Last week, I asked the Secretary of State for Transport about the opportunities created by Virgin Trains joining Eurostar at the Temple Mills depot in Leyton. The expansion and competition at Temple Mills is good news for jobs and investment locally, and a real chance to expand cross-Channel rail and hopefully lower costs for customers.

Ahead of the UK National Screening Committee’s decision on prostate cancer screening, as chair of the prostate cancer APPG I got over 120 parliamentarians to sign a letter calling for the Health Secretary to act on prostate cancer screening and to end the delays that are costing men their lives.

This week we the Armed Forces Community APPG hosted its first drop-in event in Parliament on transition from service to civilian life and the skills that service leavers can bring to the civilian workforce. The drop-in was an opportunity for MPs to come and learn how to help constituents who are managing the transition.  

Great to be back at Maximus UK in Leytonstone last week to celebrate the local businesses that engage with those seeking support into employment. Maximus delivers training and support to help people find meaningful work in our constituency.

The atrocities that have been documented in Sudan over recent weeks are appalling. There is evidence that the fall of the city of El Fasher in Darfur to the RSF has precipitated a massacre of civilians on an utterly horrifying scale. Some expert estimates put the likely toll of killings at 60,000 or more in just the last few weeks. The systematic use of sexual violence and starvation as weapons of war are evident, as is the targeting of people based on their ethnicity. 

Last week, I got to visit our incredible Police Cadets in Redbridge! A group of young people who are already stepping up to serve their community with pride, discipline, and dedication.

Last week in Parliament, I reflected on Remembrance as a time of unity locally and nationally, highlighting the stories of service present in our community. I reflected on Remembrance services where Royal Air Force cadets from 12F and 241 squadrons, Army cadets from 30 music detachment of Waltham Forest, Scouts, local families, people of all faiths, our councillors and fellow veterans reflected together.

After working so much on cross-channel rail and Leyton’s Temple Mills depot this year, it was high time I actually visited! Grace Williams, leader of London Borough of Waltham Forest, joined me on a very in-depth and compelling visit to the depot.

It was a real privilege to attend remembrance events across the constituency this weekend, including memorials for South Woodford, Wanstead, Leyton and Leytonstone. Each service brought our community together to honour those who served and sacrificed for our freedom.

Great to meet with community members and councillors from Cathall and Cann Hall last week and hear more about local and national issues of concern for residents in this part of the constituency.

It was fantastic to meet staff and pupils at Oakdale Junior School in South Woodford this week! I really enjoyed this opportunity to speak to the school at their assembly about the importance of remembrance and take questions from the children, as well as joining in celebrating their achievements.

Earlier this year, I brought together families, teachers, and local council colleagues for a series of roundtables to hear directly about experiences with the SEND system in our community.

Many of you will have seen news that the Met Police has today published an independent report by Dr Shereen Daniels, commissioned to examine how the organisation responds to racism and discrimination.This report is a powerful intervention. It builds on past reviews such as the Macpherson and Casey Reviews and explains how racism has shaped the Met’s relationship with Black Londoners. It highlights the everyday practices that continue to discriminate against Black people, both

This week, I chaired the latest meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Armed Forces Community, which focused on the treatment of military compensation within the benefits system. Military compensation is intended to recognise the service and sacrifice of those who have been injured or fallen ill while serving our country. Yet too often, these payments are still treated as income in means-tested benefits, leaving some of the most vulnerable veterans and bereaved

Here’s a look back at some of what I’ve been doing in Parliament, across the constituency, and with the Defence Select Committee in October 🎃Spoke in Parliament on SEND reform and EHCPs, pressing for better support for children and families.

Leyton Orient has signed a memorandum of understanding with Waltham Forest Council to explore a new world-class stadium and multi-sport campus in East London. This vision has the potential to bring so much to Leyton and Wanstead - better facilities for fans, new jobs and training opportunities for local residents, more affordable homes, and a boost for our high streets.  This is really exciting news for our constituency!

The Defence Select Committee's visit to Ukraine was both inspiring and sobering. Over three years ago, I flew the penultimate UK mission into Kyiv to deliver materiel essential to Ukraine’s defence ahead of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Standing there again, I was reminded that Ukraine continues to stand on the front line of European security, defending the UN Charter and liberal democracy against Putin’s assault on our shared values.