I visited Johnson & Johnson’s fascinating and long-standing manufacturing site right here in Blackpool and discovered the life-changing and saving work that goes on there.

People in Blackpool can now get vital health checks at times that fit around their lives. Whitegate Drive Community Diagnostic Centre is opening later in the evenings and at weekends, meaning we can fit scans, blood tests and other checks around our busy lives.

I don’t believe in sitting behind a desk when serious problems are playing out on our streets. That’s why I joined police in an operation to seize illegal ebikes.

From 18th-28th August, while tourists flock to our seafront, I’ll be spending time Beyond the Prom in every neighbourhood – meeting residents, supporting local businesses, visiting charities, exploring green spaces and getting stuck in with community groups.

When we talk about dignity, compassion and community care, few places embody these values as powerfully as Trinity Hospice and Brian House. These incredible institutions on the Fylde Coast do more than provide end of life care – they offer hope, comfort and peace to individuals and their families at the most challenging moments of their lives.

Bright young people from places like Blackpool have been shut out of the corridors of power for too long. Now, with a Labour government in place – one with more women, working-class people and northerners than we’ve ever seen before – that’s changing.

Small businesses are the beating heart of Blackpool. I’m proud to support the Labour Government’s new SME Strategy – a bold, practical plan that puts small and medium-sized businesses at the very centre of our economic recovery and national growth.

The CQC has today rated Blackpool Adult Social Care Services as Inadequate. Our people deserve better care, improved support and maximised independence.

While millions enjoy our iconic promenade this summer, I’ll be heading Beyond the Prom – to meet you, listen to you and take action in every corner of Blackpool South.

I’m proud to share some long-overdue recognition for a remarkable but often overlooked group of World War II heroes – the RAF’s Photographic Reconnaissance Units (PRU). These were the unarmed airmen who flew alone, deep into enemy territory, to gather vital intelligence that helped win the war. Among them was one of Blackpool’s own.

More fantastic news for Blackpool – the government has now confirmed that our town will receive its full £15.3 million allocation from the Levelling Up Fund.

Growing up in Blackpool, poverty wasn’t a policy discussion – it was a daily reality. I know what it’s like to go without, to see stress etched into the faces of hardworking parents, and to wonder why the opportunities available elsewhere never seem to reach your street. That lived experience shaped who I am today. And it’s why, as the MP for my hometown, tackling child poverty is my most urgent priority.

Blackpool’s always been a place that welcomes people. We’ve done it for generations. Families from across the country have made memories here. But tourism isn’t just about holidays. It’s about jobs, pride and building a better future for our town.

I found out about the incredible work coming out of the pARTnership – a project bringing together artists with learning disabilities to develop their skills and showcase their creativity.

A new government-funded scheme will support disabled people, those living with health conditions, and residents facing complex barriers to employment to find work, stay in it and thrive.

Primary Steps is run by the Royal Ballet School – one of the best in the world – and it gives children from working-class towns like Blackpool the chance to experience top-class dance training.

As the school year ends, I’ve been thinking about everything I’ve seen in our schools this year. Some of the visits that stuck with me the most were to our three SEND schools – Highfurlong, Woodlands, and Park Academy.

Highfield Leadership Academy is one of the first 200 schools selected to take part in the Department for Education’s new Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence initiative (RISE). This will drive up standards at the school and give 1,100 pupils in Blackpool South a better chance of academic success.

The government has announced a landmark fund to improve the outcomes of children in England – the biggest of its kind anywhere in the world.

At Gateway Academy, a local primary school in our community, I was invited to the launch of a pop-up science museum – the brainchild of 10-year-old Poppy Docherty, a young scientist with ambition well beyond her years.