My Priorities

Preventing folk from starving and freezing is the greatest immediate challenge we face from 13 years of Conservative failure. Having knocked on thousands of doors across Camborne, Redruth, Hayle, the issue of most concern to voters is how they are going to feed and heat themselves and their families. Over the last decade we have seen a steady erosion of household disposable income. The Conservative government had lost control of inflation, and too many working people are in insecure, low wage jobs. Our new Labour government will have to tackle this issue as a matter of priority, head on.

As the new MP for Camborne, Redruth and Hayle, I managed to persuade a Conservative-led Council to declare a Food Poverty Emergency, including a number of key commitments that will ensure that no one in the area should go hungry. In opposition, rather than pointless petitions, practical action to deal with the worst excesses of Conservative failure is what is required in areas such as Close Hill, Treleigh, Pengegon and East Pool Park. In Government, as your Labour MP, I am fighting to ensure that the principle of ‘no one goes hungry’ is at its core.

After years of Conservative institutional vandalism and neglect, I’m proud to be part of a Labour Government that is rebuilding our NHS. As the son of a GP from Pool and a Nurse at Treliske, I know just how previous our health service is – and how painful it has been to watch it brought to its knees.

Across Camborne, Redruth and Hayle, patients are already benefitting form over 8 million new GP appointments this year – all delivered through Labour’s plan to restore timely, local care. I am tremendously proud that our Labour Government has given the green light to a new Women’s and Children’s Hospital as a part of the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust at Treliske, as well as the investment in Bodriggy Health Centre.

I have championed investment in our NHS, including the installation of solar panels at NHS sites, like at Camborne Redruth Community Hospital.

There is still plenty of work to be done –  local nurses regularly tell me about the challenges they still face, from understaffed wards to exhausted teams and 14 years of underinvestment. But with Labour in government, Cornwall is finally getting the care and attention it deserves.

We need Cornish solutions to Cornish challenges. To achieve this we need a devolution deal that empowers us to manage our own destiny. In order to achieve a reformed housing market, a rejuvenated health and social care system, a Green Industrial Revolution and to protect our cultural heritage, we need to have a greater say in our own affairs in Cornwall. For too long we have been forced to accept policies from Westminster that simply do not fit our Cornish way of life. Cornwall is one of the poorest areas of Western Europe, but we also have our very own, unique cultural identity based on our Celtic roots, we have massive population fluctuations throughout the year, there’s only one main road and rail link in and out, and because of our natural beauty and desire for many to live in Cornwall, finding truly affordable quality housing for nurses, social care and retail workers in Cornwall is today virtually impossible. These factors mean that Cornwall is like no other part of the UK and requires a particular devolved arrangement.

Whilst I’m wholly opposed to a Mayor of Cornwall, which would be a total waste of money, I would like to see considerably more power devolved to Cornwall. And, as your Labour MP, I will push hard for devolution to play a key part in Labour’s plan at the next election.

I will fight for Cornwall to be high on that devolution agenda and achieve a new arrangement with Westminster that befits our geographic location, our economy and our culture as well as our housing, health and social care requirements.

For economic, social, cultural and security reasons, I will push for the closest possible relationship with our nearest neighbours, friends and allies. I make no apology for stating that I am a staunch pro-European. I campaigned door-to-door to remain in the EU and carried the People’s Vote banner through the streets of London.

This is hardly a surprise: I have very close ties to mainland Europe – I have a Swedish sister-in-law, a French sister-in-law, a French brother-in-law and, having lived in France in my early 20s, I speak fluent French.

Three years after leaving the EU, it’s clear that the Conservatives who led the Brexit campaign have failed to keep their promises. The fortress that Vote Leave claimed we could build, had foundations of sand. Ask any of our farmers, fishermen, importers, exporters or desperately overworked social care workers how Brexit has been for them, and you’ll get a pretty frank response. But, as a democrat, as painful as it is, I believe we have to respect the will of the people. We have left the EU, and we have to make the most of where we are today, not replay old arguments. That does not mean, however, that we have to accept the terrible arrangement the government ‘negotiated’ with our nearest neighbours.

As your Labour MP I will support a new debate on the UK’s relationship with the EU based, not on resentment, but on mutual respect, goodwill and collaboration. Where those discussions may lead would be up to us. But what will not change is my ardent belief that the EU is our friend, our neighbour and our largest, nearest economic trading block. For decades our social, cultural and even familial ties have bonded us to our European neighbours. Failed Conservative promises from 2016 cannot be allowed to damage those long-lasting ties.

Our job is to care for, protect and nurture our natural environment. For too long, the Conservatives had abused and neglected it – allowing raw sewage to be pumped into our rivers and seas, failing to invest in flood defences, and ignoring the voices of local communities.

As your MP, I have made it my mission to change that.

I’ve been a vocal advocate in the House of Commons on the issue of sewage and pollution, holding water companies and regulators to account. I’ve supported the Government’s Water Special Measures Act in its journey through the House and into law – which is now cracking down on polluters and giving communities more power to demand clean water.

I’m also proud that the Government is filling critical funding gaps to protect our homes and businesses from flooding. The Portreath Flood Alleviation Scheme has been allocated £3,567,177 to help safeguard our coastline and prepare for the impacts of climate change.

In Hayle, I’ve been working closely with Cornwall Council and the Environment Agency to find a long term solution to the sand movement issues in Hayle Harbour. I’ve met with Ministers to ensure that any plan works for the environment, the harbour and the local community.

This is what environmental leadership looks like – listening to local concerns, acting on evidence and delivering real change.

I will continue to fight for a cleaner, greener Cornwall – because our environment isn’t just beautiful, its essential to our health, our economy and our future.

Quite simply, there is no place for animal cruelty in a modern, progressive Britain. 

Having spent most of my life in rural areas, I’ve seen first-hand the brutal reality of hunting with dogs. It’s not only a hopelessly inefficient method of pest control – it’s a deeply cruel and inhumane practice that has no place in the 21st century. 

That’s why, in April 2025, I led a debate in the House of Commons on trail hunting – my first Adjournment Debate as an MP. I made it clear that trail hunting is often a a thinly veiled cover for illegal hunting, exploiting the loopholes in the Hunting Act 2004. I called for stronger enforcement and for those who break the law to face the full force of justice.

I’m proud to be a part of the New Hunting Ban group of MPs, working together to  also these loopholes and protect our wildlife. The way we treat our wildlife reflects the kind of society we are – and the kind of society we want to leave behind. I will always stand up for zero tolerance to animal cruelty, and I will continue to push for stronger protections and enforcement.