Commons
Proceedings
3 September 2025
Property Taxes
Queen Camel Community Land Trust is working to create much-needed homes in south Somerset, but it is often hampered by lack of access to finance and an outdated planning system. Does my hon. Friend agree that this Government should focus on community-led development to deliver the affordable homes t…
Commons
Debate
2 September 2025
English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
It is a pleasure to speak on this important piece of legislation, and I declare my interest as a vice president of the Local Government Association. This Bill’s intention is to support further devolution—something that the Liberal Democrats are in favour of. However, the Bill fails to properly do so…
Commons
Petition
15 July 2025
Rural Post Offices
I rise to present this petition about rural post offices in Glastonbury and Somerton, which have closed at an alarming rate over recent years. A separate similar petition from the owners of Somerton Stores, Mr and Mrs Thievendran, recently garnered 800 signatures within two weeks, highlighting the o…
Commons
Westminster Hall
15 July 2025
Beer Duty
Glastonbury and Somerton is home to some lovely small breweries. Obviously, we are the natural home of cider and produce some of the world’s best. Fine Tuned Brewery in Somerton is one of our brilliant little breweries. Although I recognise the Government’s intention to make the packaging more susta…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
14 July 2025
Future of the Post Office
I thank sub-postmasters across Glastonbury and Somerton, and across the country, in particular Jim Gordon from Martock. Many post offices in my constituency have closed in recent years, including those in Somerton, Butleigh, Charlton Adam, Charlton Mackrell, Keinton Mandeville and Sparkford, deprivi…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
14 July 2025
State of Climate and Nature
The Met Office report and the Climate Change Committee have made it clear that we are unprepared for climate change, with progress on food security and nature restoration either insufficient or limited. The Lang partnership in Curry Rivel has proudly championed regenerative farming and nature-friend…
Commons
Westminster Hall
9 July 2025
2 contributions
Early Years Providers: Government Support
Ellie from Wincanton in my constituency has autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and a specific learning disability. She was not diagnosed during her early education and did not have the support framework around her, so I am really pleased that the Government’s Best Sta…
I think my hon. Friend is coming to an important point that I want to make, too. I recently met Acorn childcare in Somerton, another brilliant women-led nursery in my constituency. Staff there have told me over and over again that they are really struggling with the unsustainable costs and the fundi…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
8 July 2025
Road and Rail Projects
Residents in Somerton and Langport are isolated from the railway line that runs right through the area. Some 50,000 residents could benefit from a new station, but hopes for that station took a massive hit when the Chancellor cancelled the restoring your railway fund. What steps will the Secretary o…
Commons
Debate
8 July 2025
Government Resilience Action Plan
Somerset is so often at the forefront of climate change. Recently, Somerset Rivers Authority set up a community flood action fund to provide small grants for small-scale works to reduce flooding in Somerset. These local, community-led interventions can make all the difference on the ground, but fund…
Commons
Debate
7 July 2025
Government Performance against Fiscal Rules
George is the fifth-generation owner of Knight’s fish and chip shop in Glastonbury. It is a much-loved business in the town, but it is under severe pressure after the NICs increases and business rates and some of the decisions made by Ministers on our economy. Hiking national insurance hurts our sma…
Commons
Oral Questions
7 July 2025
Antisocial Behaviour
Glastonbury town centre has seen increasing rates of antisocial behaviour, shoplifting and crime. A local charity shop manager told me that residents and customers are too scared to walk down the high street, which obviously has a negative impact on the local economy. Will the Minister meet me to di…
Commons
Oral Questions
Treasury
1 July 2025
Topical Questions
Jackie from Street suffers with Crohn’s disease, fibromyalgia and mental health issues. She worked for most of her life until ill health made it impossible. Under the reforms, she will lose her entitlement to personal independence payment and employment and support allowance, plunging her into pover…
Commons
Westminster Hall
30 June 2025
Driven Grouse Shooting
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mrs Harris. I thank the hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (John Lamont) for leading this important debate. I also thank the 348 petitioners in my constituency.
The red grouse is a unique wild bird, native to the moorland areas of the…
Commons
Debate
26 June 2025
3 contributions
Armed Forces Day
Veterans play an important role in my Glastonbury and Somerton constituency, where 11% of households include at least one veteran. However, female veterans are more than 10% less likely to be employed than male veterans. Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that we must put more support into helping …
On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. If I may just correct the right hon. Gentleman, the Glastonbury festival site is not in my constituency.
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Ministerial Statement
26 June 2025
Business of the House
June is Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month, celebrating the colourful histories and contributions of those communities. People are drawn to Glastonbury and Somerton as a place of pilgrimage, because of its unique spiritual heritage. After the Conservative cuts, we have no sites across Somerset …
Commons
Westminster Hall
18 June 2025
Businesses in Rural Areas
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Western. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for North Norfolk (Steff Aquarone) for securing this important debate and for his excellent speech.
Small rural businesses are the heartbeat of the economy in Glastonbury and Somerton, but many are in cris…
Commons
Westminster Hall
17 June 2025
2 contributions
Disabled People in Poverty
My constituent in Langport, Samantha, is a recipient of personal independence payment. She had treatment for endometritis and is struggling with cancer. Her PIP review was submitted in 2024. It comprised 100 pages of evidence—an onerous process that took six weeks to complete—and she is still awaiti…
I spoke to Jacqueline from Street, who is unable to work and is absolutely desperate. Heartbreakingly, she told me that if her PIP is removed, she is prepared to take her own life. Does my hon. Friend recognise that the vital support that PIP payments provide to the most vulnerable in society is not…
Commons
Westminster Hall
16 June 2025
Farmed Animals: Cages and Crates
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mr Mundell. I thank the hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Irene Campbell) for leading this important debate, and I thank the 322 petitioners in Glastonbury and Somerton.
As a nation, we value high animal welfare standards. The public care abo…
Commons
Prime Minister's Questions
Prime Minister
4 June 2025
Engagements
Q13. Glastonbury is experiencing a notable increase in antisocial behaviour. St John’s church was recently forced to close its doors after gravestones were reportedly used as counters for drug transactions. Constituents Peter and Melanie told me that people have been targeted with demands for money …
Commons
Westminster Hall
4 June 2025
2 contributions
Business Rates Relief: High-street Businesses
April’s retail, hospitality and leisure relief reduction left Samantha, a shopkeeper from Langport in my constituency, with a £2,000 business rates bill, on top of a £5,000 bill, despite the fact that she was potentially eligible for exemption. She consequently faces losing her shop. When I spoke to…
As my hon. Friend alluded to, the previous Conservative administration in Somerset was a disaster; indeed, it oversaw an irresponsible record six-year freeze on council tax. Does he agree that the Liberal Democrats in Somerset are now delivering a successfully run administration after a very difficu…
Commons
Debate
3 June 2025
3 contributions
Yeovil Hospital: Maternity Unit
I thank the Minister and my hon. Friend the Member for Yeovil (Adam Dance) for allowing me to speak, and I thank my hon. Friend for securing this important debate. The closure of Yeovil special baby unit and maternity unit has shocked many of my residents across Glastonbury and Somerton, as it did m…
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right that the impact is not just within the county, but causes a huge knock-on effect on wider services.
The decision is a damning indictment of how our health services have been treated, and how they have been run into the ground following the Conservatives’ regul…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Debate
3 June 2025
2 contributions
Dementia Care
My hon. Friend reminds me of a conversation that I had with William, a constituent from High Ham who has been caring for his wife, who has had Alzheimer’s for many years. He has relied on the intensive dementia support team in Yeovil, but the service has recently been reorganised. As a result, it ha…
My hon. Friend shares his experience of losing his father. I lost my father in the same way, and he too was a proud farming man. I want to raise an issue from a constituent who contacted me about her father James. He is currently alone in a room in a hospital, and he is scared to mix with other viol…
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 June 2025
2 contributions
Groceries Code Adjudicator
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Allin-Khan. I congratulate the right hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Sir John Hayes) on securing this important debate.
The number of English farms has fallen by nearly a quarter in 20 years, with dairy farms, which are highly promi…
Will the Minister give way?
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 June 2025
Leasehold Reform
I have been working with some residents in Cavalier Way in Wincanton. They contributed £40,000 annually to Plymouth Block Management, their previous leasehold management company, which did not complete any repairs and deposited no reserves as it was transferred to the new company. The residents now …
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 June 2025
Animal Welfare in Farming
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair today, Sir John. I congratulate the hon. Member for Waveney Valley (Adrian Ramsay) on securing this important debate. It is also a pleasure to speak on behalf of the Liberal Democrats.
Glastonbury and Somerton is synonymous with farming. I have spoken…