Wednesday 24 August 2021 On Thursday last week I visited the Gurkha hunger strike close to the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall, that was being conducted by retired servicemen Dhan Gurung and Gyanraj Rai, and Pushpa Rana Ghale, a Gurkha widow who had travelled from Nepal. This was the thirteenth day of their strike, and […]
Wednesday 18 August 2021 Over the last two weeks we have watched with increasing dismay, the rapid collapse of the government of Afghanistan and the return of the Taliban to power. For many of our current and former service personnel, this will have been a heavy blow. I think in particular of the Royal Gurkha […]
Wednesday 11 August 2021 Just before the start of the parliamentary summer recess I was elected to chair a special Joint Select Committee composed of members of the House of Commons and House of Lords, to scrutinise the Government’s proposed Online Safety Bill. The committee will hold hearings in the autumn and present its findings […]
Wednesday 4 August 2021 This week the Government confirmed that residents in the Folkestone and Hythe constituency, as well as in many other parts of Kent, will benefit from further investment from the Project Gigabit fund. Over the next few years the government has committed £5billion to levelling up internet access across the UK, and […]
Wednesday 28 July 2021 Last Wednesday I joined Lewis Biggs, the curator of the 2020 Folkestone Triennial, for a tour of some of the new artworks for this year’s show. The Triennial had been delayed since last autumn, but now makes its return with some spectacular new artworks, that are not only talking points in […]
Wednesday 20 July 2021 On Tuesday this week I spoke in the House of Commons in support of the Government’s new Nationality and Borders Bill. This is important and necessary legislation to address the growing problem of illegal entry to the UK by migrants crossing the Dover straits. In 2020, more than 8,500 people made […]
Wednesday 14 July 2021 Last Sunday night the fantastic campaign of the England men’s football team came to an end after a floodlit penalty shootout at Wembley stadium. Whilst it’s easy to be frustrated at what might have been, we should instead thank this young and talented team for the great entertainment they have provided […]
Wednesday 6 July 2021 On Monday Boris Johnson announced the Government’s intentions for the final stage of the roadmap out of the coronavirus social contact restrictions. From 19 July we will see an end to legal restrictions, including social distancing and mask-wearing requirements. In addition to these, large events will be able to restart, restrictions […]
Wednesday 30 June 2021 The digital economy plays a central role in most people's daily lives, something that has greatly increased during the coronavirus pandemic. Not only do we increasingly use the internet to access services and purchase products, but a rapidly rising number of people rely on it for their work. One of the […]
Wednesday 23 June 2021 The latest information about the spread of the coronavirus in the Folkestone and Hythe constituency is the best indication yet of the power of the vaccine. Over the last few weeks there has been a clear increase in the spread of the virus, which has been back at the levels last […]