THIS week, I had a crucial meeting with the chief secretary to the Treasury alongside other Cornish MPs to push for clarity on the future of the Shared Prosperity Fund.

I made the case for Cornwall’s incredible return on investment and how vital this funding has been to organisations like Cleaner Seas Group in Bude and WATT Electric Vehicles. I also raised the Family Farm Tax, urging officials to rethink the policy and instead adopt alternative proposals, such as those by CenTax and the NFU, which would actually raise more revenue but protect those family farms being put at risk. I’m pleased to say the Minister was very receptive, and we’re hoping for real investment at the Budget in just a couple weeks. I’ll keep working cross-party to ensure we secure a fair replacement before the Budget is finalised.

I also took part in a debate this week to raise deep concerns about rogue developers and unsafe building practices in our constituency. I shared the shocking example of Launceston Primary School, which had to be demolished at huge public cost after failing basic safety standards due to developer negligence. I also raised cases from Bude, where developers walked away from projects mid-build, leaving residents stranded and vital infrastructure unfinished. Our local authorities must be given the powers and resources to act, and in the meantime, I’ll keep fighting for real accountability and proper safeguards to protect North Cornwall’s communities from rogue builders.

I also had the opportunity to question Ministers on legal aid access, and used my ‘Oral Question’ in the House of Commons to celebrate the fantastic work of Coodes Solicitors, who provide free legal advice to those in and around Bodmin. I pressed the government to reduce bureaucracy, so that firms like Coodes here in North Cornwall can continue offering their support without unnecessary red tape. Justice should never be out of reach simply because of postcodes or income - it’s a very important topic for me, that I’ve worked on for months now. I’ll keep you all updated as progress continues.

One big win this week came with the government’s announcement that Police and Crime Commissioners will be scrapped in 2028. I’ve been calling for this since I was elected, and have long campaigned for this failed Tory experiment to be abolished. The PCC office has cost the Cornish taxpayer millions, yet delivered very little in the way of frontline improvement. I called for Devon and Cornwall’s current PCC to resign immediately, and for those funds to be redirected to neighbourhood policing where they are truly needed.

There was also a very encouraging movement on one of my longstanding campaigns: justice for WASPI women. After relentless pressure from myself and other MPs, the Government now finally appears to be edging towards a U-turn. We must keep pushing. In recent months, we’ve already forced U-turns on Winter Fuel support and proposed disability cuts. It goes to show that pressure works, and I’ll be keeping it up to also challenge the damaging Family Farm Tax again.