affecting their lives. If you need support, please get in touch with my office on [email protected]

Thank you to everyone who joined me in my constituency office yesterday for a roundtable on dyslexia and neurodivergence. It was a thoughtful and honest discussion with local teachers, parents and specialists who see the challenges in our schools every day.

Thank you to @adamjamesdance.bsky.social for attending our parliamentary event to #EndTheCageAge.

It was an honour to bring together so many brilliant organisations and campaigners in Parliament this week for a national roundtable on SEND and neurodiversity.

As a child, I was called lazy and disruptive – and the playground teasing about being dyslexic and having ADHD nearly broke me. This Anti-Bullying Week, I want to make sure no child goes through what I did, writes the MP @adamjamesdance.bsky.social www.independent.co.uk/voices/dysle...

I met with residents, Cllrs & reps from @somersetcouncil.bsky.social & @nationalhighways.bsky.social at the Eagle Tavern Junction to discuss long-standing safety & congestion concerns. Thank you to everyone who attended — I’ll keep working with local councils to push for improvements to this route.

Good news – from 29/11, the West of England Line between London Waterloo & Exeter St Davids will return to an hourly service, meaning more regular trains stopping at Crewkerne & Yeovil Junction. It’s a big win for our communities and for everyone who relies on the line.

This morning I was honoured to plant a tribute on behalf of Yeovil in the House of Commons Garden of Remembrance — to remember and give thanks to all those who have served and sacrificed for our country.

I met Honeywell in Parliament to hear about their work in Yeovil and beyond. As one of Yeovil’s largest employers, Honeywell plays a key role in our local economy & the UK’s aerospace industry. Great to discuss how we can keep supporting innovation, investment & skilled jobs.

I was pleased to join The Speaker and colleagues from across the House to mark 75 years since the rebuilding of the Chamber after its destruction in the Second World War. A powerful reminder of our resilience and democracy.

Last week I attended a drop-in on Churchill Time — a proposal to move the clocks forward by an hour all year. It could save households over £400, boost wellbeing and road safety, and add billions to the economy. A simple idea to make better use of daylight.

Great to pop down to The Mad Hatter in Yeovil on Friday. What a great display of costume props for Halloween we are so lucky to still have a shop like this. It’s one of a kind.

Children with special educational needs are being failed by a system already at breaking point. Delaying vital SEND reforms until 2026 is an absolute betrayal of families who’ve waited far too long for change: www.yeovil-libdems.org.uk/news/article...

Farmers across Somerset are already struggling after one of the hardest years in memory — the Government’s refusal to reverse the unfair Family Farm Tax is a real blow. Read more here: www.yeovil-libdems.org.uk/news/article...

Last month I visited Yeovil and heard about the difficulties faced by parents because of the closure of the local maternity unit. Thanks to the tireless work of @AdamJamesDance.bsky.social and campaigners, it's reopening.

A date has finally been set for the re-opening of Yeovil Maternity Unit – 21 April 2026. While this is welcome news, it’s still a long way off. I’ll keep holding the Trust to account to make sure services return safely and without further delay.