And just like that, my first month as the MP for Brighton Pavilion comes to a close! What a month it’s been — the whirlwind of the election feels like longer ago than just a few weeks. It’s been remarkable seeing Parliament up close as a newcomer. We all know its reputation as somewhere full of particular processes, rules and traditions, but it’s another thing experiencing them first-hand. Frustratingly, its timetable meant that there were only two weeks of action before Parliament broke up for recess. That feels at such odds with the urgency of the problems that we have in front of us. I was elected to hit the ground running, to take the city’s issues straight to the chamber. 

So that’s what I’ve done. Alongside my Green colleagues we brought the very first Early Day Motion of this Parliament, calling for urgent action to clean our seas and rivers by bringing water companies into public ownership. I spoke on the Government’s Rail Renationalisation bill, welcoming it as an important step forward but suggesting improvements to help it succeed and strengthen. 

Despite the election already feeling like a distant memory, the spirit of the campaign that I was part of here in Brighton Pavilion still feels so alive. While so many MPs may be happy just to campaign every time they need a vote, that just isn’t how Brighton or I operate. Brighton has a rich history of culture, activism and community; its MP cannot just be in Parliament, but has to be out and about in this city, living and breathing it. And I’ve been doing just that.

So I’ve joined activists from the ACORN tenants’ union, supporting their campaign to stop Brighton Council using bailiffs to collect council tax – a cruel practice that we know has a devastating impact on those affected. Groups like ACORN fill me with hope. I’ve always been a renter, and know all too well how helpless and disempowered you can feel having such a fundamental part of your life subject to someone else’s decisions. It’s always a wonderful feeling to be around people so committed to fighting for the rights of all renters.

I’ve also been out to sea, to visit our fleet of wind turbines and hear about the exciting plans to expand the wind farm, which would generate enough electricity to power the whole of Sussex. This community saw off fracking here in Sussex – and now we’re part of a real green future. That’s something I’m massively proud of.

And I went to Trans Pride! It was lovely to be back in such a joyful space, marching alongside Brighton & Hove’s Green councillors to call for respect and healthcare for the trans community who face horrific, dehumanising attacks. Ahead of trans pride, I wrote to the Health Secretary Wes Streeting to express my serious concerns about his statement on puberty blockers. I’ve heard so much pain and concern from young trans people, parents and doctors, and will keep up the pressure on this government to deliver vital trans healthcare. 

When I delivered my maiden speech in Parliament, it gave me the chance to reaffirm my commitment to something that’s been so important to me throughout my career – raising up the voices of young people. It was an honour to speak about the incredible work of Brighton and Hove Citizens, which had just won a huge campaigning victory in getting a commitment from the council for Brighton schools to benefit from investment in mental health support and counselling. 

In that speech I also talked about my pride in Brighton itself, a city I have fallen deeply in love with. We are a city of sanctuary, committed to a culture of hospitality and welcome for those seeking refuge from war and persecution; about the exciting counter-cultural movements that have called Brighton home; about the city’s place at the heart of the green movement. 

As its MP, I have the unique privilege of bringing both the needs and the spirit of Brighton to the House of Commons. I am determined to continue being present across our city, listening to our community and understanding what it needs, so I can take that to Parliament and be your voice.  

Thank you – to everyone who put their faith in me at the election and gave me the chance to speak up for our wonderful city in Parliament. I’ve had just a taste of how brilliant it’s going to be working with my constituents to stand up for Brighton and fight for a fairer, greener future both here and across the country – and I can’t wait to see what else this Parliament will bring.