While Parliament has gone back into a short recess for Party conferences, there’s a chance to review progress since the general election, nearly three months ago. Much progress to report and actions taken. Here are a few.
I’ve:
· Arranged a delegation of all of Cornwall’s MPs to meet the Health Minister, to set an agenda for the restoration of our NHS and care services;
· Campaigned and voted against the government's unnecessarily cruel cut to the winter fuel allowance;
· Pressed the Health Secretary to secure the essential investment necessary for our NHS following the welcome publication of the recent Darzi review;
· Supported parliamentary action, and tabled a motion to secure the compensation for WASPI women, as recommended by the Parliamentary Ombudsman;
· Jointly tabled a parliamentary motion pressing for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, release of hostages and to block further export of arms to Israel;
· Strongly backed the proposed climate and nature private members bill;
· Backed motions and voted to lift the two-child benefit cap as first step to reverse widening inequality and growing poverty;
· Promoted and supported the campaign to stop sewage discharges and to hold water companies to account;
· Established regular meetings with Health & Care chiefs in Cornwall to jointly monitor developments/progress;
· Pressed the case to close tax loopholes for wealthy property investors;
· Met the fisheries minister in Newlyn to begin mapping efforts to promote sustainable fishing and sustainable economic prosperity for the sector;
· Backed the campaign for British farming;
· Lobbied Education Secretary for improved funding for post-16 students on the Isles of Scilly;
· Backed Culture Secretary’s commitment to reverse the “Talent is everywhere, opportunity is not” state of British culture and art;
· Raised the case for the return of the Parthenon sculptures to Athens with the Culture Secretary;
· Working on over 4,000 casework and policy enquiries;
· And more…
Much of it is “work in progress”, but is a positive start.