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The Prime Minister has appointed Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan MP as Minister of State for Food Security and Rural Affairs in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Sharing news of the appointment, Stephen Morgan MP, said:
“I am delighted to be appointed Minister of State for Food Security and Rural Affairs. Being asked by the Prime Minister to serve our country in this role is an immense privilege.
“Alongside the Environment Secretary and team, my focus will be clear: driving a green economy, protecting our natural environment and ensuring our rural and coastal communities truly thrive.
“I look forward to working with others backing our world-leading food, farming, and fishing industries.”
The role includes food security, trade, science and innovation, and lead for the Marine Management Organisation, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science and Sea Fish Industry Authority.
The post City MP appointed Minister of State appeared first on Stephen Morgan MP.
AI-generated videos depict the Reform UK leader in brawl with Bank of England governor. Read more in The Times (£).
Official confirmation in Parliament from Home Office Minister, Alex Norris MP, that the empty Stradey Park Hotel will NOT be used to house asylum seekers.
The hotel is currently in the hands of the receivers and updates on its future will be announced by them in due course.
For too long, people have told me they want to see more police on our streets. You have told me you want officers who are visible and part of daily life in Worksop. Not hidden away, but an active presence in the town centre, where people can see them and speak to them.
That is why I welcome the plans for a new police station on Bridge Street. It will put policing back in the heart of the town. It gives shoppers, visitors, businesses and residents more confidence that the police are on hand to keep the town centre safe.
The plan is for Nottinghamshire Police to move from their current base inside Queen’s Buildings to Bridge Street. Bassetlaw District Council has agreed to transfer the building to the police. There is still a process to follow, but this is a major step in the right direction.
I also want to be absolutely clear that this new police station will not come at the expense of policing in Retford, Harworth, or anywhere else in Bassetlaw. This is not about creating one single police station for the whole district.
Before the general election, I met with Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden. We agreed then that a stronger police presence would be a joint priority. I am pleased that this commitment is now moving forward.
We should also be honest about how we got here.
Over many years, local policing and justice in Bassetlaw has been hollowed out. The closure of custody cells in Worksop was a travesty. It meant people arrested locally have to be transported to Mansfield instead. I have heard first-hand from local police officers about the time this takes out of their day. An arrest can mean officers spending valuable time travelling to and from Mansfield, when that time could be better spent responding to crime and supporting residents here in Bassetlaw.
The loss of Worksop Magistrates’ Court created the circumstances for the prison cell closure because the costs of running them were shared with the police.
These decisions did not happen by accident. They followed years of cuts and a policy that expected towns like ours to make do with less. The result has been that important public services were taken further away from the people who rely on them.
The new police station is a chance to turn the page. It will not fix everything on its own. But it is a clear sign that Worksop is being listened to again.
Re-instating custody cell provision in Worksop remains a key campaign priority for me. I will continue to demand that we get this investment.
When someone is arrested in Bassetlaw, there must be the appropriate provision here in our area.
This new station is very welcome. It is progress. But it must be the start, not the end.
The post New Police Station Is a Win for Worksop, But We Must Go Further appeared first on Jo White MP.
Amanda Martin MP for Portsmouth North has urged local parents, carers and schools to come together to put an end to a ‘just one day off’ culture that new analysis shows is leading to weeks of lost learning
The Department for Education has revealed that children are up to 55% more likely to miss school on their birthday – one of a string of habits that new government analysis shows could be quietly costing children valuable opportunities.
While a single day of absence appears insignificant, these missed days can quickly add up over the course of a school year, increasing the risk of pupils becoming persistently absent and falling behind their peers. The impact is also rarely felt by just one child. Catching children up on missed learning can affect the pace of learning for the whole class.
The same analysis found that schools that don’t finish the year on a Friday see absence rates rise by 27% in that final week alone. Taken together, patterns of occasional, often avoidable absence like these are a key part of worse school attendance post-Covid.
Findings from the research report also found:
The stakes are high, with pupils who attend nearly every day in Year 6 having 30% higher odds of reaching expected standards in reading, writing and maths compared to those missing 5–10% of school. Secondary pupils who are persistently absent are around three times more likely to become NEET than their peers.
But the MP for Portsmouth North is keen to stress that attendance is about more than academic achievement. Every day in school helps children build friendships, develop confidence, take part in sport, music and enrichment activities – and create the shared experiences and milestones that shape childhood. At a time when many young people are spending more time online and less time socialising face-to-face, regular school attendance plays a vital role in supporting wellbeing, belonging and healthy development.
By spotting patterns of occasional days lost – whether to one-offs like birthdays broken weeks – and tackling them by stronger relationships with parents and pupils, and reviewing calendars, schools can help raise attendance and improve results.
To turn insights into action, Labour is today giving schools in Portsmouth a new package of attendance support, including a personalised tool based on real-time data showing cohort absence patterns over the year, a practical toolkit and communications guide to help leaders strengthen engagement with families across our area.
Drawing on successful practice from schools across the country, the resources outline simple initiatives that make children feel recognised and valued. Examples include giving pupils a queue-jump pass at lunch on their birthday and using “Under the Weather” forms, which help parents and schools agree in advance how to support children who may struggle during the school day.
Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson said: “We’ve seen five million more days in the classroom last year – the biggest improvement in attendance in a decade. That’s real progress, but there is more to do.
“Improving attendance is everyone’s responsibility. That’s why we’re giving schools better tools to identify problems early and work with families to address them, while encouraging parents to play their part in building strong attendance habits.
“By sharing what works and backing our wider reforms to make schools places where children feel they belong, want to be and can achieve and thrive, together we can ensure more children are in the classroom every day.”
MP for Portsmouth North, Amanda Martin said: “Parents and carers across Portsmouth want to help their children get on in life, and the best way to help them is to support them with a consistent education.
“I know just how hard our community has been working to build back attendance after the pandemic and the results are bearing fruit.
“We need to come together to keep on making progress, so children in Portsmouth can achieve and thrive.”
The resources focus on early intervention, strong relationships with families, smoother transition into secondary school and creating school cultures where children feel they belong and want to attend.
These practical tools sit alongside the Labour’s broader mission to make school somewhere children genuinely want to be. The Labour government’s once-in-a-generation education reforms are investing in enriched school experiences – from expanding access to music, sport and the arts, to ensuring every child benefits from high-quality teaching, high expectations and a curriculum that stretches and inspires them.
The Attendance and Behaviour Hubs programme is helping schools build the warm, inclusive cultures where strong attendance naturally follows – spreading proven approaches through peer-to-peer support and collaboration.
Together, these reforms are helping ensure children not only attend school regularly, but benefit from the full range of opportunities, relationships and experiences that help them achieve and thrive.
The post Amanda Martin MP pushes to drive up local school attendance as new analysis shows birthday bunk-offs fuelling avoidable absence appeared first on Amanda Martin MP.
Jeff Smith MP is joining Postcode Lottery, to host a virtual funding workshop for local charities, volunteer organisations, and community groups in the area. This session will give local organisations in the constituency advice on how they can apply for funds to make a difference in their community.
The live Zoom event takes place on the 10th of June at 11am. To attend contact funding@postcodelottery.co.uk.
To date, players of Postcode Lottery have raised over £1.5 billion for good causes and are now raising over £20 million a month for thousands of charities, covering every constituency in the country.
Over £114,000 has been raised for local causes in Manchester Withington, making a real difference to many good local organisations.
Manchester Withington MP, Jeff Smith said:
“I am pleased to co-host this funding workshop with Postcode Lottery to provide local charities with the tools they need to access funding. I know there are many charities in my constituency that would greatly benefit from additional funding, and I encourage them to attend the workshop to learn more about the opportunities available to them.”
Head of Public Affairs at Postcode Lottery, Nick Cook said:
“The money raised by players of Postcode Lottery is already having a huge impact in communities across the country.
We want to do as much as we can to help local charities and good causes successfully apply, particularly at a time when many are losing out on essential funds.
Our free virtual workshop is a useful opportunity for smaller, local charities to find out about the funding available, get advice on applying and ask us any questions they may have.”
Applications for the Mayesbrook and Rippleside Pride in Place Board opened this week and Nesil Caliskan, MP for Barking, is calling on local community champions to apply.
In March, Nesil Caliskan MP successfully secured a £20m investment for Barking constituency from the government’s Pride in Place fund. Mayesbrook Park and Rippleside have been chosen by the government has the beneficiaries of the funding. The money is for investment in local projects over a 10-year period, and local people get to decide how the money is spent.
The projects will be steered by a Pride in Place Board, made up of local community champions, local councillors and the Member of Parliament.
Nesil Caliskan says:
“I’m so pleased that Barking has been given £20 million over 10 years from the Labour government’s Pride in Place fund to drive change and improvement in our local area. I campaigned in Parliament for Barking & Dagenham to receive more funding from the Pride in Place pot and I’m glad we can now make a material difference in our local area.
“I am forming a Pride in Place board made up of local residents and community leaders to decide how the money is spent. Applications are open now, so if you live in the area and want to improve your neighbourhood, please apply. I look forward to joining you to kickstart projects in Mayesbrook Park and Rippleside.”


It was a wonderful afternoon on Saturday as we celebrated the Licensing and installation of Reverend Jennifer Elizabeth Mayo as the new Priest-in-Charge at the Parish Church of St. Mark, Shelfield & High Heath.
I know just how long the local church and our wider community have been waiting for this moment, and the sheer joy and warmth in the room on Saturday showed exactly how much this means to everyone.
A massive, warm welcome to Reverend Jenny! We are absolutely thrilled to have you here, and I know our community is looking forward to supporting you and working alongside you in this exciting new chapter for St. Mark’s.

The Supreme Court ruling of April 2025 caused considerable fear and distress amongst transgender people living in the UK and their loved ones. I am acutely aware of the very real harm this climate is causing to individuals and their families. It is particularly alarming that there have been reports of trans people seeking to leave the UK as they no longer feel safe here.
I share concerns that the latest guidance from the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) will only further harm and marginalise trans people and risks excluding them from facilities they have used without incident for a long time. The government’s own equality impact assessment acknowledges the widely negative impact it is likely to have on trans rights: from excluding trans people from facilities to outing them without consent and safeguarding risks for trans women forced to use men’s services.
It specifies that trans women should not be permitted to use women’s facilities in places such as hospitals, shops, and restaurants. It also stipulates that people may be asked to confirm their birth sex where a service provider considers it “necessary and proportionate” to do so. Requiring trans people to confirm their birth sex in this way is an unacceptable infringement of their human rights: in particular, their right to privacy and dignity.
I also worry about the broader consequences of this decision for AFAB women who may not conform to traditional notions of femininity. This guidance could have worrying implications for their dignity, public perception and safety.
Trans people deserve to live with the dignity, freedom and safety to participate fully in public life. This guidance represents a significant step away from this aspiration. I recently raised my concerns in Parliament around the EHRC proposals, the implications for trans people and the wider LGBTQ+ community and the need for trans-inclusive guidance on sex-based spaces.
I have signed Early Day Motion 240, aiming to disapprove the draft Code of Practice for Services, public functions and associations laid before the House of Commons on the 21st May. I have also added my name to Early Day Motion 1251, which recognises that transgender transition liberates trans people to be their true selves, condemns baseless fearmongering in the media, and calls on the Government to fulfil its statutory public sector equality duty to trans people.
I will continue to advocate firmly to ensure that trans people, and all members of the LGBTQ+ community, are able to participate fully in public life as their authentic selves, free from discrimination, and welcomed and respected accordingly.
The post Statement on EHRC Guidance on Sex-Based Spaces appeared first on Bell Ribeiro-Addy.
Healthy Start value was increased by 10% in April. It’s been a long campaign. I am continuing to work with Sustain: The Alliance For Better Food And Farming, The Food Foundation, Feeding Britain and the Department of Health and Social Care as we push for maximum take up.
The post Healthy Start Scheme Bill appeared first on Emma Lewell MP.
What I’ve been up to throughout March March has been a busy month, both in Westminster and in the constituency. In Westminster, a lot of my time has been spent on the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee, where we have been doing pre-legislative scrutiny of commonhold and leasehold legislation. I asked constituents to
The post March Update appeared first on Sean Woodcock, MP for Banbury.
The post March Newsletter appeared first on Mohammad Yasin MP.
Christmas is a very special time. It's when we come together with friends and family to take stock, and give thanks for what we have.
Some years – in the best of times, this is cause for celebration.
Other years – it's more complicated if we're missing loved ones,
affected by illness, or facing money worries, homelessness, or loneliness.
Sometimes – let’s be honest, for many reasons, Christmas can just be about getting through it, and that's ok!
Because regardless of the year that’s been, or the circumstances you find yourself in, Christmas offers everyone a precious gift – hope.
The post Toby Perkins MP supports Chesterfield Hedgehog Rescue and Rehabilitation appeared first on Toby Perkins Labour MP.