Plymouth MP welcomes Kemi Badenoch in latest South West Devon update

Great to welcome Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch and Shadow Defence Secretary, James Cartlidge MP to Turnchapel Wharf in Plymstock this month.

It was a brilliant opportunity for them to see first-hand some of the incredible work happening in the marine autonomy sector here in South West Devon.

Following a question I raised with the Defence Secretary on out-of-date regulations that are stifling marine autonomy a few days prior, it was helpful to discuss this further on the ground with businesses delivering real capability.

As Conservatives we are well aware of the challenges companies are facing (in more ways than one) and are committed to pushing the Government to update these regulations, ensuring innovation isn’t held back by outdated frameworks. Our marine autonomy innovators have the talent and technology. It now needs the Government to do the work to keep up.

Challenging the Prime Minister to back our local defence industry

A few weeks ago, following Kemi’s visit to South West Devon, I asked the Prime Minister in PMQs to finally get primary legislation in place to support Plymouth’s SMEs in the unmanned surface vessel sector, especially those at Turnchapel Wharf.

This matters because this is good for our local defence industry and for the SMEs in South West Devon. These businesses are developing vital autonomous vessels with both commercial and defence use, yet they’re being held back by out-of-date Maritime regulations.

I have raised this issue on a number of occasions with both the Departments for Transport and Defence and met with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. I have been informed that it required the government to connect the dots and bring forward primary legislation.

Following the Prime Minister’s answer, I have now written to him and will post an update through my usual channels once I receive a response.

As your MP, supporting local residents with the issues that matter to them most is at the heart of my work.

Every month, I deal with a wide range of casework from across South West Devon. Recently, I met with Alan, who first contacted me last year to raise serious concerns about severe flooding along his driveway and garden following the heavy rainfall we experienced in September.

Following a lot of digging with the council and the Environment Agency, I managed to get a site visit arranged with Mark Rice, the area director of the Environmental Agency and Simon Jeffrey, a senior advisor for Flood and Coastal Risk Management, who will be taking this on and having direct conversations with the Council to see what more can be done to mitigate against this.

If you are a constituent of mine and you have any casework concerns that you would like me to take on, please do let me know at: rebecca.smith.mp@parliament.uk.

I was delighted to officially launch my competition for Best Pub of the Year 2026! Voting is open and you can have your say here: www.rebecca-smith.org.uk/news/rebecca-launches-her-best-local-pub-2026-competition or by scanning the QR code.

Our pubs are the backbone of South West Devon. They support local jobs, bring people together, and keep villages, towns and communities alive – which is exactly why they deserve our backing, especially at a time when rising costs and the Government’s higher taxes are making life harder for the hospitality sector.

I’ll keep fighting in Parliament to scrap unfair business rates and stand up for our locals. But here in South West Devon, this competition is about celebrating them – and I’ll be visiting pubs throughout the competition to meet landlords, staff and customers along the way.

Last year, The London Inn in Plympton took the crown. So the question is…will they hold onto the title, or will another pub rise to the challenge and beat them to the mark this year? If you haven’t already do take a moment to vote for your favourite local and share this with your friends and family!

I recently met with Cllr John Stephens, Plymouth’s Portfolio Holder for Transport, to discuss some of the ongoing transport projects and priorities across South West Devon.

This included projects across the city, such as the possibility of reopening Plympton railway station, improvements at Deep Lane and the Dawes Lane cycle path connecting Brixton to Elburton.

I also took the opportunity to raise the concerns about works on Colesdown Hill in Plymstock. I made clear the strength of feeling locally, particularly regarding the 14-month road closure, the impact on school runs and carers and the frustration many feel about how the disruption has been communicated.

I will continue to follow progress closely, press for clear communication and work with Plymourh City Council to help ensure these projects are delivered efficiently and effectively.

Finally, I was recently at Plymstock Broadway ahead of World Book Day for a storytime in conjunction with St Luke’s Plymstock Bookshop and the Divino Lounge.

I read a few stories to local families including the Gruffalo! A really lovely way to spend an hour on a Saturday morning!