My persistent campaign to improve our broadband is beginning to pay off. Almost on a weekly basis, I have pressed the Government in the House of Commons to make Dorset broadband a priority.

The Digital Minister told the House of Commons a couple of weeks ago that I leave “no stone unturned” when it comes to advocating for West Dorset constituents to get better broadband – and the following day the Government announced that we are at the top of the list for the £5 billion Project Gigabit program to sort out our poor broadband connectivity.

The Police, Courts and Sentencing Bill was debated in the House of Commons the week before last. I support this Bill. We need a fair justice system – one that stands for the law-abiding majority, not the criminal minority. At the General Election, I pledged safer communities and our Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill delivers on that commitment.

But I know that some are concerned about public order laws. A few weeks ago, I walked to Clapham Common to pay my respects to Sarah Everard. This should have been a moment of remembrance and a sombre demonstration of support for Sarah and for women’s safety. But instead, it was hijacked by extreme left protestors, with placards from the Socialist Workers Party and others.

I’m not saying the police were right in how they dealt with it, but we need the full facts before jumping to conclusions. The Police, Courts and Sentencing Bill takes direct action to improve public safety: halting the automatic early release of offenders who pose a danger to the public and ending the halfway release of offenders sentenced for serious violent and sexual offences.

Since I became an MP, I have seen some appalling behaviour from extremist protesters in Westminster, such as Extinction Rebellion. Much of what I have seen is not civil protest – it is criminal behaviour. As we saw again in Bristol a couple of weeks ago, too often the important concerns of well-intentioned people are hijacked by anarchists seeking violence and disruption.

I’ve had enough of it and I think it needs to be put right. Protests and demonstrations will continue to be permitted within the law, and anyone that says otherwise is being disingenuous.

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