Plymouth MP, Luke Pollard, returns to Labour frontbench
Mr Pollard took some time away to focus on the local community following the Keyham shootings
Plymouth MP Luke Pollard has returned to Labour’s Shadow Cabinet, after a month stepping back from frontbench duties to support the community in Keyham after the tragic mass shooting in August.
Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer had agreed to a request from Mr Pollard to spend more time focusing on the communities affected by the shooting, that saw five people murdered.
In that time, the MP for Sutton & Devonport has been working with community leaders, the Police and Crime Commissioner, the NHS, Livewell Southwest and Plymouth City Council to put together a funding bid to support those affected by the tragedy.
Since then an initial £1 million has been allocated to the response in Keyham.
Mr Pollard's work supporting the community in Plymouth will continue, with further meetings arranged with Ministers to discuss more funding set for October.
He will do this work in tandem with him returning to the role of Shadow Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs.
"I am grateful to Keir Starmer for letting me step back from my frontbench duties to focus on Keyham. I am incredibly proud of the way our community has pulled together in the wake of the attack and wanted to ensure my sole focus was on Plymouth at this difficult time.”
"This was a Team Plymouth response, and as result of working together with Plymouth City Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner, the NHS, Livewell Southwest and the local community we have been able to secure the first tranche of crucial funding.
"I have arranged further meetings with Ministers in October to secure the next phase of funding and support for our schools. My work supporting the community after this tragic incident does not end here.
"It is good to be back in the Shadow Cabinet resuming my responsibilities for the environment, food and rural affairs. With crops rotting in the fields, empty shelves in supermarkets and a shortage of HGV drivers, there’s plenty of work to be done to get this Government to sort out the mess they’ve created.
"I’m also grateful to Daniel Zeichner MP who stepped up to the Shadow Cabinet to cover for me for the past month. With COP26 just around the corner, it’s now all hands on deck to get the agreement we need to tackle the climate and ecological crisis."
Luke Pollard - Plymouth Sutton & Devonport MP