We had a real breakthrough in Parliament this week, because after months of pressure the Prime Minister has finally reversed his cruel cuts to the Winter Fuel Payment.

I’ve raised this repeatedly in the Commons, written to Ministers, and stood up for rural residents in areas like ours who face higher heating costs and aren’t on the gas grid. This U-turn is a direct result of sustained opposition pressure, and I’m very proud to have played my part for the constituents who got in touch to ask me to act on their behalf. Next up, it seems, should be a rethink of the government’s disastrous Family Farm Tax - which I will certainly continue to push for a full reversal on.

On the healthcare front, I was delighted this week to share that funding has now been officially confirmed for a new GP surgery building in Bodmin! After quite literally years of delays and capacity issues, this is huge news for the town and is absolutely something to be celebrated. With services running at 150% and thousands of new homes on the way, the need has been urgent and Bodmin’s residents have collectively been pushing hard for a solution for so long. I've consistently urged Health ministers for this upgrade in Parliament, as well as in direct meetings with those same Ministers. A big thank you goes to the surgery staff who never stopped the fight. I’ll now be working closely with all involved to do my best to help move things along quickly.

I’ve also continued fighting for our coastal economies this week, in light of the government’s decision to extend the EU-UK fisheries deal by 12 years. Yes, that’s right - our fishermen will be forced to carry on this terrible arrangement for over another decade. The deal was first signed by the Conservatives, and was a raw deal for British fishers then - and it still is. Now Labour has extended it without securing fairer access or better terms. Our fishing communities like those in Padstow and other coastal areas, who were promised the world after Brexit, continue to be let down. That’s why I’m also calling for a dedicated Minister for Coastal Communities to ensure their voices are finally heard at the highest level.

Our new Cornwall councillors’ commitment to their communities was on full display in Wadebridge this week, where Cllr Rosie Moore, alongside Cllr Robin Moorcroft, led efforts to clean up graffiti in the town centre.

As ever, if you have a local issue you’d like to raise, you can reach me via [email protected] and I’ll always do my best to help. Understandably I have to prioritise urgent casework from constituents who might be at risk of homelessness, facing serious threats to their wellbeing, and other emergency situations - but my team and I aim to respond to all casework as quickly as we can, so please do bear with us while we deal with your correspondence.