I’ve long heard concerns re vape shops, betting shops & dodgy businesses on our streets. As MP I’ve worked hard as Co-Chair of the APPG on Smoking & Health & on the Public Bill Committee to ensure more would be done to tackle the scourge of illicit vape shops unashamedly targetting children.

What a great visit to Adventure Valley today! Business is going great for them and the Government’s summer savings scheme has played a part in that. How fab! Make sure to visit, there’s loads for all ages. 🫶🏼🚜🎟️

🚘 Like having a sparkling clean car? ❤️ Love supporting local charities? 🧽 Why not head along to the Durham Area Youth charity car wash this Saturday! Details 👇🏼.

It was great to meet with Ian and Ronnie from @unison.org.uk to discuss the issues affecting health workers across Durham. We covered a wide range of topics, including breast cancer services, proposed redundancies and NHS staff parking. More 👇🏼.

Delighted to be asked to join the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) team as PPS to the Minister of State, Matthew Pennycook MP - of course I accepted 🤝. More 👇🏼

Always a pleasure to catch up with James and Sarah at The Weigh To Shop in Framwellgate Moor - the current holders of my Small Business of the Year award 🏆. More 👇🏼.

Fab time at St John’s Hall in Meadowfield earlier where local families spent time enjoying some great activities, lunch and met some Crazy Creatures. Lesley the lizard was quite fond of my head and Fudge the baby bunny was a little cutie, although they put her away before the snakes came out! 🐍

A couple of positive announcements already this week. 💡 Abolishing VAT on electricity bills this winter should help ease pressure on household budgets and marks an important shift in the right direction. More 👇🏼

It was my pleasure to address a regional Labour Women’s event on Saturday alongside Emma Foody MP which was organised with the key aim of encouraging more women to get involved in seeking election. 🗳️ More 👇🏼

What a start to the week, Andy Burnham MP is now our PM. I was watching from my constituency office while planning summer recess activities & I feel so hopeful. As the prime minister said, he will put the care of people at the heart of everything he does - & I believe him. 🫶🏼

Good catch up with Jason & Kevin from CWU to discuss changes being implemented from Sept which are expected to improve services. I’m pleased Royal Mail listened to the CWU & MPs like me over the last few months & that there seems to be a positive way forward for my constituents coming very soon.

I spoke to ITV this morning about an issue plaguing many families across Durham - home to school transport. Tune in this evening, don't worry it is on before the football (!), to hear what I had to say as well as the voices of local parents.

Later today, I’ll speak in the chamber during my adjournment debate on regulation of proprietors of independent schools. I have much to say and limited time, but I’ll try to do it justice on behalf of the Durham High School community. Tune in at the link below: www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...

What was originally described by Capita as “teething troubles” has now escalated into systemic failures preventing consistent & timely pension payments for scheme members including many constituents. I was pleased to get in on the statement today & I’ll look forward to seeing the backlog cleared!

Happy 78th Birthday to our NHS! 💙🎉❤️ Today we celebrate 78 years of our National Health Service – a service built on the simple but powerful principle that healthcare should be available to everyone, based on need, not the ability to pay. More 👇

A short notice protest was called outside of Durham High School yesterday while I was setting up for a hospitality roundtable in the city, so my team called along to chat to some of the parents, staff and trade union colleagues outside of the school site. More 👇

To the retail workers who go out every day & keep our economy moving: we see you, we appreciate you & today we celebrate you. Whether it’s serving customers, stocking shelves, working the tills or keeping stores running behind the scenes. Thanks for all you do. Happy National Retail Workers’ Day.

Worthwhile convos at my hospitality roundtable in conjunction with Durham BID this pm. V grateful to attendees for taking time to come & chat all about the improvements they want for hospitality sector. Thanks to Radisson Blu Hotel for looking after us. Looking forward to working with everyone!

Just over 2 years ago, the horrendous house explosion happened on Coronation Terrace in Willington. We're still waiting on various companies to agree terms, all while residents are faced with the same scene every, single, day. More 👇

A pleasure to meet my constituent, Prof Clare McGlynn, in Westminster recently. Clare is a Prof of Law whose career has been defined by a commitment to ensuring that the law keeps pace with the ways in which women and girls are harmed, silenced, and failed by the systems meant to protect them.

Awesome time at my market stall yesterday. Thanks to everyone who took time to speak to me and the team ❤️🫶🏼☀️

As part of Small Charities Week I welcomed Chair of Durham Pride, Mel, to Westminster to join my networking event with other charities & volunteers. I paid tribute to charities in Durham like Waddington Street Centre, Durham Area Youth, The Recruitment Junction & others to highlight their fab work.

A real honour to address attendees at the NE Chamber of Commerce Central Durham Area meeting. I always enjoy a Q&A session, and despite a couple of tricky questions (and rightly so, it’s what I’m there for), I made it out alive… More 👇

If you're in the city on Sat & see my market stall, stop by for a chat. I'll be in the Market Place from 10-3 come along to discuss any issues you may have, for general advice or for a chat about anything & everything. Hope to see you there. Bring your sun cream, it's going to be another hot one! 🌞🧴

Crikey - what a show (and sound) from Mother Nature earlier! ⚡️🌩️ Video credit to my team.

I recently attended the Aphasia Support event in Parliament and it was so good to hear they are looking into creating new support groups in the North East - and Durham will be one of the target areas. More 👇

Really great to chat with reps from The Disability Policy Centre about the Access to Work scheme. Some of my constituents personally receive support through the scheme & expressed concern re the reported reductions & restrictions being considered, so I was pleased to find out more. More 👇

Good to meet with ASLEF General Secretary, Dave Calfe, to discuss the future of our railways & issues facing train drivers & rail workers. We spoke about Great British Railways, industrial relations & the investment needed to deliver a reliable rail network that works for both passengers and staff.

As Chair of the APPG on Charities and Volunteering, I was delighted to welcome a large group of individuals from the charity and volunteer sector to Parliament yesterday as part of Small Charity Week. More 👇

Pleasure to call into UNISON's parli drop-in to mark Windrush Day. They have a long history of celebrating the huge contribution that the Windrush generation and those who followed have made to our country and our communities.