As a leading member of the Labour for Leaseholders group, I have been championing leaseholders and holding property management companies to account both nationally and in North Somerset. Late last year, I led an inquiry into FirstPort's practices, hearing personal testimonies from constituents across the country, shining a light on the issues leaseholders face.  I also successfully secured a three-hour Chamber debate through the Backbench Business Committee, pushing for stronger regulation and greater accountability for property management agents.  The Government's draft Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill marks real progress, particularly the capping of ground rents with a view to reducing them effectively to zero, which will make a meaningful difference for North Somerset residents. I will continue to keep leasehold reform at the top of the Government's agenda.

With nearly 20 years of experience as a practising pharmacist before entering politics, the future of our NHS is one of my top priorities. As Chair of the Pharmacy APPG and Officer on the Life Sciences and Assistive Technology APPGs, I have been working hard in Westminster on several fronts: Championing community pharmacy as a vital local asset. Making Britain a more attractive destination for Life Sciences investment. Drawing on my first-hand experience to push for NHS digital infrastructure that is truly fit for purpose.

During the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill debates, I repeatedly urged the Government to introduce dedicated legislation on Town and Parish Council standards. I also led a joint letter with fellow MPs calling for legislation to ensure councils operate within the law, deliver value for money for residents, and meet higher standards, helping to rebuild trust in local politics.  At a national level, I have been a vocal advocate for holding those in public office accountable when they abuse their position for personal gain. That is why I supported amendments to the Public Office (Accountability) Bill that would make it a criminal offence for politicians to deliberately mislead the public.

As a SEND parent myself, I have ensured that children and families in North Somerset have been represented during Government discussions on SEND reforms. Published at the end of February, the Schools White Paper sets out significant reforms to the curriculum, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) support system, and the wider school environment.   Over the past few months, I have held repeated conversations with the Minister for School Standards, Georgia Gould, meeting both in Westminster and over weekends to ensure that the concerns of North Somerset's SEND families are heard. Those conversations have been shaped by the many parents who have contacted me by email, attended my surgeries, and taken part in my SEND town hall last year - and I am grateful to every one of them for sharing their experiences and deepening my understanding of the issues.   Minister Gould and I discussed the importance of a ‘rising tide lifting all boats’ across the school system, and I was pleased to see that reflected in the Government’s White Paper reforms. These changes will mean that children with SEND receive the right support, earlier, closer to home, and without the exhausting battles that too many families currently have to fight simply to secure the education and protections their children deserve.