Amanda Martin
MP for Portsmouth North · Labour · United Kingdom
“Last week, the all-party parliamentary group for tradespeople hosted a roundtable to discuss the barriers to young people taking up a career in the trades. Travel was raised as a particular issue.”
“As we celebrate 100 years, I want to encourage residents to follow the lion trail, which takes them to so many gems in my city, and to make their own memories. What next for year 101, and what will I strive to change?”
“I draw Members’ attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. As chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Gibraltar, I warmly congratulate the Government on successfully securing this historic, landmark agreement.”
“It is where so many of my own memories were made: the street parties on Mousehole Road; rolling down Portsdown hill, which I must confess I have done rather more recently than perhaps I should have; spending long summer days sitting on the concrete steps at Hilsea lido, and how wonderful to see this much-loved landmark restored for future…”
“Sir David Amess understood what every Member of this House should remember: our greatest privilege is representing the people and places who send us here. He never missed an opportunity to celebrate Southend, and today I want to do the same for Portsmouth.”
“I am proud to represent Portsmouth, whose local people want their pride reflected in the name of the reorganised local council. Both Portsmouth MPs and, I believe, councils representing over 75% of residents, support including Portsmouth in the name.”
The complete record
Every one of 601 lines we hold for Amanda Martin, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 5 of 13.
“I am proud to say that two special naval personnel are in the Gallery today: my son and his girlfriend. I want to give them and all others who serve and have served dignity, respect, support and readiness in an increasingly dangerous world. Since being elected, I have stood up proudly for my armed forces community, alongside a city that has always stood up for our armed forces. Today this Bill ensures that Government will do the same.”
“Absolutely, which is why I ask the Minister how we can ensure that the covenant is statutory across all our local authorities. Patriotism is not a slogan or social media post. It is showing up, voting for better homes for forces families, backing the armed forces covenant, strengthening the protections for those who serve, and listening and supporting individual constituents as an MP and collectively as Government. Help for Heroes, the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and the Naval Children’s Charity have all welcomed the direction of the Bill and stand ready to support its implementation so that lived experience continues to shape delivery. This is a Bill for homes fit for heroes and for fairness for thousands of veterans in Portsmouth and for those serving.”
“I thank the Chief Secretary for meeting me to discuss the £20 million Pride in Place money awarded to Portsmouth. To boost and expand those funds in my city and make investment lasting, will the Chief Secretary tell me and my constituents more about his work with the new Office for the Impact Economy, collaborating with social investors and philanthropists so that we can boost funding and create much-needed change in local communities?”
“Residents and developers in Portsmouth are facing repeated delays from the council planning department. Despite clear assurances from the council given to me about the long-promised green light for the Tipner East development, it has stalled again. Those delays are actively driving the growth of houses in multiple occupation, damaging Portsmouth’s reputation and holding back action on the housing crisis. Will the Leader of the House tell me what mechanisms are available to Members to hold Portsmouth city council to account, force transparency over the planning delays and secure faster, more effective decision making to build the much-needed homes in my city?”
“I thank my hon. Friend for highlighting so many key issues, as well as developments and successes, in our fishing industry. With between 30 and 40 vessels, Portsmouth has a smaller fishing industry than it once did, although the industry still supplies many small businesses. Does my hon. Friend agree that, in order to sustain our fishing industry in the United Kingdom, we must make sure that there are training routes for our young people?”
“I, too, congratulate my right hon. Friend on a deliverable warm homes plan. On Friday, I am hosting a utility cost of living event with energy and water suppliers and banks, because Portsmouth North residents were let down dramatically by the previous Government. Does the Secretary of State agree that home upgrades are one of the most effective ways to bring down energy bills, particularly for families? In Portsmouth North, we have 5,000 households officially living in fuel poverty, and more struggling with energy costs because prefabs and Victorian and other older buildings are less efficient to heat.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir John. I thank my hon. Friend for securing this debate. At the beginning of this debate my hon. Friend mentioned suicide. As we are talking about NHS services, and when we have women trying to take their own lives, I wanted to highlight the devastating impact of the deaths of two people from Portsmouth who took their own lives because of coercive control. Does my hon. Friend agree that all of the agencies across the NHS, our wider health service and our police need to be joined up to stop the loss of lives and that that is a public health issue?”
“I have campaigned relentlessly on this issue, working closely with tradespeople, industry bodies, police, insurers and retailers. Together, we made the case that tool theft must be treated as a serious and repeated crime. As a result of that work, the Bill and these amendments will deliver real change for victims. Repeat tool offenders will now face tougher sentences in court and in our communities.”
“Courts will be able to impose no-go zones, banning offenders from entering specific areas such as town centres, retail zones, building sites or industrial estates where they have previously offended. Those are not soft options. They are enforceable restrictions backed by modern technology with real consequences if they are breached. This approach is vital for crimes that devastate working people. I would particularly like to mention the horrendous, life-changing crime of tool theft. In Portsmouth and across the country, tradespeople have told me this story time and time again. When tools are stolen, it is not just about the property they lose; it is about income lost, jobs cancelled, damage to reputation and families pushed into financial stress overnight. In some cases, it has led to our tradespeople taking their own lives.”
“This Government are working hard to fix their mess. We believe in prisons. Many offenders must go there and some for a very long time. We have already opened 2,500 places and we are on track for achieving 4,000 by 2031—the biggest expansion since Victorian times. We also have to be honest about the challenge. We cannot just build our way out of a Tory prison crisis. We owe it to the British public to reduce crime and the number of victims. That is why the Bill reforms sentencing, so that punishments can cut crime and rehabilitation can help reduce crime and the number of victims. That includes tough, credible and visible punishments in our community. Offenders will be closely monitored through tagging, restrictions on where they can go, and strict conditions that curb their freedom.”
“Ten of thousands are open for a year or more, and some defendants are waiting for up to four years before trial dates are even available. Those delays mean that victims in my city and beyond are denied timely justice, eroding confidence in our courts. The Sentencing Bill and wider reforms are a crucial step towards tackling the backlogs, speeding up justice and ensuring that offences are addressed without further delay. The Conservatives talk tough on crime, but their record tells a very different story. They increased sentencing lengths without building the capacity to support them, and in 14 years added just 500 prison places. When the system finally broke, they released tens of thousands— [ Interruption. ] They released 10,000 offenders early, largely in secret, shattering public confidence in justice.”
“This Bill delivers the long-term, joined-up, sustainable reform that our criminal justice system desperately needs. I will comment on amendments 1 to 7 and 14, which will strengthen the Bill. We inherited a system on the brink, with prisons close to running out of places, courts paralysed by backlogs, police forced to operate with one hand tied behind their backs, trust broken and fear raised—a breakdown of law and order that left communities such as mine in Portsmouth paying the price. In Portsmouth and across the country, the justice system is struggling under the weight of an unprecedented backlog. Crown courts in England and Wales now have between 77,000 and 78,000 outstanding cases waiting to be heard.”
“We are clearing up the mess left by the Tories. People are still waiting for their day in court. It is not okay for a crime to be committed and for there not even to be a sentence for four or five years. If the shadow Minister would like to intervene again, I will give way.”
“They will be serving longer than under the Conservatives, who did not care about tradespeople or construction crime. Repeat tool theft offenders will now face tougher sentencing because of a Labour Government, including tagging on release, strict movement restrictions, robust unpaid work and no-go areas that stop them returning to the places where they targeted working people. This is about disrupting criminal behaviour, protecting livelihoods and showing that Labour is the only party that stands squarely with those who work hard and play by the rules.”
“This is a meaningful improvement for victims, an important move towards a more transparent and humane justice system, and another step in the right direction of putting victims at the heart of our justice system. The Bill ends the chaos we inherited. It restores confidence in justice and it delivers punishment that works for communities such as Portsmouth now and into the future. I am proud to have worked hard on developing the Bill and I am proud to support it.”
“Crucially, they sit alongside the reforms that reflect legislation I fought for in my Theft of Tools of Trade (Sentencing) Bill, to ensure that sentencing properly takes account of the full circumstances and the impact on victims. That principle is vital: justice must never lose sight of the harm done to victims and communities when crimes are committed. Lords amendment 6 is another important step forward. By placing a statutory duty on the Secretary of State to publish an annual report on prison capacity, the Government are ending the culture of secrecy we inherited and ensuring proper accountability to Parliament and the public. I strongly welcome the Government’s amendments in lieu to Lords amendment 7, which will ensure victims can access transcripts of sentencing remarks free of charge.”
“I welcome Lords amendments 1 and 14, which broaden whole-life orders. Murder is the most heinous crime a person can commit, and the amendments ensure that those who murder police officers, prison officers or probation officers, including where the crime is motivated by their current or former duties, face the full force of the law. These crimes strike at the very heart of the rule of law and it is right that sentencing reflects that. I also welcome Lords amendments 2, 3, 4 and 5, which strengthen transparency and accountability around the Sentencing Council. The amendments set a very high bar for rejecting sentencing guidance, ensuring Parliament is informed where decisions are taken, and helping to maintain public confidence in the justice system.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for his kind words and for the work that he has done in Harlow. I repeat that to my knowledge there was not a Government before us who even cared about tradespeople. In addition, we are investing up to £700 million more in community punishment and increasing probation funding by 45%. That means better supervision, faster enforcement, and a system that is credible both to offenders and the public, and looks to reduce repeated crimes for victims. I welcome a number of Government amendments that further strengthen the Bill. As the daughter of a retired police officer—I note my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth South (Stephen Morgan) is also in his place; his dad was a retired probation officer—I have family and friends still serving in the force and as prison officers.”
“Renters’ and workers’ rights are improving as we scrap exploitative zero-hours contracts and section 21 no-fault evictions. NHS waiting times are coming down, while GP capacity is expanding and dental access is being addressed. For the first time ever, violence against women and girls is being addressed, and men’s health—”
“My team and I have closed more than 9,000 constituency cases. I have visited schools, businesses, charities and community groups week in and week out, from Brownies to breweries, and from bubble tea cafés to boxing clubs. That is what service looks like. Sometimes, there are tough conversations and real difficulties, but because we are focused on delivering change, change is happening, although positive change takes time. However, the two-child limit on universal credit is being removed, helping 2,460 children in my area, 60% of whose families are working. Breakfast clubs are feeding children for free before school, youth hubs are opening, children are being protected from online harms, school uniform costs are falling and wages are rising.”
“Many of my constituents can see through that. I am not a commentator; I represent and serve my city. Before I came into this House, I spent 24 years as a teacher in Portsmouth—one of the most trusted professions in the country. I worked with children, families and school staff every day, and I saw how bad decisions in Westminster landed in real lives. Indeed, that is the reason why I came into politics. In my opinion, the previous Government trashed primary education and gave up on our young people. That experience, as well as seeing my own friends and family suffer, shapes everything I do in this place. Progress must be practical, fair and deliverable, or it is meaningless. I represent Portsmouth. I live and have lived its challenges. Since being elected, I have spoken over 170 times in this place, for my place.”
“We have been in office for 18 months since inheriting that mess. Fourteen years of Conservative failure hollowed out our public services. The Conservative-Lib Dem coalition lit the fuse, and the damage was done in the years afterwards. Cities such as Portsmouth paid the price. Communities, families and individuals absorbed the shock, while those who were responsible simply walked away. Those who were involved do not get to pretend that that was not their doing. Opposition Members should reflect on their role and not just brush it aside. Then there is Reform, which is a party of grievance, not Government, propped up by failing Conservatives who keep joining it—they could not win honestly, so they changed their logo instead. They are not fighting for Portsmouth or Britain; they are fighting for relevance.”
“We are now 18 months into this parliament, and we inherited a mess. I like to think about it in a pictorial way, seeing it as a desolate and broken kitchen. Plates were piled high, some lay smashed on the floor and some were empty. Some cupboard doors were falling off, and some of the cupboards were empty. The justice cupboard was overflowing with victims waiting for their day in court. The education cupboard was empty, having been neglected because trying to fix anything was felt to be a lose-lose-lose situation. The growth cupboard had been abandoned, while the NHS cupboard had just fallen apart and was lying on the floor. The bottle inside the defence cupboard was open and the liquid was spilling down on to the floor, as people and contracts were left. Worst of all, the child poverty cupboard was empty, as were many kids’ stomachs.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Edward. I thank the Petitions Committee for this debate, and I thank those who engaged and signed the petition. Like my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock Chase (Josh Newbury), I always look at the petitions that come into this place, because they are a way for the public to raise their voice and set an agenda here. Like him, I can understand why people signed this petition. I will address that today because, like my hon. Friend the Member for Hitchin (Alistair Strathern), I am concerned about the rise of public mistrust in our politics and politicians—be that at a local or national level—and their ability to achieve positive change. Let me be clear, though: another general election is not the answer. People want long-term development and delivery, not political games.”
“Petitions are an important part of our democracy, but this debate will not build a single home, fix a single struggling public service or help a single family in my city. My focus is on delivery, not disruption. I serve Portsmouth and will keep doing this job. We have far more in common than what divides us.”
“My constituents know that life is hard, but they also know who is showing up and who is shouting from the sidelines. The country does not need more noise; it needs people who serve where they live, take responsibility, and get on with the job. I thank the residents of Portsmouth North who signed this petition, and I assure them that my door is always open. I understand the frustration and the anger, but I encourage them to come along to the coffee mornings, join me for one of my “pint with your MP” events, or attend one of my many public events. I am here to listen and help, and to deliver for Portsmouth North, because it has not been delivered for in the last two decades. Today and tomorrow—and as long as I am here in this place—it is important to me to do that. Everybody I love lives in my city.”
“I am especially proud of my own tool theft campaign, in which I led a movement of local tradespeople and national bodies. Despite recent noise from the Opposition Benches, before I was elected, politicians ignored this crime and, in fact, this sector. But tool theft destroys lives, and we know that the trade sector builds homes. We worked with the sector and changed the law. That is what happens when people in Government listen and act. Do we have more to do? Absolutely we do, always, but in the last 18 months, I, and we as a Government, have listened, learned and delivered. Change works when it is built with communities, not imposed on them. That is why calls for an immediate general election ring hollow. Accountability matters, and chaos does not.”
“It is delivery, and not slogans, for our armed forces. Brexit hurt Pompey businesses, and the damage was real. We now need to rebuild trade and trust, as we are doing. The India trade agreement alone will bring £300 million a year into the south-east, and investment in defence and apprenticeships is helping to make life more stable for young people who are out of employment. For many in our city, it is a far cry from the days when shipbuilding was snatched from us under the previous Government and replaced with three useless Portsmouth Ministers. Portsmouth is receiving £13.1 million for safer streets, cleaner streets, improved bus services, better cycling and vital flood defences for our island city, to name just a few things.”
“We will add it to the list. We need to ensure that children and young people who are not in education, employment or training are not neglected by the Government—and they will not be. Men’s health is finally being taken seriously. There is money for potholes, parks and policing. Pride in place funding is reaching deprived and previously ignored communities, like where my mum and dad were born, in Paulsgrove and beyond. Many of those policies, the Opposition voted against; if they had been in Government, we would not have had them. Portsmouth is also a royal naval city. I am proud that my son serves, and that this Government are delivering the biggest armed forces pay rise in decades. Service families’ homes are improving, families can keep pets now and veterans have proper joined-up support through Op Valour.”
“Buses in Portsmouth are not meeting the accessibility requirements of visually impaired passengers, and my constituents report that bus colour displays are unsuitable, audio and visual stop announcements are not functioning, and drivers are not calling out stops or identifying visually impaired passengers at bus stops. My team has contacted the council, which has not provided a clear timeline for improving driver training or facilities. What is the Department doing to work with councils and service providers on improving accessibility?”
“I thank the Secretary of State for his statement and leadership. As the Member for Portsmouth North, the home of the Royal Navy, I pay tribute to all our armed forces. Does the Secretary of State agree that continued strong UK leadership from our Prime Minister and commitment and consensus across the whole of this House with our allies is vital to enforcing sanctions on Russia and to strengthening security and achieving peace in Ukraine, and in doing so, ensuring security in my port city and in Britain too?”
“Thirdly, how will the Bill be linked to investment in cyber-skills and training, so that we are not left without the people needed to make the changing world an easier place to live? Finally, how can we ensure that this is just the start of the conversation? How can we use the Bill to help change the culture around cyber-attacks so that individuals and organisations can, yes, take responsibility and ownership, but in a supportive environment, rather than one that lays blame? How can we as MPs across the House encourage openness among our constituents, small businesses, large employers and the public sector alike, so that together we can carry out the Government’s first duty, which is to protect their citizens in a modern, ever-changing world?”
“These efforts not only support local households and employees, but grow the skilled cyber workforce that the UK needs, which links directly to the economic and security objectives of the Bill. The Bill lays the foundations for a more secure and resilient Britain, and I am pleased to support its Second Reading. In doing so, I seek reassurances and clarity from the Minister on four key points. First, how will the whole of Government work together to ensure that Portsmouth, with its defence, maritime and manufacturing base alongside thousands of small businesses, local services and the public sector, is supported to benefit fully from the Bill? Secondly, how will the Government work with and reach all employers to strengthen knowledge and skills, long-term economic resilience, accountability and responsibility?”
“I am proud that the University of Portsmouth is recognised as a centre of cyber-expertise, with leading research and collaboration on cyber-crime, digital security and economic crime. Its centre for cyber-crime and economic crime brings together multidisciplinary experts studying cyber-crime courses, prevention and resilience, and it works with community groups, schools and local businesses to raise awareness and protect people from cyber-crime. The university also conducts advanced research into cyber-security systems and threat detection through computing and behavioural science, helping to develop real-world solutions that improve organisation and national resilience.”
“Our city is home to the Royal Navy, with one of Europe’s most significant naval bases sitting alongside a major commercial port, advanced engineering and manufacturing activity and a university that recognises expertise in cyber-crime and digital security. When our city was blitzed in the second world war, we could see it and act on it. Cyber-crime needs to be brought into the light in the same way, so that we can all act on the attacks that are happening and create a different culture in which people do not hide and are not embarrassed to say what has happened to them, their businesses or their community. Portsmouth already plays a vital role in our national security and industrial base. It is not just a target, but a part of the solution.”
“Clearer standards and stronger oversight give businesses the confidence to invest, raise resilience across the economy and ensure that organisations are not left to face increasingly sophisticated threats alone. The Bill rightly ensures that breaches are reported swiftly within 24 hours, because pace and speed are vital if we are to minimise the domino effect of cyber-crime. The Bill rightly gives regulators the flexibility and powers they need to act as new threats emerge. That comes with the assurance of resources and transparency, as well as a more consistent strategy, evidence and wider clarity. That is particularly important for Portsmouth.”
“It recognises that weaknesses in one organisation can rapidly cascade across the entire economy, whether it is through the actions of cyber-criminals or hostile foreign actors. It recognises that cyber-crime is real and its effects devastating. This is not just about big business; as we have heard, cyber-attacks disrupt NHS appointments, threaten energy and water supplies, and prevent people from living their daily lives. Last year alone, 11,000 NHS appointments were lost due to cyber-attacks, and since 2024 at least five direct cyber-attacks have been targeted at UK water supplies—one of them targeted at Southern Water. In 2025, it was reported that 62% of UK energy organisations experience cyber-attacks. Crucially, Labour recognises that cyber-security is not only a technical issue, but a workforce and economic one.”
“That is how these crimes continue to proliferate through our society. Local police crime figures also show significant levels of harassment, malicious communications and other online offences that are often instigated through cyber-attacks. These are not just techie problems; they translate into financial losses, practical inconveniences and, most alarmingly, psychological harms and in some cases people attempting to take their own lives because of the damage that has been caused. Yes, there is an economic cost to cyber-crime, but there is also a human cost, and that is why this Bill matters. It modernises the UK cyber-security framework by strengthening baseline requirements, improving instant reporting and extending protections to a wider range of essential services and supply chains. Its three pillars are welcome.”
“In late 2024, its website was hit by a cyber-attack called a distributed denial of service—DDOS—attack by a pro-Russian hacking group. The attack made it difficult for residents to access council services online for a period of time. Fortunately, no personal or council services were compromised, but the attack demonstrated that even local public infrastructure in places such as Portsmouth is a target for cyber-actors. This is not just an abstract risk. Local crime statistics show that cyber-crime is a lived experience for Portsmouth residents. About 16% of residents reported experiencing cyber-crime in a 12-month period, including phishing attempts, online fraud and accounts being hacked. As my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Chris Vince) noted, not all these crimes are reported as people feel embarrassed, alone or foolish.”
“When large engineering, retail and manufacturing firms are targeted, the impact ripples far beyond their head offices, reaching workers on the shop floor, contractors, small local suppliers and customers whose orders are delayed or cancelled. For a city like Portsmouth, which is built on defence, maritime work, engineering skills and complex supply chains, cyber-resilience is not an abstract policy or a technical exercise; it is about protecting jobs, safeguarding family incomes, maintaining confidence in the systems that keep our city working, ensuring the security of the public services people depend on every day, and ensuring that our city’s residents are kept safe. Portsmouth city council has been a target.”
“We have heard it said many times in this House that the first duty of any Government is to protect their citizens, and in the modern world that duty must extend to the digital systems we all rely on. Cyber-attacks now pose a daily threat, not just to Government systems but to the livelihoods and security of people in Portsmouth, where major employers, manufacturers, ports and supply chains are attacked and the consequences are immediate and personal. Production can stop overnight, wages can be put at risk and sensitive personal data can be exposed. Constituents in my city who work for, supply or depend on companies such as Jaguar Land Rover have seen this reality at first hand.”
“I want to start by saying happy new year to you, Madam Deputy Speaker, to the staff, to all in this House and to the residents of Portsmouth. I thank the Minister for his introduction to the Bill and for highlighting some of the major concerns that cyber-insecurity has caused and continues to cause for this country. I welcome the Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill because it reflects a clear change of direction under a Labour Government, moving from a fragmented and often reactive approach to a cyber-security approach that is strategic, cross-Government, resilient and focused on national capability and everyday solutions.”
“I wish you and all the House staff a very merry Christmas, Mr Speaker. I thank constituents for raising concerns about playgrounds in Stamshaw, Hilsea and Baffins that lack age-appropriate equipment and proper access for disabled children, which contribute to antisocial behaviour in those playgrounds. Will the Leader of the House make time for the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to update the House on how councils can access the £18 million that was announced in the Budget to refurbish playgrounds and on how sites can be prioritised, so that families in Pompey can once again enjoy safe places to play?”
“I pay tribute to the Minister for her statement, and I thank her and the Victims Minister for their hard work in a truly cross-Government effort to leave VAWG offenders with nowhere to hide. For far too long and far too often, justice for victims of domestic abuse has had to be sought by parents such as Sharon Holland and by groups such as Project Resist, because the system let their daughters down. Tragically, this strategy is too late for two young women from Portsmouth: Chloe Holland and Skye Nicholls were driven to take their own lives because of coercive control by vile partner perpetrators. Will the Minister explain how the new VAWG strategy will ensure that those deaths are recognised for what they are—manslaughter? How will it tackle systematic institutional failings and support our third sector to prevent future tragedies?”
“You know I was doing what I believed in as well as loved, with people I respected, and for reasons that matter to me, my country and democracy and freedom in this world. I was proud of what I was doing. Don’t remember me with sadness and loss. Be proud. I went out doing what I trained to do, what I chose to do, and I had all of you in my heart the whole way.” Rest in peace, Lance Corporal George Hooley.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement and send solidarity to Ukraine. As Christmas approaches, I would like to thank all who serve in our armed forces and wish them a merry Christmas, wherever they are in the world. I want to pause and remember Lance Corporal George Hooley, who, as we heard from the Minister, has returned home to the UK. Before his passing, Lance Corporal Hooley wrote a letter to his friends and family to be opened in the event of his death, as many members of our armed forces do. If you will allow me, Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to share a few of his beautiful, poignant and proud words: “If you are reading this, it means I didn’t make it home. Please don’t let that be the thing that breaks you.”
“I also want to thank my brilliant staff, who have worked tirelessly to serve our community. Their dedication, problem solving and sheer hard work make everything possible. To my family, I love you, and to all the parliamentary staff, the Speaker and Deputy Speakers, and everyone who keeps this place running, I wish you a very merry Christmas.”
“We are also building momentum for a city of culture bid, and I am determined to champion Portsmouth on the national stage, with creativity, resilience, pride and ambition at its heart. Before I close, I want to thank some remarkable people who make Portsmouth North the incredible community it is: Lynn Timms and her Forty 4 Frankie campaign; Mehmet Ulucan, a local business and community figure; Freya Marley and her involvement in the Lobular Moon Shot project; Vicky Gidney for her community work and her travelling sofa; Father Hugo of St Michael’s and all the faith leaders in my city for the support and care they give; Clare Martin, the CEO of Pompey in the Community; Paul White at In a Jam, who fitted our community defibrillator; and Lara, the organiser of the Baton of Hope—rest in peace.”
“Of course, there is still much more to do, and I want to be honest about the local challenges we face, from access to homes, health services, water bills rising, parking, education and special educational needs and disabilities provision, but the securing of £20 million of Pride in Place money for the part of the city where my parents were born has meant so much to me and the people of Paulsgrove. For decades they have been ignored, and they deserve better. It is not just Paulsgrove that will gain from having a Labour MP. A record fairer funding local government settlement of £62 million means that all of Portsmouth will gain. In 2026, Portsmouth will celebrate 100 years of the city, and what a year it will be.”
“I came to this place determined to listen to my constituents and to deliver real change on the issues that matter most. In the past year, we have saved Cosham post office and secured average-speed cameras on Portsdown hill—something for which residents of Drayton and Farlington have been fighting for over five years. We have cracked down on dodgy shops. We have removed taxis abandoned for years on Tangier Road in Baffins and we have taken significant action on houses in multiple occupation.”