Hello Plymouth. 2025 has been a bumper year for Plymouth, here are some of my highlights.
January – We started 2025 with the excellent news that the Health Secretary agreed the funding of the new emergency department at Derriford Hospital. This was, of course, planned under the Tory Government, with Boris’s 40 “New Hospitals” promise – that was completely unfunded. When we found out there was no money for this hugely needed rebuild we were all deeply disappointed. It took a Labour Government to build the NHS – it is taking a Labour Government to save it.
February – After years of under funding and cuts, it was a moment of pride to see the Prime Minister commit to increasing Defence spending hugely over the term of this government and the next. We live in a time of increased threats globally, and have seen Russian spy ships coming into our waters, we need to rebuild our military to the force that we will need to meet these challenges.
Also in February, I joined thousands of other janners in celebrating Argyle beating Liverpool in the FA cup – seems a long time ago now, but we stay faithful to the Greens!
March – This was HUGE news back in March, we finally secured the money to start work on the Civic Centre building on Royal Parade; this building has been slowly degrading for years and has been on my buildings at risk list as well. The redevelopment of this icon of a structure will provide much needed city centre homes as well as business and education space. We need thousands of new homes to meet the long list of local folk on the housing register and this is a great start,
April – As a Minister in the MoD this is one of the many things we have done that I am incredibly proud of. Labour brought back into public ownership 36,000 married quarters. These military homes are being renovated so that they are fit for the families that need them. As a country, we ask a lot of our serving personal and they and their families deserve a war, dry and safe place to call home.
May – Free Breakfast Clubs delivered across the city, making sure that children in our city don’t start their day hungry and parents get 30 mins of free childcare allowing them to get to work on time.
June – My annual buildings at risk list was published, in its 4th year we have seen some successes at getting owners to do the right things with the buildings that tell the story of our city’s past. I will keep doing this list until we see all our precious buildings saved. We also celebrated Armed Forces Day on the Hoe, a brilliant day where we come together and say thank you to the men and women from Plymouth who serve and protect our country, and the families that support them.
July – My favourite event of the year, my annual politics summer school! This was the 4th year of running this and I was really pleased to welcome young people from schools across the city. This is not a party-political event; it is designed to break down barriers to politics. The passion and dedication from these young folk is so impressive.
August – Since I was elected in 2017, my team and I have fought to get money owed back to the folk I represent and in August we broke the £3m back in the pockets of Plymouth residents. This is money made up from overpaid taxes, reclaimed benefits, energy bill support, carers allowance, business grants and more. This year alone we have helped get £673,851.18 back to people here.
September – Camels Head Firestation is a key part of the Devonport community, serving both the Dockyard and Naval Base as well as the thousands of people that live there. The station is no longer fit for purpose. It is old, it is tired and at the end of its serviceable life. That’s why, in September I launched my campaign to get a new fire station for Devonport. One that is modern, fit for purpose and, more importantly, fit for the brilliant men and women that keep us safe.
The other brilliant news for September was that announcement that Morice Town, Mount Wise and Devonport had been included in the Governments Pride in Place funding. This hard fought for funding is £2m a year for the next 10 years and, even better, how it is spent will be decided by the people that live in the area. Local folk know best what money is needed for and how we can drive real change in our community. I am holding a public meeting on the 17th January, where you can come along and share your thoughts on how best this money can be spent.
October – On World Homeless Day in October, we had more good news from this Labour Government with nearly £900,000 of funding coming to the city to help tackle homelessness. I met with PATH to discuss how best this funding could be used, which will help provide tailored services for those experiencing long-term rough sleeping – including mental health support, drug and alcohol treatment and sustainable accommodation – ensuring people get the help they need to rebuild their lives. It will help local services intervene early to prevent homelessness before it happens. And it will also go towards better supporting local families with children who are living in temporary accommodation.
November – I have always questioned the need and point of Police and Crime Commissioners. From the start, it felt like an experiment that didn’t deliver what people in Plymouth, or anywhere, really needed: clear, accountable policing that communities can trust. When PCCs were introduced in 2012, I raised concerns about low engagement and duplication of roles. Turnout for PCC elections has been consistently poor, and most people don’t even know who their PCC is. That’s not real accountability; it’s a layer of bureaucracy that costs money without giving people a meaningful voice. Policing should be about trust and visibility, not about creating another political position that few people interact with. I was really pleased to see that PCCs are due to be scrapped in 2028, another good sensible decision by this Labour Government.
December – Finally, and with so many good things to chose from in December, this Labour Government passed the Employment Rights Bill. This is the single biggest uplift to workers rights in a generation. As a Labour MP this was hugely important to me. For too long, our economy has been defined by insecurity, weak rights and poor pay. That changes now.
Stronger rights at work aren’t just good for workers – they’re good for businesses and for our economy. More security, better pay and dignity at work will form the bedrock of economic growth that delivers good jobs in every part of the country, including here in Plymouth.
Let’s see what 2026 brings for Plymouth!