July 2025 Newsletter

This month marked one whole year since being elected as your Labour MP for Mid and South Pembrokeshire. It is the honour of my life to represent our community in Pembrokeshire, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody for their support over the last twelve months. We have made some significant progress together on local and national campaigns, but there is still so much work to be done.

Whilst parliament has now entered its summer recess, I’ll be busy getting stuck into constituency work over the next four weeks. With plenty of visits, surgeries, roundtables and meetings packed in over the next month, spending time with our incredible community truly is the best part of this job. As always, if there’s anything I can help with, or if there’s anything you would like to raise with me, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

I hope you have a safe, and enjoyable summer (and that you enjoy reading my update from this month!).

Best wishes,

Henry

Improving legislation

Thank you to everyone who contacted me about the UC and PIP Bill, earlier this month.

Since being elected I’ve been engaging directly with Ministers in the Department for Work and Pensions, as I know how important it is that we have a welfare system that is fit for the future, and that works for Pembrokeshire.When the UC and PIP Bill was initially presented, I was concerned that the proposed reforms were being rushed through and that several elements of the initial bill risked directly affecting vulnerable constituents across Pembrokeshire.

So, I worked with colleagues to present an amendment that essentially blocked the bill in its original form. We worked with the Ministerial Team in the Department for Work and Pensions, who listened extensively and established crucial changes to improve the bill; ensuring that existing PIP claimants and those receiving the health element of Universal Credit are protected.

The improved bill also commits an additional £300m to what is that largest employment support package for disabled people in a generation, which now totals £2bn.

With 20% of working aged people receiving Universal Credit and a worryingly high number of young people claiming PIP for conditions like depression and anxiety, it is clear that transforming the welfare system is not the answer alone. We need good secure jobs, affordable housing, and crucially, public services that are fit for the future.

Our Labour Government has made some real progress over the last year to address the immense challenges facing our society. Through our flagship employment rights programme, we are making sure that work pays, and we’ve boosted the national living wage which is benefitting so many people across Pembrokeshire.

I will continue to work constructively with ministerial colleagues to ensure that jobs are protected and created in our county. Of course, our local job centres play a crucial role in this regard, and I welcomed the opportunity to spend time with the team at the Pembroke Dock job centre earlier this month, to discuss what more we can do together to help improve access to employment locally.

Access to transport is a constant issue that comes up time again, and it really impacts access to work. That’s why I am determined to see improvements to our local transport infrastructure, and I am working with colleagues across local, devolved, and national government to see those much-needed improvements to our rail and bus services. I will keep you updated as this progresses.

Ensuring a Just Transition

We all recognise the threat of climate change, but we must make sure that our energy transition is a just one, that both protects and creates jobs in Pembrokeshire.

That’s why my role on the Commission for Carbon Competitiveness is so important – we are a cross-party and cross-industry group, focused on protecting British industry, whilst embracing the opportunities of a just transition. This month we released a report that makes some key recommendations to ensure that we don’t simply export our carbon overseas to countries like Pakistan and undermine UK industry and jobs in the process. If you’re interested in reading the full report, you can do so here: Carbon-Leakage-in-the-Export-Market-Commission-for-Carbon-Competitiveness-FINAL.pdf

Our Labour Government has introduced the first industrial strategy that our country has had in years, and we are absolutely determined to secure the future of British industry. Here in Pembrokeshire, we currently produce around 20% of the UK’s energy, and we have incredible opportunities to expand on this further and become a world leader in new technologies like floating offshore wind.

Protecting our Waterways

Like many of you, I’m looking forward to having a bit of extra time over the summer to spend some quality time with my family at the beach. Whitesands is our favourite, but we are lucky to have so many incredible beaches across Pembrokeshire. (I was especially proud though not surprised to see Saundersfoot and Whitesands named among the UK’s 50 best beaches for 2025.)

Since being elected I have been doing everything I can to improve our waterways, so that our beautiful beaches are safe for everyone to enjoy.  I’ve been challenging polluters – grilling the CEO of Welsh Water in Parliament, demanding answers, an apology, and a guarantee polluting won’t happen again.

Through my role on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee we have been driving much needed reform to the water sector. I co-authored a key report that helped end self-monitoring by water companies and gave regulators more teeth. I’m also incredibly proud to back our community campaigners, working closely with the brilliant team at the Cleddau Project. And thanks to Labour, change is now happening across the whole country:

✅ £104 billion invested to fix pipes and build new treatment works

✅ Bonuses banned for polluting water companies

✅ Ofwat abolished – a new, tougher regulator is on the way

✅ £100 million in fines reinvested in clean-up projects

✅ Plastic wet wipes banned to cut microplastics

✅ A new water ombudsman to stand up for customers

We’re turning the tide — for our rivers, our beaches, and our future.

Supporting Young Activists

It was an honour to chair a meeting in Parliament with the inspiring young campaigners from Bite Back UK – a youth-led movement tackling junk food advertising head-on.

It’s worrying to know how advertising for fast food disproportionately affects young people, who are exposed to hundreds of adverts for junk food on social media every day.

Thanks to the work of these brilliant young campaigners, and the actions of our Labour Government, from January there will be a 9pm watershed on junk food advertising. It’s a step in the right direction, and I’ll continue to work with this fantastic group and use my role on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee to advocate for continued improvements and access to healthy choices.

Thanks to Welsh Government’s Community Food Strategy we are already seeing improvements to local food systems, which is improving healthy eating amongst young people and creating more sustainable communities across Wales.

It’s always so inspiring meeting young people who are working so hard to make a change in our society. You can read more about their campaign here: https://www.mirror.co.uk/.../meet-bite-back-youth-led...

Gaza

Like so many people across Pembrokeshire, I am horrified by the humanitarian catastrophe we are witnessing in Gaza.

The scenes of devastation, death, and destruction are incomprehensible. We need a permanent ceasefire, and a lasting two-state solution. We cannot achieve a two-state solution without the recognition of both states.

This month I signed a letter to the Prime Minister, and Foreign Secretary, alongside colleagues, again, urging for the recognition of the Palestinian state. Final+letter_16.45+Amended.pdf

So, I welcomed the announcement from the Prime Minister, setting out the path for the recognition of Palestinian statehood. The Labour Manifesto last year stated that Palestinian statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people. This Labour Government is committed to a renewed peace process and the two-state solution, with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.

The Prime Minister has again demanded an immediate ceasefire, for UN aid to be allowed into Gaza on a continuing basis, and for the immediate release of the hostages. That’s why the Government is taking immediate steps to drop humanitarian aid into Gaza with Jordan, getting injured children out of Gaza and into British hospitals, and strongly pressing for UN deliveries of aid to resume.

I will continue to use my voice to call for an end to this humanitarian crisis.

IN THE CONSTITUENCY

House building in Pembrokeshire

It was great to join Cllr Chris Williams to visit Ger-Y-Mor development in Saundersfoot. The site is going to deliver 72 new high-quality homes for local people. As part of the community contribution 35% of these homes will also be transferred to a local housing provider for rent and shared home ownership – helping to tackle the housing need here in Pembrokeshire.

Bobbies on the beat

Haverfordwest, Milford Haven and Tenby have all been selected for the Government’s Safer Streets Initiative. Over 500 town centres have signed up to Labour’s Safer Streets summer blitz that will see increased police patrols and local action.

High streets and town centres are the very heart of our communities. Residents here deserve to feel safe and for our local businesses to thrive. This initiative will make sure of that.

Bespoke local action plans have been developed with police, businesses and local councils to crackdown on crime this summer. Plans include named, contactable police officers on the beat where you can see them in our town centres, as well as activities for young people to be involved in throughout the school holidays, creating thriving town centres where businesses and communities can flourish

Llanstadwell Flower Festival

A huge thank you to all the volunteers involved in Llanstadwell’s flower festival. It was a real joy to attend and see all the beautiful entries for the theme this year “The Sea of the Cleddau”.

Neyland Carnival

It was a brilliant day at Neyland Carnival – seeing all the community together and enjoying the festivities in the sunshine. It would not have been possible without the amazing volunteers who made it all happen, so big thanks to them.

Thank you to our Posties

Huge thanks again to the wonderful team at Haverfordwest Sorting Office. Our Posties work so hard all year round, in all weathers, connecting our community. For some rural or elderly households, the local postie may be the only friendly face they see for days.

I was lucky to have Liam show me the ropes on a round in Haverfordwest. Next time you receive a letter or a parcel, please make sure you thank your postie!

Supporting our Blue Birds

It was great to get down to Parc Y Scarlets to watch Haverfordwest County AFC against Floriana FC. The players put on an incredible performance in a very close match and did the whole community very proud.

Commemorating the Last Invasion of Britain

History was brought to life in Fishguard this month to mark 228 years since the last invasion of Britain. People from across the county came together to mark this fascinating chapter in our history. Highlights included a mock battle on Goodwick beach, and a powerful reenactment of the French surrender at the Royal Oak Pub – the very spot where it happened in 1797.

Events like this not only honour the past but bring our local history to life in a way that’s fun, educational, and brings the community together.

Thank you so much to the organisers who did a brilliant job making this happen, and to everyone else who took part.

Thank you for reading my July update and be sure to follow my social media to stay up to date with my activities across the constituency over the summer recess.

All the best,

Henry