Commons
Westminster Hall
7 July 2026
Human Rights in Kashmir
Many of my constituents are deeply concerned about the safety and wellbeing of their loved ones in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, as tensions continue to rise and communications blackouts and obstructions persist. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that it is vital that peace negotiations take place betw…
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
6 July 2026
Russia: Level of Threat to UK
My heartfelt congratulations to the England football team on reaching the quarter finals. I also share your condolences, Mr Speaker, with regard to my good friend, Sir George Howarth.
With the defence investment plan finally being published, I had hoped that as we head to the NATO summit in Ankara …
Commons
Ministerial Statement
30 June 2026
Defence Investment Plan
I thank the Secretary of State for the ministerial briefing beforehand and for allowing Defence Committee members advanced sight of the defence investment plan. I also welcome that we now have a fully funded plan, backed by the Treasury, that is scalable for key facets such as housing, training, wor…
Commons
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister
10 June 2026
Engagements
Last week, the Prime Minister warned that NATO needs to be ready for an attack from Russia by 2030. Indeed, we have an increasingly belligerent, expansionist and imperialist Russian leadership to our east and a Donald Trump US leadership to our west, for whom Ukraine and European security are not a …
Commons
Proceedings
10 June 2026
Speaker’s Statement
Last week, the Prime Minister warned that NATO needs to be ready for an attack from Russia by 2030. Indeed, we have an increasingly belligerent, expansionist and imperialist Russian leadership to our east and a Donald Trump US leadership to our west, for whom Ukraine and European security are not a …
Commons
Proceedings
10 June 2026
Defence Investment Plan
I associate myself with the comments of the Minister and the shadow Defence Secretary, and my heartfelt condolences and sympathies are with the families of our brave service personnel who, sadly, have perished.
The strategic defence review set the ambition, but the defence investment plan is suppos…
Commons
Oral Questions
Energy Security and Net Zero
2 June 2026
2 contributions
Clean Power
6. What steps he is taking to help increase the production of domestic clean power.
For my Slough constituents, the crisis in Iran and the naval blockade have had a profound impact on household budgets, but we have also been left vulnerable by previous Conservative-led Governments who ran down our energy system for over a decade, leaving us on the fossil fuel rollercoaster and susc…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
2 June 2026
3 contributions
Murder of Henry Nowak
I am deeply saddened by the murder of Henry Nowak, and my heartfelt condolences go out to his family, whose pain was made all the worse by the police wrongly handcuffing Henry, believing the lies of the violent murderer. That stripped Henry of his dignity in his agonising final moments, and is somet…
My apologies, Mr Speaker. Let it be said that we see those people, and we will stand up to them. [Interruption.] Let me also give a short history lesson, Mr Speaker.
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Debate
2 June 2026
3 contributions
Armed Forces Bill
I thank the Minister and his team at the Ministry of Defence for their engagement with the Defence Committee on this legislation, including the helpful briefing they gave us ahead of Second Reading. I also thank the Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill, chaired by my good friend the Member for …
I commend my hon. Friend’s intervention and join her in extending my best wishes. It is welcome that the Government have published draft guidance on the legal duty, and I am pleased that it includes an explanation of what it means to pay “due regard” to the covenant, because witnesses to our inquiry…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
1 June 2026
Defence Bonds
Some hon. Members have advocated for defence bonds. As the Secretary of State will be aware, the Defence Committee has examined in detail various defence financing options, including a defence, security and resilience bank—the Canadians have stolen a march on us, even though the idea was developed b…
Commons
Debate
20 May 2026
Defence Readiness
His Majesty the King opened his Speech by noting:
“An increasingly dangerous and volatile world threatens the United Kingdom”.
We have seen unprecedented military action and instability internationally, with the conflict in the middle east being only the most recent example. Closer to home, we hav…
Commons
Oral Questions
23 April 2026
Business of the House
We are tired of lazy stereotypes and assumptions in Slough, which is why we are tackling them head-on with our application to be the 2028 UK town of culture. I am sure the Leader of the House will agree that as a cultural, digital and economic powerhouse, with a young, diverse and talented populatio…
Commons
Debate
15 April 2026
Strategic Defence Review: Funding
The public intervention by Lord Robertson, a former Defence Secretary and former NATO Secretary-General is sobering. For a man of his stature to make such an assessment shows the gravity of the situation. Indeed, he was the person tasked by the Government to head up the strategic defence review. His…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
13 April 2026
North Atlantic Submarine Activity
I thank the Minister for his statement and the Defence Secretary for his public statement, which have increased public awareness about the growing threats that our nation faces. On behalf of the Defence Committee, I pay tribute to all our armed forces personnel involved in disrupting the Russian act…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
13 April 2026
Middle East
I thank the Prime Minister for confirming that, despite the significant unwelcome trolling and pressure from President Trump and Israeli PM Netanyahu, the UK is not being dragged into this war and that it is not in our national interest. Given that the US has now initiated a blockade of Iranian port…
Commons
Debate
26 March 2026
Gurkha Veterans
The hon. and gallant Member is making an excellent speech, and the service and sacrifice of Gurkha veterans must never be understated or sidelined. The treatment of Commonwealth and Gurkha veterans in regard to their pensions has been deplorable. The UK Government have rightly recognised veterans’ b…
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
16 March 2026
Middle East: UK Armed Forces Personnel
After having insulted Great Britain for our response in not joining his war and then claiming that he did not need British help after having “already won” the war, President Donald Trump has now sent an SOS to the world, including to the UK and other NATO allies, to help him protect the strait of Ho…
Commons
Westminster Hall
11 March 2026
UK-based Tech Companies
I congratulate the hon. Member on securing this important debate on Government support for UK-based tech companies. My Slough constituency is a huge tech and data hub; indeed, it has the second largest concentration of data centres anywhere in the world. Does he agree that it would be an act of foll…
Commons
Debate
9 March 2026
Middle East: Defence
I thank the Defence Secretary for advance sight of his statement and for his operational briefing beforehand. I also want to pay tribute to and praise our armed forces for their bravery, dedication and professionalism in defending our citizens and our allies in the region.
I agree with the Defence …
Commons
Debate
4 March 2026
10 contributions
Ministry of Defence
It is an honour and a privilege to open this debate as Chair of the Defence Committee, and as a Member of this House who believes profoundly that the first duty of any Government, and indeed of any Parliament, is the safety and security of our nation and our people. I thank the Backbench Business Co…
My hon. Friend makes a powerful point. It is very important that we stand in steadfast support of our Ukrainian friends, and his point is similar to the conclusions that our Defence Committee drew after our recent visit to Ukraine. It is important that the Government continue with their support for …
+8 more contributions in this session
Commons
Ministerial Statement
2 March 2026
Middle East
The Iranian regime, including its late leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, are of course no friends of our country, but I thank the Prime Minister for clarifying that the UK had no involvement in the Israeli and US strikes on Iran. Indeed, I send my heartfelt condolences to all those who have sadly lost…
Commons
Oral Questions
Northern Ireland
11 February 2026
2 contributions
Public Services
1. What discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on improving public services.
Like my Slough constituents, the good people of Northern Ireland deserve the best possible public services. This Government promised to cut the sky-high NHS waiting lists. Indeed, those lists are coming down for the first time in 15 years thanks to an extra £26 billion investment. That extra money i…
Commons
Oral Questions
10 February 2026
Ministry of Defence: Palantir Contracts
In this evolving security environment, it is clear that developments in artificial intelligence and tech are changing the world at a rate of knots. Those things are integral to defence, but that must not come at the cost of transparency, trust and British businesses. Hon. Members who have served in …
Commons
Debate
5 February 2026
2 contributions
Occupied Palestinian Territories: Genocide Risk Assessment
Will my right hon. Friend give way?
I thank my hon. Friend, who is a Select Committee Chair, for giving way in this important debate. As she points out, one in every 33 people in Gaza has been killed and one in every 14 has been injured. Does she agree that the sheer colossal scale of the assault on the Palestinian people demonstrates…
Commons
Oral Questions
5 February 2026
Business of the House
Many of my constituents face lengthy delays in securing their Transport for London private hire licences, with some complaining about delays of up to 18 months and unclear communication. Many of their concerns are simply being ignored. As the Leader of the House will be aware, our private hire drive…