A good man and highly-respected member of the Weymouth community was cremated today. Former police Chief Inspector, Andy Prowse, was a friend, too. By chance, the Echo published a very nice article about him today, which brought his wife, Pam, and their family great comfort.

Many shops in England re-opened today, with long queues outside stores such as Primark, Zara and Sports Direct. Research firm Springboard said that by 1700 footfall was 38.8 per cent higher than last week.

The scenes of violence over the weekend were as shocking as they were disgraceful. My sympathy lay with the police who, once again, became the target. Why we do not have water cannon is quite beyond me. The thugs on both sides of the divide must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Not much shocks and angers me; I've been around the block long enough not to be. But the letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel from Labour MP Naz Shah, and signed by 30 of her colleagues, is simply shameful, spiteful and classic Left-wing rhetoric and hypocrisy.

VIOLENT protest is inexcusable and I condemn it.

Don’t get me wrong.

The death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minnesotan police was abhorrent and those involved have been rightly charged.

The statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square is a permanent reminder of his achievement in saving this country – and the whole of Europe – from a fascist and racist tyranny.

The day began with an early rise, coffee and then into the office for a couple of hours before the next session of our Defence Select Committee. The virtual hearing began at 1000 was in private. Our witness was Dr Ian Levy , the Technical Director of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

I would like to update you on the next steps in the Government's COVID-19 recovery strategy. 

All shops can open on Monday, the Prime Minister said this afternoon. That's good news and, again, about time. He also provided a relief to those living alone in England, who can now stay at another household for the first time since the lock-down.

Good news over the fire on Bere Heath. The Fire Brigade got it under control quickly and believe it started due to a hot-spot from the last heath fire re-igniting. Just goes to show how dreadful these forest fires are as they are so hard to put out.