At the time of writing, the first Parliamentary session since the 2024 General Election, where people voted for change, has come to an end and a new one is about to begin.

Looking back over the session, I can proudly say we have made a strong start in fixing many of the problems that this Government inherited.

Everything is aimed at building community, security and prosperity.

The UK Government put forward a staggering 50 bills in the session which will deliver major changes across the UK and here in Monmouthshire.

They will make life better for renters, carers, serving military personnel, veterans, railway passengers and many more.

One of the biggest changes has been the action taken to clean up our rivers. This has been one of my top priorities since becoming your MP, and I was proud to help develop and pass legislation banning bonuses for polluting water bosses and allow for prison sentences for the worst offenders.

We have also seen major steps to put more money back into people’s pockets. Inflation is down from its peak, and there have been increases to the Minimum Wage, Living Wage and State Pension. I know the cost of living is still difficult for many households, but these are important steps in the right direction.

Changes have also come for workers across the UK, with Parliament passing the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation. This includes day-one paternity leave and sick pay protections.

There has also been important progress on tackling child poverty, with the removal of the two-child limit on Universal Credit, lifting hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty across the UK.

Another area I have been particularly focused on is protecting women and girls. New measures have been passed to clamp down on intimate image abuse, ban so-called “nudification” tools, strengthen action on spiking and stalking, and decriminalise abortion.

These are just a handful of extremely important changes as the Government pursues its mission to halve violence against women and girls by 2029.

Alongside this, Parliament has passed new laws to crack down on puppy smuggling, invest in clean, homegrown energy, better protect farmers’ livestock from dog attacks, and modernise Parliament by removing hereditary peers from the House of Lords.

The above are only a small handful of the changes delivered so far. There is, of course, always more to do.

Now, my focus is making sure this progress is felt here in Monmouthshire - through cleaner rivers, thriving high streets, support with the cost of living, safer communities, and stronger protections for women and children.

There is still a lot more to do, but this has been an important step forward.

As always, no matter what, I’ll never stop working hard to make sure Monmouthshire’s voice is heard in Westminster.