During my time as Member of Parliament for Truro and Falmouth, one of the things I have been proudest to be part of is the government’s work in women’s health, both in the first ever Women’s Health Strategy, and proposing a strategy for maternity care.

Last week the Conservative Party Manifesto for the General Election was published, and there was a significant section devoted to planned and proposed improvements in this area. In the Manifesto, the Conservative Party, if it forms the next government, commits to:

• Bring forward a comprehensive national strategy for maternity care.

• Deliver additional funding for maternal safety and improve access to mental health services for new mums, improve perinatal pelvic health services to prevent and support women with birth injuries and postnatal appointments dedicated to checking mums, not just their babies.

• Expand women’s health hubs so that every integrated care system has at least one hub up and running.

• Roll out fracture liaison services to every region, reaching 100 per cent coverage by 2030 as osteoporosis disproportionately impacts women.

• Support continued research into disparities in maternity care.

• As well as this, locally, I am delivering the new Women and Children’s Hospital at Treliske.

This week former punk singer turned environmental activist Feargal Sharkey visited Falmouth to lend his support to my campaign as part of his nationwide tour highlighting the issue of pollution in Britain's waterways. On Gyllyngvase Beach, to a backdrop of supporters holding ‘poo emojis’, the ex-Undertones singer endorsed Labour's plan to clean up our waterways.

Under a Keir Starmer premiership Labour will put failing water companies under special measures to clean up our water. We will give regulators new powers to block the payment of bonuses to water bosses who pollute our waterways and bring criminal charges against persistent law breakers. We will impose automatic fines for sewage discharges and ensure independent monitoring of every outlet.

Our beaches and rivers in Cornwall are vital for our health, ecosystems and economy. Labour’s clean-up mission can’t come soon enough. As we all know, Gyllyngvase is so much more than a beach. It's the beating heart of Falmouth. A home for local swimming groups, paddleboarders and dog-walkers, many of whom came out to support Feargal and our campaign this week. But unchecked sewage discharges are turning people away and who can blame them? Nobody wants to swim in poo.

In previous weeks I’ve touched on policing and housing. This week I want to touch on what the Liberal Democrats would do to support local businesses, and what that means for Truro.

Businesses of all sizes and all sectors tell me that what they need is confidence, stability and predictability from government.

For too long shops, cafes and salons have faced unfair tax bills on top of rising energy bills. The Lib Dems would abolish business rates, replacing them with a Commercial Landowner Levy so that commercial property owners pay their fair share and ending discounts for empty and derelict premises. We need to get businesses back into empty units in Truro city centre and help Truro get its mojo back.

It's not just about the city centre, either - Newham industrial estate is home to many successful businesses.

The Liberal Democrats know that small businesses are the engine of our economy, especially in Cornwall. But they’re often overlooked in the national political debate. As your MP I will make sure that the voice of small business is heard in Westminster.

For more detail on the Liberal Democrats plans to boost business, get the NHS back on its feet and protect our environment, visit libdems.org.uk/manifesto

So, I am sat here watching the rain making circles on my patio and, like you, I am waiting for the summer to start. I suspect summer is giving us a miss this year what with all the drab goings on in TV studios across the nation.

Is anyone telling you anything new for this general election or are all parties circling like the rain around similar policies, regurgitating old ideas and spinning them as new?

Well, there is one party who can be heard above this noise. A courageous party willing to tax to revitalise public services. A party which can say ‘no’ to the interests of fossil fuel companies. A party which understands industries of national importance such as water, energy and rail need to be back in the hands of the public.

Yes, we know the Green Party will not be the party of government this year, but by electing a few Green MPs you can put pressure on those in Westminster who take your vote for granted and don’t deliver.

• Also standing is Steven Rubidge (Reform UK)