THIS week I took a very clear stand on the importance of accountability in our public life, and voted in favour of a parliamentary investigation into the Starmer and Mandelson scandal.

Proper standards must apply consistently, regardless of who is in power. Parliament rightly held Boris Johnson to account, and the same principle must apply now if there are concerns that the House may have been misled. This issue in particular goes far above party politics, and comes down to transparency and trust. If there is nothing to hide, the Prime Minister should have nothing to fear from proper scrutiny by MPs.

In other news, I also voted against the government’s attempt to give itself sweeping powers to merge Cornwall with Devon or any other authority without consent this week. I made it very clear during the debate that what they propose in their Devolution Bill is not genuine devolution. We’ve such a distinct identity, culture and recognised National Minority Status here in Cornwall, and any future arrangements must absolutely respect that. Fittingly, we also marked twelve years since Cornwall secured National Minority Status last weekend, and while it was a proud milestone, recognition must now be backed up by real protections in law. I’ll continue to oppose any proposals, on behalf of my constituents, that risk undermining Cornwall’s voice or forcing decisions upon us without Cornish consent.

I continued to push for improvements to local healthcare here in North Cornwall this week, after recently meeting with representatives from Wadebridge GP practice and their Patient Group to discuss the pressures they are facing, including the challenges of recruitment, increasing demand, and the limitations of current infrastructure. We also discussed the impact of online booking systems on already stretched staff. These discussions reinforce the need for my ‘Infrastructure First’ approach, ensuring that vital services like GP surgeries, schools and dentists are in place before more large-scale housing developments go ahead.

On national security and justice matters, I voted against ‘carrying over’ the government’s Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, as it does not yet provide the legal certainty and protections that our veterans deserve. Having recently met with veterans here in North Cornwall, I know how strongly they feel about getting this right. My focus now is on working with colleagues from across the House to secure the necessary amendments, so that any final legislation properly supports those who have served.

The NHS dentistry crisis remains one of the most pressing issues raised with me by constituents, which is why I again highlighted in Parliament the unacceptable reality that some people in North Cornwall feel forced to take matters into their own hands (by literally pulling out their own teeth) due to sheer lack of access to care. Following Cornwall Council’s recent cross-party motion to tackle the crisis locally, led by Cllr Rosie Moore and Cllr David Garrigan, I have called on the government to match this urgency and commit to a full debate on how to fix NHS dentistry, particularly in rural and coastal communities like ours.