Author Archives: joshmacmp

Josh MacAlister MP welcomed senior leaders from VisitEngland to West Cumbria this week as part of a major new Government-backed campaign to promote domestic tourism to the North West’s coastal communities, including St. Bees and Whitehaven. The £1 million VisitEngland campaign aims to drive more day trips and overnight stays to seaside destinations across theContinue reading “Josh MacAlister MP backs VisitEngland campaign to boost coastal tourism”

Thousands of children living in kinship care are set to benefit from earlier, more consistent support as the government today announces seven new Kinship Zones across England. Kinship carers are adults who step in to provide a loving and supportive home to children in their family whose parents are unable to care for them full-timeContinue reading “Government launches biggest ever investment in support for kinship carers”

For too long, too many families across West Cumbria have felt worn down by the system that is meant to support their children. Over the past year, I’ve met with children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), sat down with parents who described exhausting battles for support, visited local schools doingContinue reading “Weekly Column – 25.02.2026 – Fixing our broken SEND system”

Ambulances are reaching serious emergencies across West Cumbria around 10 minutes quicker than they were a year ago – and Josh MacAlister MP saw that progress first-hand after joining a local paramedic on shift in a rapid response vehicle. Spending time on the frontline with a West Cumbrian crew, Josh observed how rapid response vehiclesContinue reading “MP joins paramedic on frontline as ambulance waits fall”

Children and families across Cumbria will benefit from a landmark £4 billion national investment to transform support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), ensuring every mainstream school is equipped to meet additional needs. The funding, announced alongside the government’s schools white paper, ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’, represents a generational reform ofContinue reading “£4 billion SEND investment to deliver earlier, local support for Cumbrian families”

Four west Cumbrian schools are being praised after being recognised as some of the strongest performers nationally for outcomes achieved by disadvantaged pupils. Bookwell Primary School in Egremont, St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Whitehaven, St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School in Workington and Beckstone Primary School in Workington were identified as being among the top-performingContinue reading “Local schools praised for best in country results”

National Apprenticeship Week last week was a good moment to stop and recognise something we do incredibly well here in West Cumbria. We train more apprentices than almost anywhere else in the country. That doesn’t happen by accident. It’s down to the hard work of local colleges, training providers, employers and, most importantly, the youngContinue reading “Weekly Column – 18.02.2026 – Championing our brilliant apprentices”

Josh MacAlister MP has welcomed confirmation from the Environment Agency that St. Bees has been designated a priority bathing water site following its recent reclassification from Excellent to Good. After raising concerns about the downgrade, Josh requested further investigation into the causes of the change in water quality. The Environment Agency has now completed DNAContinue reading “Action plan to restore St. Bees bathing water rating”

A cancer diagnosis changes your life in an instant. Almost every family in West Cumbria will know someone who has faced that moment – or will in the future. How quickly and well we are treated can make the difference between life and death. That is why the National Cancer Plan, published last week, mattersContinue reading “Weekly Column – 11.02.2026 – Why the National Cancer Plan matters for West Cumbria”

Whitehaven and Workington MP Josh MacAlister has welcomed the Labour Government’s announcement that ground rents will be capped at £250 a year, calling it a “long overdue step that will make a real difference to leaseholders in West Cumbria.” The Government confirmed the cap as part of a wider package of measures. Josh MacAlister MPContinue reading “Josh MacAlister MP welcomes Labour’s plan to protect leaseholders in West Cumbria”