Constituents will be aware that I am currently on maternity leave, but I would like to give reassurances that I continue to take their opinions on board, and I will be attending Parliament for the Brexit meaningful vote. This vote has now been rescheduled for mid-January, as it was clear that Theresa May did not have Parliamentary support for her deal.

Labour respects the result of the referendum, but we will not support any Tory deal that would do lasting damage to jobs, rights and living standards. I will be voting in line with the Labour Party whip to reject Theresa May’s deal, as it does not meet Labour’s six tests which were set out at the start of the negotiation process. You can read more on Labour’s position on Brexit here.

I am conscious of the very real dangers that a no deal Brexit would pose to the country and feel that this must be avoided at all costs. Labour Party conference agreed that we should push for a General Election so that we can try to negotiate a Brexit deal that would be best for jobs and living standards, and underpin our plans to upgrade the economy and invest in every community and region. If this is not possible then the Labour Party has agreed that all other options must remain on the table, including a People’s Vote. I support this position and will continue to monitor developments closely whilst I am on maternity leave.