2026: Week 18 - Climate Change, Dittos and an Award Winning Restaurant!

It has been great to spend more time in the constituency this past week, Parliament is currently prorogued (closed!) so I have been taking advantage of the time here at home.

I took part in a very interesting Climate Assembly organised by Action on Climate Teignbridge and the Climate and Nature Assembly Newton Abbot.  The room was full of concerned residents ranging from young families through to retired people, showing that concerns around climate change are affecting everyone in society.

I told the assembled group that one of my prime motivations for becoming an MP, alongside improving life for my constituents in Newton Abbot, was the environmental crisis.  For too long Governments of both this country and across the world have played around the edges of this disaster; now is the time for real action if we are to preserve our planet for future generations. 

The attendees were asked to identify their three main concerns so I can take these back to Westminster.  Their top demand was asking me to push the Government to bring in a new law to tackle the climate and nature crisis.  This was followed by a request to switch to a “polluter pays” taxation system, so that those who cause harm to the natural world, via pollution or other means, must pay for the damage they have caused. 

The final ask was to use the media to inform the public of the climate crisis, in an informational style rather than sensationalist broadcasting.  I’m hoping by bringing these concerns to Westminster, it will at the very least open up debate about this important topic and perhaps bring new ideas to the table.  It was a very worthwhile afternoon, and I was delighted to have been invited.

I had the pleasure of being asked to help with the unveiling of the latest Ditto House in Dawlish, sited at the Co-op on The Strand.  The Ditto trail has been created by David Hardie and Diana Townsend; it now encompasses most of Dawlish Town with an incredible 77 Ditto Houses to find! 

It is a wonderful and unique feature of Dawlish, if you find yourself with an hour to spare in the town pick up a trail map and see if you can spot all the houses!

If you would like to find out more about the magical world of the Dittos there are two books available to buy, they are stocked at the Dawlish Book Shop and contain further adventures of these wonderful recyclers!

Finally, I’m delighted to offer my congratulations to Eastern Eye Restaurant in Newton Abbot, who were recently awarded a certificate of culinary excellence and have been named one of the top 100 Asian restaurants in the UK. 

This is a fantastic achievement for one of our local businesses, and reflects 36 years of passion, dedication, and commitment to excellence from the team, and is very well deserved.

Please join me in congratulating them all, and I can highly recommend their food, it is truly delicious.