Category Archives: Uncategorized

Access Minister Baroness Hayman and Josh MacAlister, MP for Whitehaven and Workington, launched the new Coast to Coast National Trail with a special walk at Ennerdale this week. The Coast to Coast Path – first devised by Alfred Wainwright – has now been formally upgraded to National Trail status, becoming one of England’s premier long-distanceContinue reading “Minister launches Coast to Coast National Trail in the Lake District”

Today, the Health Secretary announced the inclusion of North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust in a new NHS Intensive Recovery programme to help the trust improve further, faster. Read the Government’s announcement here Josh MacAlister MP and Julie Minns MP lobbied for this support and welcome the news. Please find their joint statement below:Continue reading “Statement on North Cumbria NHS Trust’s inclusion in NHS Intensive Recovery programme”

My column for this week’s Whitehaven News Over the past two years, there has been a real shift in how we are planning for Whitehaven’s future – and it started with a simple but important conversation. Just before the 2024 General Election, Cllr Emma Williamson and I brought 200 residents together for a public meetingContinue reading “Weekly Column – 25.03.2026 – Reviving Whitehaven”

Children and families across West Cumbria will benefit from a major funding boost to improve support for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), as part of the government’s record investment in inclusive education. Cumberland Council will receive £4.2 million from the latest round of high needs capital funding – an increase of £1.3Continue reading “Biggest-ever SEND funding boost to deliver more local school places for children across West Cumbria”

Josh MacAlister MP and Cllr Denise Rollo, Cumberland Council’s portfolio holder for waste, have welcomed the Government’s new Waste Crime Action Plan, which sets out the toughest-ever crackdown on fly-tipping and illegal waste activity. The plan comes as waste crime continues to blight communities across the country, with around 1.3 million incidents of fly-tipping recordedContinue reading “Josh MacAlister MP and Cllr Denise Rollo back toughest-ever crackdown on fly-tipping”

Josh MacAlister MP has welcomed the Government’s new Land Use Framework, describing it as a “vital step forward in making smarter decisions about how we use our land – backing farmers, restoring nature, and delivering growth in the right places.” The Framework sets out a clear national approach to balancing competing demands on land –Continue reading “Josh MacAlister MP welcomes protections for farmers in new Land Use Framework”

Plans to expand the number of dentists working in the NHS were announced last week, as part of wider efforts to improve access to NHS dentistry. The government has confirmed it will increase the number of dental training places – the first major expansion of dental training places in nearly twenty years – helping toContinue reading “Dental training expansion announced as NHS dentistry improvements begin to show in West Cumbria”

Homes and businesses across West Cumbria are set to benefit from strengthened protection against flooding, as Josh MacAlister MP has secured £627,000 for local flood defence projects, part of a wider £34 million investment across Cumbria. The funding forms part of a major national programme delivering new and improved flood defences, helping protect communities fromContinue reading “Josh MacAlister MP secures £627,000 boost for flood defences in West Cumbria”

When fuel prices start rising, communities like ours in West Cumbria feel it straight away. For many families here, driving isn’t optional. It’s how people get to work, take the kids to school, get to hospital appointments, and keep small businesses running. And unlike many parts of the country, a lot of homes here alsoContinue reading “Weekly Column – 18.03.2026 – Fighting for fairer fuel prices”

I welcome the announcement from the Government setting out a major overhaul of the UK’s nuclear regulatory system – a crucial step towards delivering new nuclear power faster, at lower cost, and with strong environmental protections. For too long, overly complex and bureaucratic processes have slowed down the delivery of vital infrastructure. These reforms willContinue reading “Statement on Government Nuclear Reform Announcement”