Category Archives: Uncategorized

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The Labour Government has announced a radical overhaul of the way local councils are funded, fixing the unfair, outdated system left behind by the Conservatives and allocating money according to need.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services across long distances and smallerContinue reading “Weekly Column – 16.07.2025 – Action to fix unfair and outdated council funding”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”

You don’t need me to tell you the state our NHS was in last summer. Record waiting lists, doctors on strike, buildings falling apart, mental health services at the brink of collapse, near impossible to get a GP appointment or find an NHS dentist. We were dangerously close to the NHS ceasing to exist asContinue reading “Weekly Column – 09.07.2025 – The plan to turn around our NHS”

Political, farming, business, education and nature leaders across Cumbria have banded together in a bid to secure a major devolution of funding and decision making for upland communities to support farming and nature recovery in the county. Over 40 community leaders have backed a bid by Cumbria’s MPs to devolve the government’s budget for farmingContinue reading “Cumbrian leaders unite in radical bid for farm funding”

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 timeContinue reading “My first annual report as your MP”

We made a manifesto commitment to lower energy bills by £300 during this Parliament. While bills are now far lower than the high point under the Tories (remember when the price cap hit £4,279 in January 2023?) they are still too high and people rightly want to see the change they expected when they castContinue reading “Weekly Column – 25.06.2025 – Action to lower energy bills”

More than 2,700 additional treatments have been carried out on patients in north and west Cumbria over the last year, with the waiting list dropping by 7% overall.  The latest figures from North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, which runs West Cumberland Hospital and Cumberland Infirmary, also show that the number of patients waitingContinue reading “Waiting lists for NHS treatment down 7% in north and west Cumbria in latest figures”

The government has announced that every pupil in West Cumbria whose household is on Universal Credit will have a new entitlement to free school meals.  Starting in September 2026, up to 4,000 more children across West Cumbria will be able to access free school meals, saving parents £500 per year per child and making lifeContinue reading “Free school meal extension to benefit thousands in West Cumbria”

A campaign by two local young people to secure investment in the playground in Flimby has enlisted the help of local MP Josh MacAlister. The campaign started by Flimby residents Kaelan and Ethan, 13, of Netherhall High School, is calling for play equipment to be cleaned and upgraded and for new equipment to be installed.Continue reading “Campaign to improve Flimby playground enlists help of local MP”