THIS week I joined the other five Cornish MPs in writing to the government, following the collapse of key broadband rollout contracts involving Wildanet, which has left around 7,700 homes and businesses here in the Duchy in limbo.

Reliable connectivity in rural areas like ours is essential for farms, small businesses, and everyday life. After recent storms last month exposed just how fragile our infrastructure can be, it is even more important that the government provides urgent clarity and delivers on what was promised. I will continue working cross-party with the other Cornish MPs on this issue to make sure our communities are not left behind.

I’ve also been pushing for greater transparency and accountability at a national level this week regarding the latest government U-turn on local election cancellations. I wrote directly to the Attorney General calling for the publication of legal advice relating to the government’s decision-making around delayed local elections. At a time when public trust in politics is fragile, it is vital that decisions are made openly and lawfully, and that Ministers are held to account.

Closer to home this week, I was extremely concerned to see footage over the half term period of raw sewage being discharged directly onto Widemouth Bay beach. With families (both visitors and locals alike) visiting our beaches and children playing nearby, I want to make it clear that this is completely unacceptable. Coastal towns and the businesses in them depend on clean, safe waters, and I will be raising this directly with the Water Minister in my upcoming meeting to demand urgent action and proper accountability from those responsible. I also urgently reached out directly to South West Water, to ask specifically what they’re doing on this latest spill, and demanding they bring forward urgent upgrades to stop this from happening again.

On the healthcare front, continuing my campaign to end Cornwall’s ‘dental desert’ and severe lack of NHS dentists, I had a constructive meeting with the Minister responsible for dentistry, where I again pressed the case for urgent improvements to NHS dental provision here. We discussed practical steps around improving access, prevention, and early intervention, particularly in areas like ours where access remains extremely limited. I will continue working closely with local partners through our North Cornwall Dental Action Group to push forward real, deliverable solutions. I should hopefully have more positive news to share soon, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled.

I’ve also been highlighting this week an issue that affects many people across our communities: loneliness. I called for so-called ‘hobby hubs’ to be introduced across North Cornwall, using spaces like libraries, community centres and pubs (of which we’ve so many) to bring people together through shared activities and passions. Too many of these spaces have been lost in recent years, and with more people feeling isolated, we’ve an opportunity to rebuild those connections and give the community spaces themselves a boost while doing so. Simple, local initiatives like this can make a real difference to people’s wellbeing.