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I am just back from a short walk around the neighbourhood – it’s stopped raining earlier this morning but the wet was still dripping from the trees and the squirrels chasing each other shook loose that one drop that went right down my neck… I enjoy this time of year – full of colour and change, with the nights drawing in and the smell of woodsmoke in the air.  It also tends to be the time of year when events happen one after the other and there’s hardly a moment to catch my breath, pause and process the happenings of the week. But today I have set aside a bit of time to assess the last few weeks from mid-OctoberContinue Reading

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Thousands of women experiencing domestic abuse will be able to gain help and support from Refuge’s 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline, thanks to a major grant from Cornwall Freemasons and other Provinces. The 200,000 grant will support the Helpline, which is at the heart of a strategic, co-ordinated response to domestic abuse. The service is run by the charity Refuge, delivered by a team of specialist staff and trained volunteers Women experiencing domestic abuse, as well as friends, family and professionals supporting them can contact Refuge’s expert team on their free phone number, via their secure webform email and through their online live chat. Women who use British Sign Language can also receive support via video calls with qualified interpreters.Continue Reading

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Responding to a statement from the Home Office on gun licenses in relation to the Keyham Shooting, which revealed that 14% of applicants who were refused a gun had their licence returned, Luke Pollard MP said: “People in Keyham want answers as to why the killer had his firearm returned to him. I am hoping that the Police Watchdog’s investigation will provide some of these answers in due course. “The new figures from the Home Office today show that returning a firearm in the Keyham incident was far from being an isolated example. We now know that 14% of applications who are refused a gun certificate later have their gun returned. “It is clear to me that the current gunContinue Reading

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Half-term and it is busy! The children’s workshops at the priory have sold out weeks ago, and I can only give my heartfelt thanks to our wonderful volunteers who make these workshops possible. We launched James Clark’s new book “The Dissolution of the Monasteries” last week and it was a very pleasant affair – lots of interesting people who took the time to listen, chat, catch up with old friends and make new ones. Sarah Spencer’s art exhibition opened on Sunday and again we had many generous visitors. I listened in on some of the conversations that ensued about her paintings and displays, and I am already looking forward to hearing her chat to BBC Radio Devon on Thursday, 28thContinue Reading

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Work is due to begin next week (Monday 1 November) to extend Exmouth RNLI’s lifeboat slipway to enable the safe launching of the all-weather Shannon class lifeboat. Significant sand movement at the bottom of the Exmouth lifeboat station’s ramp has meant the safe launch and recovery of the Shannon class, all weather lifeboat, R and J Welburn has not been possible. The Shannon lifeboat was moved to a mooring in the Exe Estuary where it remains on service and the D Class inshore lifeboat, George Bearman II is currently operating from a secondary launch site on Exmouth Promenade. The volunteer lifeboat crew have continued to use the station throughout. Subsequent ground investigations and designs have been submitted and the necessaryContinue Reading

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Responding to the Chancellor’s Budget today, Luke Pollard MP said: “This Budget makes it clear the Chancellor is out-of-touch with the priorities of people in Plymouth. “Families in Plymouth and across the South West are going to struggle this winter: food prices are going up, gas and electricity prices are going through the roof, and inflation is meaning household budgets are not going as far. “The Chancellor has hits working people with the highest taxes in peacetime. He gives with one hand and takes so much more with the other.” “Never has a Chancellor asked the British people to pay so much for so little, loading the burden on working people with tax rises and wasting billions of pounds ofContinue Reading

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Today in the House of Commons, Conservative MPs talked out a bill that would have stopped companies using fire and rehire tactics. The Bill, brought be Labour’s Barry Gardiner MP, sought to address the practice used by companies to fire workers and re-employ them on lower pay with poorer conditions. This includes a large number of British Gas workers in Plymouth. Luke Pollard said: “Fire and rehire tactics are unfair and wrong. I supported the Bill to stop these unfair tactics being used, having seen the impact of them on hard-working British Gas staff in Plymouth. It is often very profitable companies that use Fire and Rehire to squeeze workers and return more money to shareholders.  “The best way toContinue Reading

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Canoeists and Fisherman on the beach and estuary at Exmouth early this morning, Exmouth Rowing Club held a 8 and 4 k  “Exe Raid Regatta” today. Photos by David BuntonContinue Reading

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Luke Pollard MP has been granted new funding from the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), who oversees Parliamentary costs, in light of the shooting in Keyham. The new funding will enable Luke to hire a new full time constituency support officer to help support the communities of Keyham and Ford. Since the shooting Luke’s office has received increased requests for help from people affected by the shooting. Luke’s office has seen the number of requests for help triple since the start of the pandemic. Commenting on the new role, Luke said: “It has been only two months since the shooting in Keyham. I want to pay tribute to the way our community has stepped up and supported one another. I know that we willContinue Reading

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Plymouth MP Luke Pollard has returned to Labour’s Shadow Cabinet, after a month stepping back from frontbench duties to support the community in Keyham after the tragic mass shooting in August. Labour Leader Keir Starmer had agreed to a request from Luke to spend more time focusing on the communities in Keyham and Ford following the shooting that saw five people murdered. In that time Luke has been working with community leaders, the Police and Crime Commissioner, the NHS, Livewell Southwest and Plymouth City Council to put together a funding bid to support those affected by the tragedy. Since then an initial £1million has been allocated to the response in Keyham. Luke’s work supporting the community in Plymouth will continue,Continue Reading