Well, North Cornwall, what a year we’ve had. Just twelve months ago, I had no idea I’d be where I am today, representing the constituency I grew up in as a Member of Parliament.

I’d like to use this week’s contribution first to give thanks to everyone who has supported me (and voted for me!), to everyone who got in touch seeking help or advice with casework, and for those who have relayed kind their feedback on how I’ve been doing so far.

Throughout the year, I made it a priority to visit countless schools, community groups, businesses, and other organisations across our constituency. These visits, paired with more than ten surgeries held in local towns and villages, helped me hear your concerns directly and bring them back to Westminster. I’m proud to say that my team and I have already resolved over 3,000 individual casework items, which shows just how active our community is and how much there is to tackle together.

Another of my earliest priorities was tackling the scandal of sewage dumping in our rivers and seas. Soon after my election, I met with senior water executives to personally demand real solutions to this crisis. Sewage pollution is a serious problem that impacts thousands - harming our economy, our health, and the Cornish way of life by preventing swimming in our rivers and seas. Rest assured, I’ll keep applying pressure until meaningful change is achieved.

I also held Cornwall’s first-ever SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Summit in Bodmin, bringing together parents, teachers, and specialists to discuss the systemic challenges facing our schools. I’m delighted that our collective efforts led to a welcome boost in SEND funding, although there’s still more work to be done. I’ve also spent week after week standing alongside pensioners in their call for a reversal of the Winter Fuel Cut, which has caused significant anxiety for many of our older residents in North Cornwall.

Another major focus has been defending the future of Cornwall’s farming families. Labour’s proposed changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) threatened to undermine these farms - the backbone of our rural economy - and I fought hard in Parliament, and down here in North Cornwall, to protect them. Cornwall’s farming communities deserve fair, transparent policies that recognise their immense contribution to our nation’s food security and cultural heritage.

In the ongoing campaign for fair devolution for Cornwall, I joined my Cornish MP colleagues in meeting the Deputy Prime Minister to argue strongly for our county’s future as a standalone authority. Cornwall’s identity, history, and cultural distinction make us unique, and it’s critical that any devolution deal respects that uniqueness rather than forcing us into a merged or “Devonwall” arrangement.

Looking back overall, I’m very proud of the progress we’ve made in just a short time. It’s been a year full of challenges, but also one of collective effort and determination, and I cannot thank you all enough for your support and engagement. Please continue reaching out with your ideas and concerns across 2025 and beyond - and I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together in the year ahead.

Ben Maguire

Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall