This has been the first full week of recess, and it has been very welcome to be back home in our towns and villages. 

To begin with, I must mention the incredible victory of the Lionesses over the weekend.

They defended their title as European Champions and returned home victorious.

They have done us so proud and to see the scenes at their homecoming parade in London on Tuesday were incredible. 

There were 65,000 people there, a huge increase on the 7,000 who attended in 2022, demonstrating the real growth women's football has seen in recent years.

We must continue to encourage this growth and ensure the next generation of footballers have the opportunity to play and enjoy all the sport has to offer.  

I also want to pay tribute to Jess Carter, our local Lioness, who performed incredibly in the final and played a key role in securing our victory.

I know our towns are so incredibly proud of her and all she has achieved.  

Turning to international affairs, I have been beyond horrified, as I know so many of you have, at the scenes coming out of Gaza, particularly those of children who are clearly starving and reports of people being shot at when going to get much needed aid. 

 Reports that almost one in three people in Gaza are going days without eating are appalling and paints a damning picture of the starvation and malnutrition we are witnessing. 

Last week, I joined 250 colleagues from across Parliament in signing a letter to the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary calling for the recognition of Palestine and the free, unhindered access of food and humanitarian aid into Gaza.

I also wrote a private and personal (confidential) letter to the Prime Minister urging him to do the right thing.  

On Tuesday, the Prime Minister held an emergency Cabinet meeting on Gaza and it is welcome that the news from that meeting is that the UK could recognise Palestine as soon as September is welcome. 

We have witnessed almost three years of horrendous suffering, with over 60,000 now reported to have died in Gaza, thousands more injured and displaced and hostages still being held.

It is clear more must be done to end this dreadful conflict. 

The priority now must be to get more aid into Gaza and the UK is working with Jordan to coordinate air drops of humanitarian supplies, pressing for UN deliveries of humanitarian aid to resume and to get injured children out of Gaza and into British hospitals. 

I will continue pressing for the action we so desperately need to end this dreadful suffering. 

 As always, please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any issues or concerns you would like to raise with me.

I can be reached at [email protected] or on 01926 882006.