Angela Rayner stepping down as Deputy Leader leaves Labour at a crossroads. She’s been a fighter for our party’s values and for working people. She showed the grit and honesty our movement relies on. Her departure gives us a moment for reflection – to think hard about who we are and who we stand for. That will be at the forefront of my mind today as hustings take place before MPs cast their vote for a new Deputy Leader tomorrow.

In recent weeks I’ve visited Harrowside House and Pennystone Court, two not-for-profit Blackpool care homes, to sit down with residents, answer their questions and listen to their stories. What I heard was simple but powerful – people want dignity, security and a strong sense of community as they get older.

When the rest of the country think of Blackpool, they picture the Promenade – the Tower, the piers, the bright lights and the bustle. But for us locals Blackpool is so much more. This summer I visited every corner of Blackpool South give it the attention it deserves.

I joined Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw and local police officers on the beat to see how officers are keeping the town centre safe this summer.

This government is shoring up the Holiday Activity and Food provision’s future by backing the programme with over £600 million for the next three years. Under the new Best Start brand, these clubs will be part of something bigger. We're joining up support so families in Blackpool get what they need.

This week we are seeing the largest expansion of childcare in this country’s history, thanks to this Labour government. From this term we’re on track for over half a million families to get access to 30 hours of government-funded childcare per week. That’s a promise made and a promise delivered by this government.

Over the coming weeks, keep an eye out for Beyond the Prom dropping through your letterbox. Inside, you’ll find the full picture of my first year as your MP, the work we’ve done together and what’s next for our town.

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.