JAMES McMurdock, MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, is urging the Government to cancel fines for parents who take their children out of school for one-off family holidays.

Speaking in a Westminster Hall debate, Mr McMurdock highlighted the distinction between truancy and responsible parental decision-making, stating: "There's a clear difference between trustworthy, decent parents choosing to take their children out of school at an appropriate time for appropriate reasons, versus truancy."

Mr McMurdock also acknowledged and sympathised with teachers who are impacted by students who miss lessons, but added: "We should support, not penalise, decent and reasonable people making decent and reasonable decisions for their families."

The MP argued that hard-working families who take their children on a one-off term-time holiday should not be punished with automatic fines, especially when such decisions are made thoughtfully and in the best interests of the child.

Earlier this week Mr McMurdock was also in the parliamentary spotlight when he challenged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over the state of Basildon Hospital and poor ambulance performance within his consituency.