With the Winners and Highly Commended of my Unsung Heroes awards ceremony held at the beautiful Doddington Place Gardens on 15 May 2025

It's hard to believe that 10 years ago this month I was first elected as the MP for Faversham and Mid Kent. 

Representing you in Parliament is the honour of my life, and I am deeply grateful to everyone who put their faith in me and voted for me four times. 

As well as serving you in Parliament, I’ve also had the extraordinary privilege of serving in government. Firstly as Arts Minister, then as Health Minister, then Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury and finally back to the Department of Health and Social Care to see through work I started in my first stint in the role.

My time in Government included serving as Minister for Social Care during the Pandemic. It was an extraordinarily hard time for everyone involved in social care, along with those who were receiving care and their loved ones. I don’t think anything will ever compare with the challenge of that period and I will always be grateful to everyone who worked so hard.  

In Opposition I have held the position of Shadow Transport Secretary and now, alongside my role as an MP, I am Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary. Like most MPs, I would rather be in Government – but I am determined to make the most of the opportunities of opposition, not least to do the hard thinking about tackling the problems we will face in the 2030s ready for the next election.

Over the last ten years as your MP I am often asked: 'Who inspires you? Is it Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher or Tony Blair?' Well, you may not be surprised that it's not Tony Blair! 

I can honestly say, it's not any of them. The people who truly inspire me are the people I meet when I am going about my constituency work. The people who give up their time for others with no expectation of any reward. That’s why I launched the Unsung Heroes Awards – to shine a light on those who make our community a better place, not for recognition, but simply out of kindness and generosity.

Out of more than an incredible 80 nominations, I had the pleasure of recognising 10 outstanding winners and presenting 13 Highly Commended certificates to some truly inspiring Unsung Heroes at my awards ceremony, held at the beautiful Doddington Place Gardens on 15 May 2025. You can read more about the ceremony, the winners and the highly commended here. 

I really am so grateful to all the nominees, whether they won, were highly commended or simply nominated. Their impact definitely does not go unnoticed. 

This May marks my 10th anniversary as your MP. I am very grateful to everyone who has helped me along the way. This is a job I will never take for granted.

We need safer country lanes

Tell me about your experiences of how safe you find our country lanes by taking part in my survey on my website by clicking here.

Defending our local pubs

Pubs are at the heart of our communities, yet the Chancellor is raising taxes on 1,000 pubs in Kent and our fantastic ones in Faversham and Mid Kent are struggling. There is more information here

Tell me your views on bringing Eurostar back to Kent

Eurostar services at Ashford and Ebbsfleet International stations once connected Kent to the continent, and many of us want them back. I’ve launched a survey where you can let me know your views on getting them back. Complete my survey here.

Demanding battery safety guarantees at Cleve Hill Solar Park

Cleve Hill Solar Park is set to be the largest solar farm in Europe when it’s up and running. So Graveney residents are right to have concerns which I am voicing by writing to Ministers and tabling questions in Parliament. Read more here. 

Telling SFM radio my views on Highsted Park

I recently discussed the Highsted Park development with Tony Weaver on @SFM Radio 

You can listen here.

It was a mistake for the Prime Minister to cut winter fuel payments.

He should apologise to the hundreds of thousands of pensioners who were left in the cold last winter.

Speaking up against the Lenham Heath development

While I recognise the need for housing and the difficulty new generations face to afford a home of their own, there is an overwhelming level of concern about the impact the 5 huge planned developments will have locally on our beautiful, rural area. Find out more here. 

Calling out the Government for cutting winter fuel payments.

It was wrong when they did it, and it's still wrong now. Thousands of pensioners had to choose between heating and eating this winter.

Listen more here

Policy Renewal Programme on our welfare system

My team and I will be digging deep into the challenges we face to work out ways to fix them.

If you've got ideas or you’d like to help, we'd love to hear them so please click here

80th anniversary of VE DAY

The 80th anniversary of VE Day was a moment to commemorate the victory of 8th May 1945, and to remember the courage and sacrifice over the six long years of devastating conflict which led to it.