Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
2 February 2026
Security Action for Europe Fund
It was reported last night that the Prime Minister wants a closer defence partnership with Europe, and that last November’s talks on UK access to the EU’s €150 billion SAFE defence fund have collapsed. France reportedly drove the impasse by demanding an inflated price for UK entry, despite many EU p…
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
2 February 2026
Support for Defence SMEs
We all know that we must urgently increase defence spending, but we are not hearing many ways to get it moving right away without harming British security in other ways. Slashing international development aid or investment in renewable energy, for instance, is just robbing Peter to pay Paul.
The Ch…
Commons
Debate
26 January 2026
8 contributions
Armed Forces Bill
Our British armed forces represent the very best of us—courage, selflessness, and an unwavering commitment to protect our freedoms and our way of life—and they deserve nothing less than our unwavering commitment in return.
The Liberal Democrats welcome significant elements of the Bill. The full ens…
Those are important details, which I hope the Minister will take up in his closing remarks. Justice must be seen to be served wherever our service personnel are in the world.
The measures in the Bill to support victims and strengthen protective orders are steps in the right direction, but they must…
+6 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
22 January 2026
Fishing Industry
I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. I am an unpaid director of the Newhaven Fishing community interest company. As such, I see at first hand what is happening to our local fishing industry, and I rise to talk specifically about the impact on our town.
In N…
Commons
Debate
14 January 2026
Ukraine
I welcome the time for this debate on Ukraine today, as we meet at a key moment. American peace proposals welcomed by the Kremlin suggested demilitarised zones and buffer areas. Those phrases sound technical, but their consequences could be catastrophic. The Ukrainian people see such proposals for w…
Commons
Westminster Hall
14 January 2026
4 contributions
Ajax Programme
It is a pleasure to serve under you, Mr Stuart. I congratulate the hon. and gallant Member for Huntingdon (Ben Obese-Jecty) on securing this timely and important debate.
Ajax takes its name from the “Iliad”. In that great epic, there are in fact two Ajaxes—Ajax the Great, the famous hero of Greek m…
My hon. Friend is a committed advocate for his constituents in Yeovil and has raised this on a number of occasions. I absolutely agree: we run a real risk of not only losing the ability to build our own—
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Proceedings
12 January 2026
New Medium Helicopter Contract
I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Yeovil (Adam Dance) for securing this important urgent question on behalf of his constituents.
The UK has retired Puma early, leaving a medium-lift helicopter capability gap. At the very moment our allies are accelerating procurement because the threat picture …
Commons
Ministerial Statement
7 January 2026
Ukraine and Wider Operational Update
We all hope for peace in Ukraine. Years of brutal conflict, caused and perpetuated by Russia, have taken a terrible toll. There is therefore much to welcome in the announcement that the United Kingdom and France are prepared, alongside partners, to deploy forces to Ukraine after a ceasefire. That is…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
5 January 2026
Venezuela
There has been widespread speculation in recent days and hours about a possible US operation to seize a tanker that previously operated in Venezuela, which the United States has been pursuing and is now off the Irish coast. Any such operation would very likely involve UK air bases. What steps are th…
Commons
Debate
5 January 2026
Northern Ireland Troubles Bill: Armed Forces Recruitment and Retention
The Liberal Democrats are clear that the Conservatives’ Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 failed victims, survivors and veterans alike by removing legal avenues to justice and eroding public trust. Elements of the Government’s new Bill are welcome, particularly the desir…
Commons
Oral Questions
Home Department
5 January 2026
Topical Questions
T7. Further to the question from my hon. Friend the Member for Cheltenham (Max Wilkinson), does the Home Secretary not appreciate how worrying it is to hear about the numbers of young people leaving this country? These people are literally the future of this country. What measures is her Department …
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
15 December 2025
Topical Questions
In light of the United States’ new national security strategy, which fundamentally alters its global defence positioning, does the Secretary of State accept that relying on US-owned nuclear weapons for the recently announced new F-35A jets compromises British operational security, given that the UK …
Commons
Oral Questions
Defence
15 December 2025
Defence Spending: Economic Growth
Does the Secretary of State agree that now, at a time of war, is precisely the moment for the UK to work with our European allies, even as Putin tries to divide us? If so, can he confirm that the UK rejected access to the €150 billion EU SAFE—Security Action for Europe—defence fund, at a proposed co…
Commons
Debate
11 December 2025
3 contributions
Foreign Interference
I beg to move,
That this House has considered the impact of foreign interference on security, trade and democracy.
I thank the Backbench Business Committee for granting this debate, and my co-sponsors for their support. Since I submitted my application for the debate, the profound and urgent natio…
I will come to Georgia later in my speech, but on the European aspect, the context of the national security strategy has, if anything, made it more urgent to work more closely with our European friends. The SAFE—Security Action for Europe—fund negotiations seem to have broken down. It would be good …
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Proceedings
11 December 2025
US National Security Strategy
The United States’ new national security strategy was smuggled out in the middle of the night, which is fitting for such a bleak and dystopian vision of the world. It contains some very sharp criticism of European allies, including of our internal democratic processes, and a prioritisation of future…
Commons
Oral Questions
Business and Trade
11 December 2025
Topical Questions
T3. A local restaurateur who operates in the village of Alfriston in my constituency recently came to see me at an advice surgery to talk about the challenges he faces, including increased national insurance costs, the minimum wage, sky-high business rates and rent, and ever increasing energy and ut…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
8 December 2025
Ajax Armoured Vehicle
I associate myself with the comments of the Minister and the shadow Secretary of State regarding the service personnel injured in the recent training incident involving the Ajax vehicles.
The recent revelations about the Ajax programme raise questions that go far beyond this single family of vehicl…
Commons
Proceedings
3 December 2025
Venezuela: US Military
Nicolás Maduro’s presidency clearly has no legitimacy after he was so roundly defeated in last year’s elections; he has continued to refuse to release any evidence to show that he was victorious, as he claims. However, does the Minister agree that the presidency of Venezuela is a decision for the Ve…
Commons
Westminster Hall
26 November 2025
Driving Test Availability: South-east
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship today, Mrs Harris. I heartily congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Dr Pinkerton) on securing this debate, which is particularly valuable because it primarily affects a cohort of people who are not directly represented in this plac…
Commons
Oral Questions
24 November 2025
2 contributions
East Sussex County Council: Elections
3. Whether East Sussex county council elections will take place in 2026.
Cuts to adult social care, collapsing support for children with special educational needs and disabilities, roads full of potholes—the list goes on. The Conservatives have failed East Sussex for too long and should be held to account. Another delay would mean that the current administration will hav…
Commons
Debate
11 November 2025
2 contributions
Remembrance Day: Armed Forces
Remembrance Day is when our nation pauses to honour those who have served, those who continue to serve and, most especially, those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of our freedoms. Indeed, just this morning I was in Polegate, in my constituency, to lay a wreath alongside representatives of…
Yes, that is an important point, because European countries working together will be critical in future. We can look at past examples of joint projects; for example, the Sea Viper system used on our ships was developed jointly with other European countries and has been very successful. Europe would …
Commons
Ministerial Statement
15 October 2025
Ukraine
I thank the Foreign Secretary for advance sight of her statement. I warmly welcome the announcement of fresh sanctions aimed at cutting Putin’s oil and gas profits. It is vital that we make use of all the tools at our disposal to undermine his war machine, and we know that oil and gas revenues are p…
Commons
Westminster Hall
16 September 2025
2 contributions
International Day of Democracy
It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir John. I thank the hon. Member for Cities of London and Westminster (Rachel Blake) for securing this really interesting debate. I echo your words, Sir John—it has been really valuable. I thank all hon. Members for their contributions, many o…
Yes, I did see that story, and it is absolutely shocking. Anyone who purports to care about free speech and accountability, then bans journalists from attending meetings for no good reason, does not respect that at all. We cannot pick and choose who provides that scrutiny. I have not spoken at lengt…
Commons
Westminster Hall
15 September 2025
Children with SEND: Assessments and Support
For families in my constituency of Lewes, this is not an abstract policy debate but their daily reality. That includes the 229 constituents who responded to this petition, to whom I am very grateful.
The failures of the SEND system are in my inbox every week. Take the little boy in my constituency …
Commons
Debate
10 September 2025
2 contributions
Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [Lords]
My hon. Friend may be aware that in East Sussex, where I am lucky enough to be an MP, the county council has already removed the restriction on timings. Indeed, he has met my former Liberal Democrat council colleague Sean Macleod to discuss that. Does my hon. Friend agree that that creates a postcod…
Day in, day out, I hear from people across my constituency—from Polegate to Plumpton—who want to use the bus but simply cannot do so. People must be at the heart of transport policy, so let me begin with one example from my constituency. I recently heard from a woman in Wilmington village who wants …