Ben Lake for Ceredigion Preseli

Ben Lake MP writes to Foreign Secretary urging restoration of UK’s UNRWA funding

Plaid Cymru Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Ben Lake MP, has today (Thursday 11 July) issued a call to the newly appointed Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, David Lammy MP, to urgently restore funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). This appeal comes in response to the severe humanitarian crisis currently unfolding in Gaza.

In the early hours of Friday morning (5 July), it was announced that Ben Lake will be the Member of Parliament for Ceredigion Preseli. Ben Lake defied the red wave that swept across the UK and retained his place in Westminster, winning with a majority of 14,789. 

Since being elected Member of Parliament in 2017, Ben has worked tirelessly on behalf of his constituents. He has successfully handled over 5,000 pieces of casework and made over 1,200 contributions in Westminster since 2020 alone.

Ben has been a highly respected spokesman on the economy and has supported small businesses tirelessly in Ceredigion; he has been Vice-Chairman of the Welsh Affairs Committee and a member of the Public Accounts Committee; supported the WASPI women's campaign for justice; consistently voted in favour of action to address climate change; challenged the high street banks on their branch closures and lobbied the regulators to establish local banking hubs; successfully improved broadband and mobile phone connectivity in Ceredigion; opposed trade deals harmful to Welsh farmers; and fought for a fairer financial settlement for public services in rural areas.

Report says scrapping graduate-route visa could ‘disproportionately impact local and regional economies outside London and South East’

Ben Lake MP has urged the UK Government to make underground cabling the default method for installing new electricity grid infrastructure.

The group met with the MP for Ceredigion to discuss issues and concerns around digital accessibility, particularly in rural areas such as Ceredigion and how advancements in technology can sometimes lead to increased isolation for some people, especially blind and visually impaired individuals.

This week (Wednesday, 24 April) the Dogs (Protection of Livestock)(Amendment) Bill took an important step closer to becoming law, as it successfully passed the Committee stage in the House of Commons.

On 22 April 2024, the Public Accounts Committee took oral evidence on supporting mobile connectivity. Sarah Munby (Permanent Secretary at Department for Science, Innovation and Technology), Emran Mian CB OBE (Director General for Digital, Technology and Telecoms at Department for Science, Innovation and Technology), and Dean Creamer CBE (Chief Executive at Building Digital UK) gave evidence

Ben Lake MP will take part in a virtual funding workshop with People’s Postcode Lottery and CAVO for local charities, volunteer organisations, and community groups.

The session will give good causes in Ceredigion advice on how to apply for funds to make even more of a difference in our communities.

Mobile coverage in rural parts of Ceredigion has been significantly improved after EE revealed today it has upgraded or built more than 10 masts in the county in the last three years.

The upgrades have been welcomed by Ceredigion MP Ben Lake.