While the US President seems intent on destroying international relations and the ‘rules-based World order’ it’s important for the rest of the world to work together to calm markets and find a rational solution. The UK should work to establish an international ‘Coalition of the Willing’ to face down Mr Trump’s ill-considered actions.

The alternative is, Trump dictates every aspect of the way we live our lives, how we manage our public services and whether the UK economy sinks or swims.

Trump’s decision seems once again to be based on a fictional, nursery-school level comprehension of the tariff system. He claims he's merely applying "reciprocal" tariffs. But has confused trade TARIFF with trade DEFICIT.

Thanks from me to fellow Cornish MPs and council officials for joining me at a successful meeting with Housing Minister, MP Matthew Pennycook, last week.

We’ll now work closely with government officials to establish a programme for the delivery of much-needed affordable homes before the end of the present parliament and to take appropriate action to prevent and discourage our vital homes from being used as a vehicle for ‘tax-efficient’ property investment.

As constantly repeated, this is not motivated by the politics of envy but the politics of social justice. Most people are aghast to learn there's a tax loophole which has resulted in more than £500-million of taxpayers' money being handed out to holiday home owners in Cornwall alone in the last 10 years, and yet far less than half that amount has been invested in much-needed first homes for locals. The Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) tax loophole alone has resulted in industrial level flipping of second homes to re-register as holiday homes so they don't pay Council tax, apply for SBRR and pay nothing. Needless to say, and as I constantly repeat, we should not disapply rate relief to those genuine holiday letting businesses which have planning occupancy restrictions which mean the properties could not be used for permanent occupancy as a home for locals.

I was privileged to visit the UK’s first geothermal power station at United Downs near Redruth this week. It will be going live soon. Producing enough low carbon electricity to power over 5,000 homes. I well remember the excellent work undertaken by the then “Hot Rock” project at Rosemanowes, near Longdowns over 30 years ago. Technology takes time to develop, but this is good progress.

The withholding of humanitarian aid continues in Gaza. Many locals are understandably distressed by the news. Over 60,000 (mostly Palestinian women and children) have been killed since October 7, 2023.

Our government should do more to call this out; stop arming Israel’s far-right regime, admit they’re breaching international law, deploy sanctions and back a boycott. Israel’s PM, Netanyahu, must stop falsely claiming his murderous actions have anything to do with “self-defence”.

There must be an immediate release of all hostages; the remaining hostages held by Hamas, and the two million Palestinians held captive in Gaza by the IDF.