Commons
Oral Questions
Women and Equalities
9 September 2026
Tackling Violence against Women and Girls
Last month, BBC news reported on a woman who discovered only by fluke that the man she was in a relationship with was a registered sex offender, after he was summoned to court over an assault charge under a different name. While the law allows police to block a sex offender’s request to change their…
Commons
Westminster Hall
7 September 2026
2 contributions
Hate Crime Law: Misogyny
The hon. Gentleman makes a really important point about certainty of funding. Some of the organisations that I have spoken to in my Chelmsford constituency that deal with victims of domestic abuse point out to me that often the funding is project-based. It is not about what they have tried before, h…
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Sir Edward. I thank those across the country who signed this petition to ensure that we had this really important debate. Violence against women and girls is a national emergency. As others have said before me, it is really important that we underline…
Commons
Oral Questions
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
1 September 2026
Topical Questions
T7. I have heard at first hand from many Palestinian business owners how illegal Israeli settlements ruin lives and disproportionately impact women and girls. I have received hundreds of emails from my Chelmsford constituents demanding comprehensive Government action. Will the Foreign Secretary ther…
Commons
Proceedings
1 September 2026
Speaker’s Statement
T7. I have heard at first hand from many Palestinian business owners how illegal Israeli settlements ruin lives and disproportionately impact women and girls. I have received hundreds of emails from my Chelmsford constituents demanding comprehensive Government action. Will the Foreign Secretary ther…
Commons
Debate
8 July 2026
Rearmament and Warfighting Readiness
On the point about communicating with the public, there is a way to do it. I visited Norway recently, and it has communicated with its population incredibly well, to the extent that it has this concept of total defence and civil preparedness, where everybody in the entire nation recognises that they…
Commons
Proceedings
8 July 2026
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Since October last year, I have been taking part in the parliamentary knowledge scheme that relates specifically to frontline services, under the auspices of Mr Speaker. As part of the scheme, we visited the MCA and met CROs. I took part in a training exercise about rescues from muddy situations, so…
Commons
Oral Questions
24 June 2026
Violence against Women and Girls
The Government’s recently announced social media ban for under-16s will play an important role in tackling violence against women and girls and the online spread of misogyny, but social media bans by themselves are not enough. While we welcome steps to address online harm, the Government’s proscript…
Commons
Oral Questions
24 June 2026
Discrimination against Trans People
The Government’s recently announced social media ban for under-16s will play an important role in tackling violence against women and girls and the online spread of misogyny, but social media bans by themselves are not enough. While we welcome steps to address online harm, the Government’s proscript…
Commons
Proceedings
18 June 2026
Grooming Gangs: Independent Inquiry
It is deeply disheartening that, a year on from Baroness Casey’s audit, the Government have not made greater progress. The victims have already been failed once; they must not be failed again. Previous inquiries have produced more than 800 recommendations, most of which have not been implemented. We…
Commons
Westminster Hall
15 April 2026
Police Federation
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Harris, even though it was slightly unexpected for me to be speaking today. I thank the hon. Member for Pendle and Clitheroe (Jonathan Hinder) for securing this important debate.
The Liberal Democrats wholeheartedly support the overwhelming maj…
Commons
Westminster Hall
14 April 2026
15 contributions
“For Women Scotland” Court Ruling: First Anniversary
The hon. Lady is making an interesting speech, and I thank her for it. I think we are probably on different sides of the debate, but it is still interesting. She says that none of trans people’s rights has been taken away. I wonder whether she can explain the legal limbo that trans people feel they …
On the point about it being fairly obvious which gender someone is, I wonder whether the hon. Lady has heard about the case of the woman who had a double mastectomy and frequently gets misgendered as a man? What would she say to that woman?
+13 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Women and Equalities
11 March 2026
Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls.
Last month, The Guardian revealed that suicides following domestic abuse may be vastly under-reported, with research in Kent suggesting that they could be 15 times more prevalent. There has been just one manslaughter conviction from such a death in the whole of UK legal history. Liberal Democrats in…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
9 March 2026
Social Cohesion Action Plan
I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement. Liberal Democrats are pleased to see the Government present this social cohesion strategy, partly because we have consistently called for its publication without further delay—it was promised last year. This should not be a political…
Commons
Proceedings
5 March 2026
Point of Order
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. The Government are today bringing forward a statutory instrument that, according to national media reports, will make significant changes to support for asylum seekers. The Home Secretary has just delivered a speech to the press to announce the changes. I k…
Commons
Debate
12 February 2026
2 contributions
LGBT+ History Month
I start by thanking the hon. Members for Nottingham East (Nadia Whittome) and for Jarrow and Gateshead East (Kate Osborne) for securing this really important debate, and for their amazing contributions—the hon. Member for Nottingham East gave a particularly passionate and powerful opening speech.
I…
I thank the hon. Member for his intervention, and for reminding us that this is about people. They are not statistics—they are people, whose everyday experiences and lives are being harmed by the decisions that are being made right now and by the awful, appalling, divisive rhetoric that is coming fr…
Commons
Oral Questions
Transport
12 February 2026
Topical Questions
T2. Over the weekend, I saw the appalling state of roads in my Chelmsford constituency, such as Oaklands Crescent and Dorset Avenue, that Conservative-run Essex county council has failed time and again to repair properly. Does the Secretary of State agree that patching potholes, and so having to com…
Commons
Westminster Hall
11 February 2026
2 contributions
Hughes Report: Second Anniversary
I pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Sarah Green) for securing this vital and timely debate. First, I want to recognise the victims of the sodium valproate and pelvic mesh scandals, their families and especially the women who are yet again, through no fault of their o…
Will the Minster give way?
Commons
Oral Questions
Women and Equalities
28 January 2026
Health Inequalities: Women
In September, I raised the case of my constituent Mary in the House. Mary is among the parents of at least 7,000 children who have suffered birth defects because of the anti-epilepsy drug sodium valproate after it was prescribed to pregnant mothers in the 1970s. Next week marks the second anniversar…
Commons
Debate
20 January 2026
2 contributions
Holocaust Memorial Bill
As the Holocaust begins to fade from living memory, it becomes ever more vital that the next generations continue to be properly educated about it, and that the victims are commemorated with dignity and care. The theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day, “Bridging Generations”, reminds us that re…
I could not agree more with my hon. Friend.
Manfred Goldberg went on to say,
“Last month I celebrated my 93rd birthday and I pray to be able to attend the opening of this important project.”
Tragically, Manfred passed away on 6 November last year, at the age of 95. My thoughts are with his family…
Commons
Debate
12 January 2026
Social Media: Non-consensual Sexual Deepfakes
I welcome the statement, but an idea has been advanced by some that X moving Grok to a premium service somehow means that those at X are blinking, and I think that is for the birds. I think it was a deliberate strategy on the part of those at X to create a content generation tool that is disgusting …
Commons
Debate
15 December 2025
2 contributions
Violence against Women and Girls Strategy
(Urgent Question) : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make a statement on the violence against women and girls strategy.
I stand here today disappointed—disappointed that women and girls continue to be unsafe in Britain in 2025, and disappointed that the strategy has been delayed three times this year, when urgent action is clearly needed. This Government should not have to be dragged before the House for an urgent qu…
Commons
Oral Questions
Women and Equalities
10 December 2025
Tackling Violence against Women and Girls
I am sure the whole House agrees that women’s safety is of paramount importance. In my constituency, the city council has helped to develop a women’s safety charter, with local premises pledging their commitment to a range of training for staff to consider and prioritise women’s safety as standard. …
Commons
Proceedings
2 December 2025
Budget Resolutions
Like many Members across this House, my team and I deal with casework about special educational needs on an almost daily basis, so I welcome the announcement that from 2028 the Government will be centrally funding SEND, in theory ending the postcode lottery of SEND provision and lessening the pressu…