Thank you so much to the staff and pupils of Plumpton School, who recently invited me to visit. It was informative to learn about the work and issues facing this important community asset, the work it does both locally and as part of the Rural Penrith Cluster of schools.
Following the General Election, 5 out of the 6 Cumbrian Parliamentary seats returned Conservative MP’s. We all very much believe that many of the issues we face as a County should be worked through for the benefit of all.
Spurred into politics after witnessing the tragic consequences the Foot and Mouth Outbreak had on rural communities, I feel passionately that we need to address the unique factors impacting rural mental health.
The issue of post-16 transport is huge and is a real roadblock for young people. It is really disheartening that those young people who want to pursue courses that will open doors to their future career goals are being boxed into a corner.
As an MP at the border, I am passionate about our United Kingdom staying together. I will work with colleagues along the border and across the border to ensure that Scotland and England flourish in partnership.
I will work to improve investment in our area, and to ensure that Central Government spending has an impact in Cumbria. I will work with colleagues to try to bring investment and opportunity to our area.
As a veterinary surgeon, I am passionate about animal welfare. In the United Kingdom, we have some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world, but we can always do more.
I will work for investment in our local public services such as health, education and police. I will stand up for our precious NHS upon which we all depend. I will work to protect and enhance our health services.
We need to strive for excellent connectivity, both physical and virtual – in areas such as transport links, mobile phone coverage and high speed broadband. Penrith and The Border is a vast and sparsely-populated constituency.
