On Monday 2 February 2026 I was pleased to invite my constituent Elliott Pfebve to a drop in ahead of World Cancer Day on 4 February each year is a significant day for those dealing with cancer.

The theme of this year’s World Cancer Day is ‘United by Unique,’ which is about centring the unique experiences of every person affected by cancer.

With over 4000 researches making regular discoveries and patients trialling the latest drugs and developments, it is said that we are in a "golden age" for cancer research. Cancer Research UK have called on the Government to :

Speed up patient access to clinical trials
Prioritise innovation in research through the NHS
Remove barriers to attracting the best talent in the cancer research field

On 4 February 2026 The Government published the 'National Cancer Plan for England: delivering world class cancer care'. The report acknowledged a perception that we are not exploiting our full potential, and that we are falling behind. The Government aims to address the challenges in cancer research and innovation and ensure that we are a world leader.

One of the Government's six research priorities is the creation and roll out of the next generation of personalised treatments, including molecular radiotherapy, genomics, and mRNA vaccines.

Elliot was put forward for a trial for the use of an mRNA vaccine for Bowel Cancer.  He is an Ambassador for Cancer Research UK.

I am pictured (right) with Mr Elliot Pfebve, from Birchills.

Elliot made history as the first person in the UK to receive the mRNA cancer vaccine, after he was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2023. The personalised vaccine recognises and destroys remaining cancer cells after surgery.

Encouraged by his experience, he has gone on to establish the Pfebve Cancer Intervention and Support Foundation to raise awareness, fund care and provide critical support to those navigating cancer.

Here you can read the eNews for January 2026

On the 16th allotted Opposition Day, 28 January 2026, the Conservative Party raised the British Indian Ocean Territory and Youth Unemployment as the topics for debate.

1 British Indian Ocean Territory

The Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry responded to the first debate and highlighted that the previous Government held eleven rounds of negotiations with the Government of Mauritius. The Minister stressed that the Government reinforced the terms and introduced a 24-nautical mile buffer zone to the Islands.

As I know the Government has made clear many times, it will never compromise on the UK’s national security. The base is essential to the security of the United Kingdom and our key allies, including the United States. It is one of the most significant contributions to the transatlantic defence and security partnership because of its unique strategic location. In the past, it has helped combat threats from terrorism and hostile states.

I agree with Ministers that the agreement we have struck is vital for protecting our national security because it guarantees the long-term future of a base. The deal was publicly welcomed by the United States, Australia, Canada and other key international partners. I also understand the deal also compares favourably with the cost of the base that the French rent in Djibouti.

It is right that this Bill is subject to reasoned and constructive criticism, and it is right the Government engages with these criticisms in good faith. Scrutiny is still ongoing, and I understand the Government is considering the next steps on programming. To be clear, this deal has no impact on the self-determination of the Falkland Islands. It also does not have any impact on other overseas territories.
I can assure you that the Government will consider the Chagossian community throughout this process. Most recently, I have been glad to see Mauritius put into place,  legislation to enact a Chagossian trust fund, which will be run by Chagossians for Chagossians. I remain focused on delivering a Bill that protects our national security.

The Motion was rejected: Ayes 103, Noes 284. 

2. Youth Unemployment:

Under the last Government, the number of young people not in education, employment or training grew by 45% in just three years – reaching nearly one million by the time it left office. That is why this Government’s commitment to young people’s futures matters so much. I welcome the £1.5 billion investment package planned for the next three years, which will create around 300,000 more opportunities to gain workplace experience and training. This will cover £820 million for a Youth Guarantee to make sure all young people can be earning or learning, and £725 million for the Growth and Skills Levy.

The expanded Youth Guarantee will reach almost 900,000 young people, including through Youth Hubs in every area in Great Britain and a new Youth Guarantee Gateway, which will offer 16 to 24-year-olds a dedicated session, followed by four weeks of intensive support with a Work Coach. This support will identify specific work, training or learning opportunities locally for each young person, and ensure they are supported to take them up. I note that the Government will go further to break the cycle of unemployment by guaranteeing paid work to around 55,000 young people aged 18 to 21 who have been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months.

We can leave no stone unturned, and the £500 million national youth strategy will rebuild youth services and help more young people transition into adulthood. A wide-ranging investigation into the causes of youth inactivity has also been launched to develop innovative and cross-cutting policy solutions. This Government is lifting the two-child limit. This will benefit hundreds of thousands of children who will be less likely to experience mental health issues, less likely to be unemployed and more likely to be in work and earning more. These measures are laying the foundations for young people to succeed so that every person, in every part of the country, can fulfil their potential.

The Motion was rejected (Ayes 91, Noes 287) and the amendment in the name of the Prime Minister was resolved. 

On Tuesday 27 January 2026, the House of Commons considered the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill, which will put home-grown talent at the front of the queue for medical training posts. I am pleased Parliament has agreed to speed up this Bill’s progress, and I welcome the fact it has already completed its passage through the Commons and moved on to the House of Lords.

Resident doctors in this country are facing very real fears about their futures, and their concerns are wholly justified. UK graduates used to compete among themselves for foundation and specialty roles, but now they compete against the world because of visa and immigration changes made after Brexit. A lack of workforce planning by the previous Government has worsened the situation, resulting in the training bottlenecks that resident doctors face today. As a result, UK medical graduates – who want to pursue a career in the NHS and whose training British taxpayers fund at a cost of £4 billion a year – are moving abroad or to the private sector.

This Bill means graduates from UK medical schools and other priority groups will be prioritised over applicants from overseas during the current application round and in all subsequent years. For the UK foundation programme, the Bill requires that places are allocated to UK medical graduates and those in a priority group before they are allocated to other eligible applicants. For specialty training, the Bill effectively reduces the competition for places from around four to one to fewer than two to one.

I know that internationally educated graduates from overseas are an important part of the workforce, and it is only right that they will still be able to be recruited under the Bill. Global talent from around the world will continue to be welcomed, but in future these graduates will apply on terms that are fairer to our home-grown talent. We have people from around the world who come and work in our health and care service. But we are recruiting doctors from abroad – including from countries that are short of medical staff – when there is already a pool of applicants at home. Home-grown doctors are also more likely to work in the NHS for longer and be better equipped to deliver healthcare tailored to the UK population.


There were three amendments selected for debate and votes:
Amendment 1 would bring the Act into force on the day on which it receives Royal Assent, instead of a day at the discretion of the Secretary of State was rejected: Ayes 88, Noes 310.










Amendment 2, provides that regulations describing persons who may be prioritised for specialty training programmes from 2027 onwards are subject to approval by both Houses of Parliament, was rejected: Ayes 61, Noes 311.





Amendment 9, would require British citizens to be prioritised for places on UK Foundation programmes and for interviews and places on speciality training programmes from 2027 onwards, was rejected: Ayes 91, Noes 378.



The question was put that the Bill be read a third time, and passed without division. 


This Bill will give the NHS the certainty and stability it needs to carry on bringing down waiting lists and keep us on the road to recovery. I hope it receives Royal Assent by 5 March, in time for the changes to benefit applicants in the current round.

On Tuesday 27 January at Treasury questions had been grouped together as they related to Business rates. 

As Co chair of the APPG on Publishing I was called and asked the Minister:

"what assessment has the Minister made of the impact on the small independent high street bookshops? This is the National Year of Reading; we want them to stay open, not closed."

Some of our bookshops are being squeezed by the revaluation and I have heard some have had to close. I wanted to draw this to the Government’s attention as there has been a change in policy for Pubs but not for bookshops. I will continue to press the Government on this issue as it is vital for our constituents including children and the High street.