I had a great time at the South West Labour Conference in Plymouth over the weekend. Here are some of the highlights 👇
1. With 24 Labour MPs, Labour is now the largest party in the South West for the first time ever. This year’s conference was an exciting opportunity to come together to discuss how we can get the best deal possible for our region.
2. Plymouth City Council Leader Tudor Evans had a clear message: Labour is delivering in Plymouth. Planting thousands of trees. Thousands more homes in the city centre. Investment in a new city centre dental practice. A new community diagnostics centre. Help for kids in care.
3. I chaired the crime, safety and defence discussion with Clare Moody, Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset, and Fred Thomas MP. It was great to see so many Labour MPs engaged with defence as an engine for growth and backing our Armed Forces.
4. It was good to see Hollie Ridley, Labour’s General Secretary, back in Plymouth. Hollie started as an organiser in Plymouth in 2011. She helped me as a new candidate when I stood in 2015 and now she runs Labour nationally. We are all incredibly proud of her.
5. We heard from Charlotte Holloway, Hollie Ridley and Clare Moody on the experience of women in politics. So often women in politics face challenges in their political careers for just being women. It was enlightening to listen to their experiences and how learn how to be a better ally.