June 2026

Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced his resignation. I thank him for his dedicated service, and for all he has done to make Britain a fairer, safer, and stronger country since leading the Labour Party to a historic election victory two years ago. In recognising that he is no longer the right person to lead this Government, he has acted with integrity and put the interests of the country first.

As your MP, my focus remains firmly on what matters most – my constituents. My priorities are unchanged – bringing jobs and economic growth to Pembrokeshire, improving our public services, and tackling the cost-of-living crisis. This month I continued to work hard on all these issues, and more.

In the Community

RNLI St Davids

It was a privilege to visit the RNLI St Davids at St Justinian and hear firsthand about some of the remarkable rescue missions the crew have undertaken. They do extraordinary work keeping our community, and everyone who visits it, safe.

It was also important to hear from them about the ongoing challenges they face, particularly regarding funding and regulation. I will continue to champion and protect the interests of our heroic voluntary organisations in Parliament.

Pride in Our Planet Awards

I was incredibly proud to see Pembrokeshire’s very own Car-Y-Mor win Business of the Year at the inaugural Pride in Our Planet Awards, selected from hundreds of contenders across the UK. This is a huge achievement, and a testament to the remarkable, community-owned business they have built.

Car-Y-Mor is Wales’ first regenerative seaweed and shellfish farm, is leading the way in sustainable aquaculture. Not only do they produce delicious sustainable Welsh seafood and seaweed products, they have also developed innovative seaweed-based solutions to help farmers improve soil health. The wider impact of their work is significant – good year-round employment for local people; supporting the local fishing and farming community; and helping to restore the health of our seas and soil.

It was great to visit them last month to see how quickly the business is progressing, and to discuss their exciting and ambitious plans for the future.

A huge congratulations to the whole team at Car-Y-Mor!

Tenby Summer Spectacular

I, like many people in our community, was incredibly disappointed to hear about the cancellation of the Tenby Summer Spectacular. This annual event raises thousands of pounds for charity, and supports local businesses and our community.

This news came after months of working with the organisers, and Pembrokeshire County Council, to resolve issues regarding pedestrian safety and access to the harbour during the event.

It is regrettable that no solution was reached, and I will continue to work with all those involved to make sure that our community can still enjoy fantastic events like these safely.

Summer Savings Scheme

I was pleased to see the UK Government introduce the Great British Summer Savings Scheme. This will cut VAT from 20% to 5% for a range of venues and activities, to make family days out more affordable. From theme parks, zoos, and soft play areas, to cinemas, aquariums, and children’s meals at restaurants – families will be able to enjoy all this for less throughout the summer holidays.

However, I am concerned that some local attractions that offer free admission and charge only for individual activities do not qualify for the scheme. I wrote to the Chancellor Rachel Reeves to raise these concerns and call on her to make this scheme more equitable, to avoid unfairly disadvantaging some local businesses.

I will keep you updated on any progress.

Improving Connectivity

I know that mobile connectivity is not what it should be in many parts of our county. This month I have continued to engage with key stakeholders about this issue.

I met with network provider VodafoneThree to discuss upgrading mobile signal masts, and with mobile infrastructure provider Cellnex to talk about improving the quality of signal across the county. I’ve also continued to speak with local people, businesses, and councillors about how a lack of signal is impacting the community.

Being able to rely on high-quality mobile connection is essential for our local economy, businesses, public services, and local people and visitors. I will do everything I can to deliver this for our county. 

In Parliament

Cross-border Healthcare

Healthcare across our county isn’t good enough.

Too many people across the county are being forced to travel great distances to access essential services. I have been holding the Chief Executive of the Health Board in Parliament to account on this, questioning him this month in Parliament about cross-border healthcare in Pembrokeshire. 

I have also been speaking to the Health Board about their plans for working with the new Welsh Government moving forward to address a range of issues including access to GPs, access to NHS dentistry, waiting times in A&E, and waiting times for ambulance services.

Please get in touch if you are having any issues accessing healthcare. I am always here to support you.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1729815561684133

Improving Access to Banking Services

This month, I continued my work to ensure that everyone in Pembrokeshire has access to the banking services they need. That is why this month, I wrote to Lloyds Banking Group along with colleagues, calling on them to allow for cheques to be deposited into Lloyds accounts at Post Offices and Banking Hubs.

I am delighted that, following this letter, Lloyds has changed course and is now working with the Post Office to ensure that this will be possible for customers at least until the end of 2030.

If you are struggling to access the financial services you need, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Promoting our agricultural sector internationally

This month I travelled to New Zealand with the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee. It was an excellent opportunity to hear from officials over there about innovative ways to support farmers and strengthen the agricultural sector as a driver of regional economic growth, while boosting food security.

Our trade deal with New Zealand was also a key focus, with particular emphasis on ensuring Welsh farmers are protected and can fully benefit from this trading relationship.

I was also proud to champion Pembrokeshire’s agricultural sector on the international stage - sharing our strengths, building new connections, and bringing back fresh ideas to help our communities thrive in the years ahead.

Below is a photo of the Committee with New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon.

Government Procurement and Supporting British Industry

The Government spends billions of pounds a year on building and delivering the public services we need. Public procurement is central to this, and has huge potential to be a tool for driving growth and supporting British industry.

In my work as chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Project Delivery, I am looking at how the Government can deliver better value for money for the taxpayer, whilst supporting domestic industry and manufacturing and stimulating economic growth.

Backing British industry is absolutely crucial to regional economic prosperity in places like Pembrokeshire; protecting and creating jobs; and strengthening our national security.

Bank of England Visit

This month I had the privilege of visiting the Bank of England. It was really fascinating to learn more about how the Bank sets interest rates and keeps inflation down. The Bank engages extensively with businesses and communities across the UK to understand local economic conditions, which shape its monetary policy.

I know that many of my constituents are struggling with the cost of living. I was pleased to see that inflation remained stable at 2.8% in May, with the slowest rise in food prices in a year and a half. I will continue to work with Government and officials to tackle the cost-of-living crisis and bring down inflation.