I KNOW from speaking to local residents across South East Cornwall that safety in our communities is a top priority for them. From rural crime affecting our farming communities to retail theft impacting the wellbeing and livelihoods of our hardworking shopkeepers, crime can affect us all. Everyone deserves to feel safe where they live, work and raise their families.

When people feel safe, communities thrive. Businesses can grow, families can enjoy public spaces, and young people can make the most of the opportunities available to them. That is why improving safety, both in person and online, remains one of my key priorities as your Member of Parliament.

There is evidence that things are going in the right direction. For instance, rural crime is down across the country, according to NFU Mutual’s Rural Crime Report. This is a testament to the hard work of our local police officers working with our farming communities to tackle the issues that are having serious impacts on them, such as theft of machinery, equipment and livestock. This Labour Government is taking steps to empower our police in these efforts, but there is no room for complacency, and I will continue to work with organisations to look at how we can continue to reduce crime.

Community safety is not just about physical crime, we are also affected by what happens on the internet. This is particularly important for vulnerable people and children with additional needs, who may be more at risk online, according to a report by Internet Matters. That should not mean restricting access to the digital world. Instead, it means ensuring the right safeguards, support and education are in place, while making sure technology companies take responsibility for protecting those who use their platforms. These companies must be held accountable when they fail to keep people safe.

Fly-tipping can often be a blight on our beautiful area, whether that’s on rural land or in our towns and villages. It can attract rodents and incur high costs for those who own the land. Local farmers have spoken with me about how fly tipping is impacting them, so I am glad that this Labour Government is cracking down on waste crime by changing Fixed Penalty Notices issued by the Environment Agency. They will rise from £300 to £5,000 and a consultation has been launched to require fly-tippers to complete up to 20 hours of unpaid clean-up work and repay clean-up costs directly. At the end of the day, hardworking, honest taxpayers should not foot the bill, and we are making sure that those who offend pay the price.

Whether crime happens on a farm, in a town centre, on a smartphone or in our countryside, the principle is the same. People should be accountable for the harm they cause, and law-abiding residents should not be left to pick up the pieces. Everyone deserves to feel safe, and I remain determined to do everything I can to help make our communities safer, both in person and online.