My first annual report as your MP

It was the greatest honour of my life to be elected as your MP one year ago. 

I promised to be visible and accessible and I’ve hosted 65 advice surgeries, coffee mornings, drop-ins, street surgeries, public meetings, neighbourhood walkabouts and supermarket surgeries, engaging 3,000+ residents in the process. I appreciate everyone who takes the time to talk to me and respect your views, even when we might not always agree on everything. All those conversations help me to learn and shape my thinking as your MP.

I’ve managed to meet more than 300 local organisations. Schools, businesses, housing and healthcare providers, farmers, charities and community groups. These visits and conversations give me invaluable insights that I often then take up directly with ministers to shape policy decisions.

My small and dedicated team and I have dealt with over 6,500 individual pieces of casework from west Cumbrians at the time of writing. About two thirds of these are from people asking me what I think about a policy or issue, will I support or oppose a particular Bill or will I vote for or against a Motion. Politics is to make choices and on every issue I have representations from all sides to weigh up alongside my own views, those set out in Labour’s manifesto and what is in the best interests of the country overall. Many of these are hard choices. I carefully reflect on all the correspondence I receive before making my mind up. I hope people feel my replies reflect this and my choices are considered even when you don’t agree. 

The rest of my casework involves representing people where systems have failed and aren’t working as they should. We’ve got hundreds of examples where we’ve managed to help people as a result of our intervention. Sorting out a hospital appointment which keeps getting cancelled. Chasing up delays with housing repairs and getting them done. Securing compensation for someone who had a poor service. Things which make a difference to the daily lives of those affected.

In Parliament, I’ve spoken or asked questions 80 times, with a focus on the priorities raised with me by local people. But this only tells a small part of the story of my work in Parliament. I’ve written dozens of public and private letters to ministers on local issues and had more than 50 ministerial meetings with everyone from the Prime Minister down, all to advocate for West Cumbria. I haven’t tallied up all of my other meetings in Parliament but I’ve had dozens of meetings just to advance the cause of new nuclear in West Cumbria with ministers, advisers, officials and potential vendors and developers.

I hope this reassures people that I am working hard to deliver for you and for West Cumbria every day. If you need my help with anything, please contact me anytime.