My work in Parliament

In the House of Commons new laws are debated, amended and voted on. MPs also debate topical issues and hold the government to account by asking questions.

Government departments (such as Health, the Home Office, and Energy and Climate Change) take it in turns to come to the House of Commons and answer questions. MPs are also able to table written questions to the government on any issue for which they have responsibility.

As a Liberal Democrat, I vote with my party. But I also have strong personal views and when I disagree with the party position on an issue because of personal principle or local concern I am prepared to do this.

The Labour government currently have a majority of 62 MPs. This means if all Labour MPs are present and loyal then the government can win each and every vote. Recently the Liberal Democrats won a famous victory, defeating the government on the issue of settlement rights for our brave Gurkha soldiers.

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Find out more about my work in Parliament

Recent answers to questions and interventions I have made in debates can be found on They Work for You (external website).

You can see an overview of my voting record going back to 1997 are on the Public Whip (external website).

You can see more information about the Gurkha vote on BBC news (external website).

Early day motions (EDMs) are formal motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons.

MPs can introduce new ones themselves and also add their names to those put down by other MPs. In practice they are very rarely debated but they are a good measure of support for a particular issue or campaign and can help raise publicity of an issue.

In the last year I have tabled EDMs to:

• Champion conflict prevention work globally

• Campaign for arts council funding for the London Bubble Theatre Company in Rotherhithe.

• Support proposals to build a cross river tram in London

• Praise Neil Harris, Millwall Football Club's all time record goalscorer

As long as they are consistent with my party's and my own principles, I am happy to sign motions when constituents ask me to do so.

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More about Early Day Motions

You can find out more about EDMs in the EDM area of the Parliament website (external website).

You can also see which EDMs I've sponsored and supported on the same site (external website).

All Party Parliamentary Groups are a less formal way that parliamentarians can learn and share information about a subject of interest. These groups are non-party political and are a useful forum for debate. Sometimes APPGs also release reports.

I am an officer of several groups. These include:

• Conflict Issues, Co Chair (website)

• Youth Affairs, Vice-Chair

• Race and Community, Vice-Chair

• Credit Unions, Vice-Chair

• Suicide Prevention, Vice-Chair

• Tamils, Vice-Chair

• UK Sikhs, Vice-Chair

• Islam, Vice-Chair

• Cross-Rail, Vice-Chair

I am also a member of several groups, including:

• Save The Pub

• Legal and Constitutional Affairs

• Construction

• Men's Health

• Poverty

• Sustainable Housing

• Thameslink Route

The country or region focussed groups of which I am a member are:

• Sri Lanka, Vice-Chair

• Mexico, Vice-Chair

• Gibraltar, Vice-Chair

• Ukraine, Vice-Chair

• Columbia

• Cyprus

• Hungary

• Kashmir

Many APPGs promote cross-cultural dialogue with groups both in the UK and from all over the world. I am a member of the following such groups:

• British-Argentine

• British-Latin America

• British-Bangladesh

• British Central American

• British-Finnish

• Chinese in Britain

• Irish in Britain, Vice-Chair

• Panjabis in Britain, Vice-Chair

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Purpose and membership of APPGs

You can find out more about APPGs on the Parliament site, including their nature, purpose and membership (external site).