Author Archives: joshmacmp

The current system to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) has lost the confidence of too many families in West Cumbria. Don’t just take my word for it. The last Conservative Education Secretary described the system she left behind as “lose, lose, lose” – and even the Tories’ own Deputy Chief WhipContinue reading “Weekly Column – 13.08.2025 – Listening to families and building a better special needs system”

After advocating hard for more investment in end-of-life care, local MP Josh MacAlister welcomed the announcement that families will see further improvements as the Labour government releases £75 million for hospices, including £100,000 for Hospice at Home West Cumbria. Hospice at Home West Cumbria is one of 170 hospice organisations across England that will receiveContinue reading “MP welcomes funding boost for hospices to transform end-of-life care”

Last week we had the news that surprised no one; that our Victorian railway line is in worse condition than suspected and services will be suspended between Whitehaven and Sellafield ‘until further notice’. I believe it will likely be November or later before service resumes. I can report to residents that from the 11th August,Continue reading “Weekly Column – 06.08.2025 – Rail chaos highlights urgency of major upgrade”

The axe fell in many places when the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition government came to power in 2010. According to a report by Parliament’s cross-party Transport Select Committee in 2011, the cuts made to support for bus services in England “created the greatest financial challenge for the English bus industry in a generation.” The impact isContinue reading “Weekly Column – 30.07.2025 – Biggest boost to buses in a generation”

A public meeting was held last week to update residents on the progress made on some key improvements to Whitehaven town centre and lay out the next steps for the development of a Masterplan before the end of the year. The meeting, attended by nearly 100 residents from across the town, was hosted by WhitehavenContinue reading “Public meeting marks progress on Whitehaven regeneration – but MP says there’s “lots more to do””

I’ve written before about the complete re-wiring of childhood that has taken place with the rise of addictive social media and smartphone use. After starting a national debate and securing commitments to further government action through my Safer Phones Bill I’m now focused on what more we can do at a local level here inContinue reading “Weekly Column – 23.07.2025 – A new pact between parents and teachers in West Cumbria”

Plans to build a plant to produce green jet fuel in Workington have been greenlit by the government, with £6 million funding to fast-track the project to the next stage announced today. Workington MP Josh MacAlister, who has been working behind the scenes for months alongside Cumberland Council to bring the plant to a siteContinue reading “Lift off for green jet fuel plant in Workington”

Flimby playground is set for a refresh following a campaign by two young park users with the support of local MP Josh MacAlister. Kaelan and Ethan, 13, launched a petition which was signed by over 500 Flimby residents calling for improvements to be made to the playground, which is in a poor state of repair,Continue reading “Young campaigners get playground improvements”

The Labour Government has announced a radical overhaul of the way local councils are funded, fixing the unfair, outdated system left behind by the Conservatives and allocating money according to need. Under the Conservatives, rural and coastal areas like ours were overlooked and faced higher costs to deliver essential services across long distances and smallerContinue reading “Weekly Column – 16.07.2025 – Action to fix unfair and outdated council funding”

Cumbria’s MPs, council leaders and nuclear industry representatives met with Rail Minister Lord Hendy in Parliament recently to make progress on plans for a major upgrade of the Cumbrian Coast Line through West Cumbria. After ten years with no progress under the previous government, plans are now motoring ahead. This is the second meeting CumbrianContinue reading “Cumbrian leaders meet Rail Minister to progress rail upgrade”