Will Stone MP

20h

Liver disease deaths have risen by more than 400% in two generations driven by obesity, alcohol, and hepatitis. In Swindon North, 20 people die from liver disease each year, and 173 were hospitalised last year. 90% of it is preventable. Thanks to Liver UK for raising awareness.

It was great to meet with Applied Intuition in Parliament. Applied Intuition are specialists in building digital infrastructure for autonomous vehicles.

I’m working to integrate them into the Swindon drone ecosystem to bring high-quality jobs and opportunities to my constituents, and to improve efficiency throughout the drone industry.

I had a wonderful chat with Ian Lamont, the Strategic Parternships Lead, about this before talking to Baroness Dianne Hayter, who chairs the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee. I can’t wait to see what the future holds!

Really proud of the positive difference casework can make to the lives of constituents. Where we can, my office and I will always try to find solutions for the issues impacting you. If you need support, reach out on Will.stone.mp@parliament.uk

It's time to raise taxes on harmful gambling machines. I, alongside 90 Labour MPs ahead of the autumn budget, have written to the Chancellor, calling for an increase in Machine Games Duty for harmful high-stakes gambling machines.

I've written to the DEFRA secretary regarding Thames Water's recent announcements that they're seeking £2.4bn from creditors to survive until 2027. This is once again a marker of the failing business model at the heart of the company.

In my view the privatisation experiment of Water has failed and it's time to bring our water back into public ownership. I will continue to fight for this important change with my colleagues and have co-signed a letter alongside Clive Lewis MP and others to re-iterate this call for public ownership

Great discussion today with Katie Freeman-Tayler from Internet Matters on some important online safety issues:

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🤖 AI chatbots – We also talked about the need for more focus on regulating AI chatbots, so children can benefit from learning and education tools without being exposed to unnecessary risks.

🖼️ Sharing images online – The Internet Watch Foundation has published new guidance for parents on sharing images of children online. Link in the comments if you'd like to read more. Thank you Katie for taking the time to talk through these issues with me.

Great discussion today with Katie Freeman-Tayler from Internet Matters on some important online safety issues:

📱 Social media ban – and other proposed measures like overnight curfews for 16- and 17-year-olds. The government are still working out which features, functions or platforms would be covered. Getting this right will be key to making any ban work in practice.

It was really lovely to meet Jonathan Brocklehurst ,constituent and podiatrist, who has written a children's book to help educate families about foot health. Who can buy Jonathan's book, "Grandpa, Where Are Your Shoes?" online.

This year I'm running my Christmas Card competition again, the winner of the competition will get their design on my office card and the top 3 entries can get a tour around Parliament!

Yesterday the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland addressed the House on the amendments he is bringing forward to the Northern Ireland Legacy Bill. I am very grateful to him for acknowledging my input and those of my fellow MPs and am pleased that the Secretary of State is making amendments.

I am especially grateful for the work Alex Baker MP and my fellow cohort of MPs who are continuing to engage with the veteran community and the Secretary of State to shape this legislation in a way that provides security for service personnel and delivers justice for those harmed in the troubles.

I look forward to continuing my engagement with Sir Chris Bryant MP as the debate moves forward.

Did you know about the Responsible Dog Ownership Course at the Blue Cross? The course is an educational pathway suitable for dog owners over 18 years of age who are in need of support and guidance in relation to dog ownership.

It is mainly suitable for low to mid-level section 3 offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act. It provides an educational alternative, diverting some users from court proceedings and possible prosecution for any original offence.

Sometimes departments get it wrong and my team and I are here to help you put it right. Where we can we'll take up your case with government and advocate for you. If you need support, reach out on Will.stone.mp@parliament.uk

I recently Co-signed Sadik Al-Hassan MP's letter calling on the government to implement an 'off-switch' for algorithms that would allow people to reset their social media around those they choose to follow rather than being offered content.

It was an honour to be invited to the UK Friends of Ukraine Drone Day. This session covered the security of Ukraine's sea corridor, the resilience of maritime trade, port reconstruction, trade finance and the naval-industrial capability needed to keep exports moving.

I'm proud to co-sign a letter to the Chancellor asking him to remove VAT from defibrillators so communities can invest in the provision of these life saving devices.

Sepsis claims five lives an hour in the UK. It can affect anyone at any time, but fast action can save lives. If you or a loved one has an infection and just know something’s wrong, Just Ask: “Could it be Sepsis?” Learn more here: sepsistrust.org/trust-your-i...

Great to join Councillors Jim Grant, Ana Fernandes and Parish Cllr Tony Fernandes for a community surgery in their Rodbourne. We discussed a number of local issues from traffic & parking, fly-tipping to wider discussions on defence and the drone hub.

Today is National Manufacturing Day 2026 and I'm proud to have brought more manufacturing to Swindon through the Drone Hub and back the people working in the manufacturing sector. This builds on Swindon's history as a manufacturing town, leading the way in engineering and research.

21 Sept

Dr Kevin Hamilton, CEO of Flarebright, based nearby. They make military-spec systems: Tactera, GPS-free navigation also used for nature surveying, wildfires, and open-water ops; and Extera, a flight termination system also used for remote area delivery. Thanks to Adam Thomas for the intro.

18 Sept

I'm backing Group B Strep Support's call for pregnant women to have the right to request a Group B Streptococcus test on the NHS, and to have the results acted upon.

18 Sept

Around 800 babies a year develop a Group B Strep infection, and tragically, around 70 die as a result. Women in at-risk groups are currently offered antibiotics, but Group B Strep Support believes every expectant mother should have the right to request testing and, where needed, antibiotics.

16 Sept

Great to meet Gareth Brearley from Augur Sensor Intelligence. They provide high-tech sensor tech for venues, places of worship, and public transport to spot dangerous behaviour without facial recognition. They're expanding outside London, near Oxford, so I pitched Swindon as an option.

14 Sept

I recently asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury James Murray about what further support the government can extend to the hospitality sector following the Prime Minister's cut to Pub Business rates.

11 Sept

I support Fighting With Pride's work for the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ veterans, serving personnel, and their families. I'm raising awareness of the 12th December 2026 deadline for the Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS).

11 Sept

We want to ensure every eligible veteran has the opportunity to benefit before the Scheme closes.

Labour Defence & Security Network

11 Sept

Launched in December 2024 and delivered by Defence, the FRS is for veterans and serving personnel who served between 1967 and 2000 and were adversely impacted by the ban on LGBT personnel serving in the Armed Forces. #BattleForLostVeterans #NoOneLeftBehind @fightingwithpride

Will Stone MP reposted

@labourdefence.bsky.social

This week we formally launched in Parliament, alongside our first pamphlet, Defending Britain, Defending Values 🌹 Thank you to UKspace for supporting its publication, and to everyone who joined us. Get involved: labourdefence.org.uk 🧵

Over the summer I wrote to and held a meeting with the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to express some of my concerns about the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill.

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🌹 A cross national board made up of legal and military representatives, so they are better able to assess decisions made within a conflict zone. 🌹 A recognition that the soldiers on the front lines were placed in dangerous situations by political decision makers and operational commanders.

I believe we can get this right and deliver the closure communities deserve without causing undue harm to the veteran community.

Over the summer I wrote to and held a meeting with the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to express some of my concerns about the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill.

I've listened to many in the veteran community about their concerns that the Bill does not have clear or robust enough safeguards to prevent innocent people being brought before tribunals without evidence, but I also know that there are many families across the UK and Ireland still seeking answers.

Therefore, I have suggested to the Minister that the Bill be altered to include: 🌹 A stricter definition of what constitutes new evidence to give assurances that evidence thresholds are clear before the bill is made law.

willstonemp.substack.comAugust 2026 NewsletterA big thank you to Taylor, a recent work experience student who helped me bring the newsletter together.

9 Sept

I've recently published my monthly newsletter. If you'd like to read updates on my work in the constituency and parliament, sign up today! willstonemp.substack.com/p/august-202...

8 Sept

Today I wrote to the Secretary of State for Defence about the reports of reductions in training exercises. Whilst I understand the financial pressures we face, continuous training is key to maintaining our armed forces morale, capabilities and excellence.

4 Sept

At the end of July my team and I were contacted about the lifts at the station being out of action and that the repair would take at least 3 months to get fixed. I'm really pleased that we've been able to reduce that repair to just one month.

4 Sept

I know many people will have struggled in that period and I'll work to make sure this doesn't happen again. If you need support please do reach out at Will.stone.mp@parliament.uk

3 Sept

Great to catch up again with Ross from DeltaQuad, an aerial intelligence company. I've been engaging with the DeltaQuad team for the better part of a year now, building these relationships and encouraging industry to invest in Swindon takes time and effort.

3 Sept

But having highly innovative companies look to establish themselves in Swindon, contribute to its growing defence and technology ecosystem and support our nation’s security is amazing. I look forward to continuing to work with the DeltaQuad team, as they expand into the UK.

3 Sept

It was also good to catch up with Michael from Overton on a wider sector initiative (more to come on that front soon!)

2 Sept

It was great to learn about Kidney Donation in Parliament. Six people die each week waiting for a kidney and over 7,000 people are on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. It was interesting to learn that most of us are born with two kidneys, but we only need one to lead a healthy life.

donateakidney.co.ukAbout us - Make Your MarkKidney Research UK and Give a Kidney have joined forces to launch this website as part of the Robert Dangoor Partnership.

2 Sept

A living kidney donation is the best current treatment option for most people who need a transplant. You can learn more about kidney donation here: www.donateakidney.co.uk/about-make-y...