Smartphones and technology are increasingly part of our daily lives. Whether it’s video-calling a loved one from the beach, running a business from your kitchen table, or checking when the next bus is due, these tools are now everyday essentials. But they also come with significant risks to our mental health and to the safeguarding of our children. So, while I will fight to ensure South East Cornwall is not left behind, I am also working to ensure the right regulations are in place.

Too many parts of South East Cornwall still suffer from poor mobile signal or unreliable broadband. I know that for geographically isolated residents, particularly older people or those living alone, being able to connect with friends, family or support services matters hugely. So, good access to technology is about more than just those everyday essentials, it can also help tackle loneliness and improve wellbeing.

Better digital infrastructure is also key to unlocking our local economy’s potential. Remote working has surged since the pandemic, opening up opportunities for high-skilled, high-wage jobs in rural and coastal areas like ours. I am determined to help fix our connectivity issues as part of what needs to happen so that small businesses can thrive, and younger residents can stay local, growing their careers without having to leave Cornwall. Better internet access can also open doors to education and training in a more flexible, accessible way that works for our communities.

But while the digital world offers so much, we must also be honest about the risks. Parents and children are right to worry about online bullying, scams, harmful content, and excessive screen time. That is why I support the new Online Safety Act focusing on safety by design, transparency, agile regulation, inclusivity, and innovation. This is an important step forward in making the internet a safer place, especially for children.

In this increasingly digital world, real-world connection through social and physical interaction is more important than ever. That’s why I support guidance from the Department for Education advising schools to prohibit mobile phones during the day, while trusting headteachers to choose how to implement that policy. I also welcomed research by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology into the links between children’s wellbeing and smartphone use.

I will continue fighting for proper digital education in schools, support for parents and carers, and to hold tech companies to account when they fail to protect users. It’s important that we are informed and involved in the decisions about shaping our technology to serve us, not the other way around.

As your MP, I want us to embrace the digital world and make sure that it works for us in here in South East Cornwall. So, I’ll keep pushing for fair investment in our digital infrastructure so that our towns, villages, and coastlines don’t get left behind. I’ll also keep championing safety and transparency in the digital space, to ensure everyone can benefit from the online world with confidence.