Category Archives: Uncategorized

A Bill put forward by Whitehaven and Workington MP Josh MacAlister to tackle the harms caused to children and young people by excessive smartphone and social media use shifted the Government’s position in Parliament this week. Josh MacAlister’s ‘Safer Phones Bill’ had its second reading in Parliament on Friday. It was the first time theContinue reading “Cumbrian MP’s landmark Bill shifts Government position”

In his recent letter, the former Conservative candidate for Penrith and Solway, Mark Jenkinson, complained that he’s not getting credit for investment in the Port of Workington.  I’ve no doubt that Mark tried his best to secure funding for the town before deciding he had a better chance of getting elected up the road andContinue reading “My letter to the Times & Star – 05.03.2025”

Last week marked the third anniversary of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. I was reflecting on my conversations with Ukrainian women and children displaced here to West Cumbria to escape the war. Many have sons and husbands serving on the front line. They don’t know if they’ll ever see their loved ones again. Nigel FarageContinue reading “Weekly Column – 05.03.2025 – Secure at home, strong abroad”

New reforms to make farming more profitable were announced this week by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed. Speaking to farmers at the NFU conference in Westminster, Steve Reed revealed new plans to deliver a profitable farming sector, while reaffirming Government’s cast iron commitment to food production, and unlockingContinue reading “Government announces raft of new policies and major investment to boost profits for farmers in West Cumbria”

One of the most brutal consequences of more than a decade of Conservative austerity is the effect it has had on local services delivered by councils.  While demand has risen, a quarter of council funding from government has been cut in real terms since 2010 under the Conservatives. Council tax has become a bigger andContinue reading “Weekly Column – 26.02.2025 – Rebuilding local government”

Whitehaven and Workington MP Josh MacAlister put his pottery making skills to the test on a visit to West House Pottery in Workington. The Pottery is a not for profit social enterprise run by West House, Cumbria’s leading care and support provider for children, young people and adults with learning difficulties. Josh visited West HouseContinue reading “MP gets crafty at West House Pottery on eve of breaking ground”

Energy bills for heating homes and powering businesses are some of the highest in the world. Speeding up the transition to homegrown clean power – nuclear and renewables – is the best bet for creating new jobs and bringing down bills.  Which is why I was struck by seeing Reform UK’s new energy policy launchedContinue reading “Weekly Column – 19.02.2025 – Nothing patriotic about Reform’s pro-Putin energy plan”

I’ve spent my first seven months as your MP banging the drum for West Cumbria in Whitehall to secure the tools and resources we need to deliver new nuclear, retrofit cold homes, invest in our roads and railways, rebuild our towns and improve public services. Imagine if we had the powers and the funding weContinue reading “Weekly Column – 12.02.2025 – It’s time for Cumbria to take back control”

This letter appeared in the Whitehaven News on 29th January 2025: Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust’s engagement exercise on the future of Yewdale ward closed last week. I met the chief executive of the trust shortly before it closed and know that a huge number of people responded. From my conversations with residents,Continue reading “The fight to save Yewdale continues”

Storm Eowyn tore through Cumbria over the weekend and left devastation in its wake. Thousands of local premises were without power, in some cases for almost four days. It was a difficult time for our community, but it also showed the best of us. I want to put on record my thanks to the engineersContinue reading “Weekly Column – 29/01/2025 – Lessons to learn from Storm Eowyn”