Last week, I spoke in the Courts and Tribunals Bill Committee. It was important to emphasise that when we discuss issues affecting past, present, and future victims, our language must be accurate. When a case goes to court, victims’ welfare should always be at the heart of all decisions and processes. Victims must come first—and our language should always reflect that.

Today I welcomed students from across the Forest of Dean’s six secondary schools to the District Council chamber for the final preparation session ahead of my Mock Parliament final debate event next week. A big thank you to all the schools for making the trip over today and for the effort they’ve put into this programme — it’s been fantastic to see such strong engagement. Students stepped confidently into roles across the political spectrum, from government and opposition ben

Yesterday I asked the Health Secretary, Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP, what his department is doing to better support women following childbirth. As he acknowledged, injuries sustained during childbirth are too often ignored or left unaddressed. I am pleased that the Health Secretary recognises there is still much work to be done to correct the long-standing gaps in women’s healthcare. The experience of the constituent I referenced in my question cannot continue—women should not ha

I recently visited Gloucestershire Domestic Abuse Support Service ( GDASS ) and had the opportunity to spend time with Heather and Tessa, hearing more about their incredible work. They, along with the wider team, do truly essential work supporting victims who are experiencing, or have experienced, domestic abuse. Across the Forest of Dean, they provide not just practical help and advice, but also understanding, reassurance, and a vital source of support at incredibly difficul

A big uplift in workers’ rights as a number of new measures from the Employment Rights Act come into force! • New parents now have access to paternity leave and unpaid parental leave from their very first day at work. • Statutory sick pay now starts from your first day off sick. Not day 4. This means you can take time off to get better, thanks to Labour’s Employment Rights Act. • Safeguards are now in place for workers to call out sexual harassment where they see it. • New ri

I was really pleased to be invited to see the 40 new affordable homes at Chapel Gate in Newent, built by Platform Housing Group in partnership with AQUA Construction. These properties allow new families to move into homes that are high-quality, energy-efficient, and, crucially, affordable. It was great to meet Marion Duffy, Chief Officer at Platform Housing Group, and the rest of the team, as well as Derek Gibbs from AQUA Construction, and see firsthand all their hard work i

Earlier this week, my team and I received such a warm welcome at Daffodil Court in Newent. Since being elected as your MP, I’ve had the opportunity to visit several times and build a meaningful relationship with residents, as well as with Graham, the chair of the residents’ association. We enjoyed fish and chips together and had a lovely evening. Thank you to everyone at Daffodil Court for yet another lovely visit!

Come Join Me for a Coffee and a Chat! If you live in the Redmarley area, come grab coffee and have a chat with me! I’m hosting a drop-in Coffee Morning on Saturday, 18th April, 10:00 am–12:00 pm, and I want to hear what matters most to you — both locally and nationally. Sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/.../coffee-morning-with-matt ... Or contact my office at 01594 540534 or matt.bishop.mp @parliament.uk , and we’ll add you manually. For clarity: Specific venue detai

The Countryside Alliance has launched a new interactive rural crime map to highlight the reality of crime affecting communities like ours in the Forest of Dean. If you have experienced rural crime locally, please consider sharing your story here: https://www.countryside-alliance.org/report-rural-crime

Today, millions of people across the country will see their energy bills fall, and their wages rise — thanks to decisions made by this Labour Government. Here are five ways we’re helping tackle the cost-of-living crisis: • Cutting £117 from the average household energy bill • Raising the minimum wage to put more money in people’s pockets across the Forest of Dean • Freezing rail fares for the first time in 30 years • Providing 30 hours of free childcare a week — saving workin

The shocking incident reported at Travelodge highlights a serious failure that cannot be ignored. Hotels must be safe spaces for everyone. That means robust standards, proper oversight, and legislation that ensures incidents like this cannot happen again. I want to thank all of my constituents who have come forward, many of who have sadly shared similar experiences. Your voices matter, and they are being heard. I am committed to securing meaningful change: strengthening prote

Content Warning: This video addresses rape and sexual violence. Please take care while watching and consider your well-being before continuing. If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual violence, consider reaching out to a trusted person or a support service. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Jade Blue McCrossen-Nethercott, Charlotte Meijer, and Morwenna Loughman for their courage and openness in sharing their experiences. The harrowing realities set o

My support for the Courts and Tribunals Bill has always been centred around putting victims at the heart of the justice system. As it stands, the system too often fails to do so and does not focus enough on victims or their experiences. We must reform it so that victims’ voices are heard, and their needs are always prioritised. In the video below, Claire Waxman OBE, Independent Victims’ Commissioner, explains how the Government’s reforms to the justice system will: • Prioriti

I recently visited Severnbanks Primary School and was pleased to meet with Headteacher, Mrs Bradley. It was great to see first-hand the positive environment the school has created for its pupils. We had conversations on a number of important issues, including the support in place for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). I was particularly impressed by the school’s approach to SEND, and the clear commitment from staff to ensuring every child is supp

Having heard from constituents about tipping across the Forest of Dean, it was important to visit the site at Over and see first-hand how this is affecting the local community. While I have spoken to many residents about this issue, seeing the scale of it in person brought home just how significant the challenge is. The effect on local and wider communities was evident during my visit, with air quality significantly affected by strong odours and fumes, and part of the site ev

Over recent months, I’ve had the chance to speak with many residents across the Forest of Dean about the proposed Local Plan, and I’m very grateful to everyone who took the time to share their views. Your feedback has been clear and consistent: we do need new homes in the Forest of Dean—but this is not the right way to deliver them. I’ve set out my thoughts in a full statement below. Please do take a moment to read it.

I recently watched Five Acres students perform in the Shakespeare Schools Festival at the Riverside Theatre, and it was a fantastic night full of talent. Huge congratulations to the students for this brilliant performance—your confidence, passion, and commitment to the show were clear to see. It was great to see local students on stage, showcasing the talent we have here in the Forest of Dean. I have no doubt we’ll be seeing these students on many different stages in the year

Best of luck to The Dean Academy , who have entered this year’s National Reading Championship Quiz, which is being run by the Literacy Trust and ALCS UK. The quiz is a great opportunity to show what star readers you are and how well you work as a team! Good luck, and have a great time! #NRC #growagenerationofreaders

It was brilliant to welcome Hartpury University and Hartpury College to Parliament this week for an inspiring event on women in sport. I was proud to sponsor this important discussion, which brought together voices from across sport, politics, and the wider sector. The focus was on how we can do more to create equal opportunities for women, from driving investment to raising the profile of women’s sport. It was especially powerful to hear Zoe Stratford and Sam Monaghan share