THE LAST few weeks have been extremely busy as we approach summer recess.

Despite the belated resignation of Boris Johnson, the chaos of the Tory government and their divisive leadership battle, Labour MPs continue to hold them to account.

This week we voted no confidence in the Government, but extraordinarily the same Tories who have been denouncing Johnson and attacking each other in the race for his successor voted that they had confidence in this shambolic UK government. You couldn’t make it up!

Meanwhile I and my Labour colleagues continue to take them to task. In a debate on the Welsh Economy and Funding for the Devolved Institutions, I said: “The Right Hon Gentleman mentions levelling up…there is a shortfall of nearly £1billion compared with what Wales should have received.

"In 2019 the Government committed as a minimum to match what has been provided to Wales under EU structural and investment funds. That commitment has not been met; we have seen a shortfall in both rural and other funding.”

Readers will know I have long been campaigning to help Welsh leaseholders and residents affected by building safety and cladding issues, and in Business Questions following the resignation of multiple Government ministers, I said: “Before the chaos of the past 24 hours, I had been promised a meeting with the former Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (Michael Gove), over the issues affecting my constituents relating to fire and building safety defects and the lack of co-operation with the Welsh Government about commitments from developers done on an England-only rather than a UK-wide basis to remedy these defects. Will the Leader of the House assist me in getting a meeting…?”

Last week as Shadow Europe Minister I visited Kosovo and North Macedonia. It was a fascinating and incredibly useful trip, not least given the continued presence of UK troops in Kosovo as part of peacekeeping operations and the risks to peace in the region from Russia and others.

I sadly couldn’t be at the Penarth Summer Festival as I was travelling back to the UK, but it was great to see pictures from the day, including the return of the Downhill Derby. It looked like a fantastic event with a great turn-out of all ages.

With recess starting this weekend, I’ll be taking a break from the column over the summer – returning when the House is back in September.