It’s been a busy week here in Westminster, with the publication of the first of the Mandelson files, a very heated PMQs and the passage of the hereditary peers bill, along with the usual business of the house.
It’s been another turbulent week with the US and Israel attacking Iran, who then retaliated by attacking US allies across the Middle East, including a drone strike on a UK RAF base in Cyprus.
The February recess always goes by so quickly
Parliament has been in recess this week, but there has still been plenty to reflect on both nationally and locally.
This week brought the news that the Executive at Teignbridge District Council have voted to sell the Teignmouth Lido, and also not to open it this summer.
It has been a stormy week in Westminster. With the release of a large portion of the Epstein files came the news that Peter Mandelson had far closer ties to the disgraced financier than he had ever admitted to.
This week has seen some severe storms battering our beautiful constituency and causing widespread damage and flooding across the county.
It has been a turbulent week in politics, dominated by Trump’s petulance around not being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
At this point in January we can say the festivities of Christmas and New Year are truly over, and my thoughts turn to the coming 12 months.
I would like to wish all my readers a happy new year, and my hopes that 2026 will bring everything you wish for.
By many measures 2025 was an eventful year, with a lot of surprises.
It was with sadness and horror that I watched the tragic violent events in the US and Australia unfold.
A national review into Maternity care has revealed failings much worse than originally anticipated.
It’s been the week after the most chaotic and confused budget ever delivered. From the numerous “leaks” during the preceding weeks, to the Chancellor’s odd pre-budget speech, then finally to the ill timed release of the budget by the OBR.
It is clear that we are now moving into the winter months, with the previously mild weather suddenly turning and bringing a cold spell to the area.
This week we received the upsetting news that avian influenza had infected and killed a number of the ornamental waterfowl at Dawlish, including some of the black swans.
“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.”
Last week saw the horrific attack on a train in Cambridgeshire, which resulted in several people sustaining serious injuries.
In Parliament I raised the issues with Access to Work with the Minister for Social Security and Disability. This is the scheme that No-Limits Café and Dawlish Gardens Trust used to work with to help people into employment.
There is lots of speculation in parliament about what might, or might not, be in the next budget recently.
This week was back to Westminster! On Monday I spoke in the House about Digital ID cards and highlighted that many areas of Devon are still without decent mobile signal.