Welcoming yesterday’s King’s Speech, Labour’s Josh MacAlister said:

“The first King’s Speech of this Labour government will help deliver the change that families and businesses in West Cumbria have been crying out for.

“It’s a plan that will mean more jobs, better transport, new homes and investment in the infrastructure we need – ultimately, it’s an agenda to take the brakes off Britain and get West Cumbria moving again.

“After 14 wasted years, we finally have a real plan to create wealth in every community – including right here in West Cumbria.

“This is a government in the service of working people, and this King’s Speech is a great start to a decade of national renewal.”

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

“This will be a government of service.

“My government will be committed to uniting the country in our shared mission of national renewal. We will serve every person, regardless of how they voted, to fix the foundations of this nation for the long term. The era of politics as performance and self-interest above service is over.

“The fight for trust is the battle that defines our political era. It is only by serving the interests of working people, and delivering real change that transforms lives, that we can begin to restore people’s faith that politics can be a force for good.

“Rebuilding our country will not happen overnight. The challenges we face require determined, patient work and serious solutions, rather than the temptation of the easy answer. The snake oil charm of populism may sound seductive, but it drives us into the dead end of further division and greater disappointment.”

The new Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh, had only been in the job for five days when a letter landed on her desk calling for investment in the Cumbrian Coast Line as an urgent priority.

The letter, drafted by Whitehaven and Workington’s new MP, Josh MacAlister, was signed by Cumbria’s four new Labour MPs, Tim Farron, Lib Dem MP for Westmorland & Lonsdale, the leaders of Cumberland and Westmorland & Furness councils and the bosses of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership and Cumbria Chamber of Commerce.

More than 200,000 people and 10,000 businesses are located along the route of the Cumbrian Coast Line. It is a key asset for the north and investment could act as a catalyst for significant inward investment and growth in Cumbria. Investment is urgent following a number of recent issues on the line.

A bid was made to the previous Conservative government several years ago to upgrade the line, which was rejected. In the dying days of Rishi Sunak’s government he promised to deliver the scheme, but no funding was allocated in the last government’s Budget earlier this year.

Josh said:

“The Conservatives left the new government with the worst economic inheritance since the Second World War and difficult decisions are going to have to be made. 

“Their promise to invest in our railway with phantom money years from now was a cynical election con they had no intention of delivering, and West Cumbrians saw right through it.

“Labour’s commitment to growth means investing in infrastructure projects that will deliver growth. We’re going to make the strongest case we can that investing in the Cumbrian Coast Line is key to generating growth here in Cumbria.

“This cross-county, cross-party approach will be the new way we will work in a new grown up politics to get things done for the people of Cumbria.”

Josh MacAlister, the new Labour MP for Whitehaven and Workington, got straight to work this week on his top priority of delivering new nuclear in West Cumbria.

Josh wrote to the boss of Great British Nuclear to ask for an urgent meeting to discuss ways to speed up decision making to get on with delivering new nuclear projects, something new Prime Minister Keir Starmer backed when he spoke to the Whitehaven News last year.

He also wrote to the chief executive of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority calling for a meeting to seek clarity on the future of land at Moorside which is designated for new nuclear power generation.

Josh said:

“I wrote these letters on day one as promised, before even getting sworn in as your MP, because delivering new nuclear in West Cumbria is essential for the jobs it will create and the energy it will generate to power the new industries I want to bring here. 

“I want to understand current processes and timetables and any roadblocks that are getting in the way of building new nuclear power plants and work with local stakeholders, potential private sector investors and the new Labour government to break down barriers, speed up decisions and get on with the job.”

Speaking to the Whitehaven News last year, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said “We need to be tough on the decisions that get in the way of building projects, so to make sure this happens fast and at pace.”

It was the greatest honour and privilege of my life to be elected as your first Labour MP for the new constituency of Whitehaven and Workington in the early hours of Friday morning.

Not only did we win the seat but we secured the largest majority in the history of the former constituency of Copeland from which the majority of the new seat is formed, and the highest percentage share of the vote of any seat which Labour gained across the UK.

This gives me a strong mandate to deliver the plan I laid out to the people of West Cumbria ahead of the election – to back new nuclear and industry, fix our broken NHS, bring down bills, get more police on our streets and push forward regeneration of our towns.

Here’s my acceptance speech from the count, which you can also watch on Facebook here.

I’d like to start by thanking the returning officer, our counters, and the police who have overseen a smooth and successful polling day. For your sake I’ll keep these remarks short!

I’d like to pay tribute to my fellow candidates – our democracy rests on people putting themselves into the arena. It can be demanding for candidates and their families. I’d also like to thank Trudy Harrison, the outgoing MP who has served the community since 2017.

To my campaign manager, agent, volunteer team and Labour party staff – I owe an enormous debt for the dedication and support you’ve provided to me since we launched our campaign a year ago. This result validates your tremendous efforts.

And to my friends and family – and especially to my husband. Thank you for supporting me through a campaign that asks a lot of your loved ones!

The most important thanks goes to those who voted. Thank you for placing your trust in me and in the Labour party.

Since 2019, Labour listened, we changed and in turn we have been given the chance to serve.

As the first MP for the new constituency of Whitehaven and Workington, I will work tirelessly to serve you in our parliament. Labour’s task is to serve the country, in return for the trust you have placed in us.

There are no quick fixes or easy answers to the problems our country faces. Big problems necessitate bigger politics, that meet the moment. We can get our country back on its feet with practical answers, determination and humility.

We can now turn the page on 14 years of decline and rebuild our country together.

Thank you.

Manifesto ahead of General Election outlines plan for pipeline of projects for nuclear-driven net zero, energy security, economic growth and jobs

The Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) has today launched its 2024 industry manifesto setting out five key actions for MPs elected on July 4 to support during the next Parliament to ensure the momentum within the nuclear sector is sustained so it can deliver more reliable clean power, bolster energy security, create green jobs and grow the economy.

The key points in the industry’s manifesto for the next Parliament are:

• Progressing Sizewell C to a Final Investment Decision by autumn 2024 and extending the life of our current power stations.
  
• Building a fleet of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) across the country and a third large-scale station at Wylfa on Anglesey to help rebuild industrial Britain.
  
• Making the UK the best place to develop and deploy advanced nuclear reactors.
  
• Maximising the UK’s fuel manufacturing capability to meet increased demand from allies for current and advanced nuclear fuels.
  
• Selecting a suitable site in a supportive and willing community for a Geological Disposal Facility, a long-term solution for waste.

The manifesto calls on the UK to use a major nuclear construction programme to increase the nuclear skills base and rebuild and sustain strategic industrial capabilities to ensure the sector is best placed to deliver for net zero, energy security and communities across the country.

Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said:

“Big decisions on new nuclear projects are needed as a matter of urgency during the next Parliament to ensure we deliver clean power for net zero, energy security and jobs for the future.

“Delivering new nuclear projects from Sizewell C and Wylfa to SMRs and nuclear fuel, will bring huge investment to communities and reliable, clean energy for a very long time. Members of the next Parliament will have some crucial decisions to take to ensure that the massive economic, environmental and energy security opportunities for the UK are realised.”

Josh MacAlister, Labour Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Whitehaven and Workington, said:

“As the Labour parliamentary candidate for Whitehaven and Workington, I am proud to support this manifesto. Nuclear energy is not just about reliable and clean power—it’s about energy security from hostile states, creating highly-skilled unionised jobs, and unlocking the energy needed to fuel new industry.

“Cumbria has a rich and proud history at the frontier of nuclear development. West Cumbria needs to be at the forefront of our nation’s nuclear comeback. As a country, we must accelerate the deployment of new nuclear power stations, take the long term decisions on a geological disposal facility and make the UK a home for advanced technology. This manifesto aligns with our goals for prosperity and energy security, ensuring long-term benefits for our children and grandchildren. The time to act is now.”

Please find below my Politics Column for this week’s Whitehaven News.

Change. That’s what we need after 14 years of Tory government. They promised the earth to places like West Cumbria to win votes and then abandoned us without delivering. Now they’re doing the same again and expect you to believe it’ll be different.

There is no greater example of this than the failure to deliver new nuclear.

In the 2017 Copeland by-election, the Tories promised to deliver Moorside and its 21,000 jobs. Parliamentary Questions I had submitted recently reveal that when that deal fell through the government not only did nothing to intervene, they did nothing to assess the impact on our area. In two subsequent general elections, Tories made the same promise on new nuclear. And they are now at it again. 

Yet, when they are in government, they’ve done nothing but drag their feet over new nuclear. Even when presented with a credible, privately funded £6 billion plan to build small modular reactors on a site near Sellafield – a plan which would generate cheap local energy and create 600 local jobs – they’ve come up short. 

All we get is government by press release, announcing yet another report or consultation that gets us no closer to the new nuclear we so badly need.

I’m not going to take the Tory route of promising you I can deliver new nuclear. The commitment I make is that I will fight tooth and nail to get it over the line. And I’m optimistic we can get it done.

On day one in the job I will write to the new Secretary of State and Great British Nuclear making our case and asking for an urgent meeting. I’ll be pushing for changes to the timescales for decisions about sites and designs, which have dragged on for far too long. And I’ll be demanding that government lift the block on the sale of land near Sellafield and instruct the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to allow it to be sold to make way for new SMRs to be developed there quickly.

You can have confidence that I’ll deliver because that’s what I’ve spent a career doing outside of politics. As a teacher, as the CEO of a national charity, and as the chair of a landmark independent review to reshape how we support vulnerable children and families in England. 

Read more about my plan for West Cumbria at joshforwestcumbria.co.uk/myplan.  

That’s change you can believe in, and I hope I can earn your vote so that I can help to deliver for Whitehaven and Workington. 

The Whitehaven News asked me a series of questions to help local voters get to know me a little better. My answers are below!

Family status: Married with two lazy lurchers

Education: Comprehensive schools in Rochdale and then Dumfriesshire, undergraduate at Edinburgh University and Master’s degree at Manchester.

Last job: I led a landmark independent review to reshape how we support vulnerable children and families in England and I then went on to chair a charity.

What prompted you to get into politics?: Partly my stepdad Peter. I fell behind at school and he helped me catch up. That left me with a strong sense that education and having extra support can change lives, and I saw politics as a way of doing this for more people.

What previous political experience did you have? I’ve persuaded Conservative government ministers to fund various programmes, like the review I led that got £200m of new funding for children. 

Have you ever been a member of another party? No

Have you stood as MP before? No

Who is your political hero? Hard to choose, but I’d say Bobby Kennedy.

What is your hobby? I’m a Mountain Rescue volunteer

What’s your ideal night out? Going to the pub with friends

What’s the naughtiest thing you’ve ever done? I enjoy a good night out but I went *a bit* overboard on the first night of my stag do and may have struggled to be a full and active participant for the rest of the weekend.  

Your proudest achievement? Building a charity from scratch that employed over 120 people and brought thousands of new people to social work

Your biggest fear? The sensation of falling!

Describe yourself in three words: Impatient, committed, energetic

Josh MacAlister kicked off his campaign to become the next MP for the new constituency of Whitehaven and Workington over the weekend with an event at his campaign office in Workington town centre.

In a speech to local people and Labour activists, Josh set out his first steps for the local area, which includes:

• Action to bring down bills by fighting to secure investment in home insulation and putting more money in the pockets of working people through Labour’s New Deal
• Cutting NHS waiting lists in West Cumbria by paying NHS staff overtime to deliver hundreds more appointments and operations in the evenings and at weekends
• Backing new nuclear and industry to create jobs and grow West Cumbria’s economy.

Labour’s campaign to win Whitehaven and Workington will centre on Labour’s plan to deliver a decade of national renewal following 14 years of decline under the Conservative Party.

In this area, full-time workers are £39 worse off per week since 2010, there are 63 fewer local PCSOs, and GPs numbers have fallen by 34 since 2016.

Josh said:

 “I am proud to launch my campaign to be the next Labour MP for Whitehaven and Workington. I know that our community deserves better than the past 14 years of Tory decline.

 “Over the next few weeks, I will set out my plans to change communities across Whitehaven and Workington, including starting the fight to bring new nuclear here on day one if elected, putting our NHS back on its feet and tackling the cost of living crisis which is still hitting local people so hard.

 “Together we can change Whitehaven and Workington.”

Keir Starmer, Leader of the Labour Party, said:

 “This is a chance to change Whitehaven and Workington with Labour.

 “Over the course of the last four years, we have changed the Labour Party and returned it once more to the service of working people.

 “All we ask now, humbly, is to do exactly the same for our country. And return Britain to the service of working people. A vote for Labour is a vote for economic and political stability, an end to Conservative chaos, and a long-term plan to rebuild Britain.”

My letter to the Whitehaven News, 13/05/2024

Hundreds of you have told me how hard it is to see a GP in my GP access survey. So I took the opportunity to spend a morning alongside staff working in Fellview Healthcare GP practices in Egremont and Cleator Moor to find out from the front line of our NHS what it is we need to do differently. 

What I found is that staff are slogging their guts out and good will is propping up the NHS. 

Fellview have 28,000 patients but because of the recruitment and retention crisis they only have 7 GPs instead of the 14 we need. I spoke to a GP who is working 15 hour days and sees over ONE HUNDRED patients in a day. 

Despite this, the staff keep turning up and doing their best. But it is a sign that our NHS is at breaking point. 

Everyone knows that there are no quick fixes, but front line staff told me that three things that are needed:

1) We need a LOT more doctors. That’s why Labour will double medical school places. I want to see more doctors trained here, working here.

2) We need to improve technology and bust bureaucracy – highly trained staff are spending hours battling with out of date systems.

3) We need a preventative health service. For example, if we can spot early signs of heart conditions and diabetes and help manage them then the NHS can improve life expectancy, narrow health inequalities and reduce hospital costs.

I know that many of you are angry and worried about our NHS – the best way to show it is at the ballot box when the election comes. Labour has a plan to rescue our NHS. If I’m fortunate enough to be elected as your MP, I’ll proudly back it and work to deliver it.

Josh MacAlister

Standing to be your Labour MP for Whitehaven and Workington

Back in March I wrote a letter to the Secretary of State for Education, Gillian Keegan, asking her department to grant the request from Cumbria Education Trust – which runs Whitehaven and Workington academies – for funding to build a new dedicated sixth form space across Whitehaven and Workington to accommodate increased capacity for post-16 education and also free up space across both schools for more 11-16 year olds to attend.

This was part of my campaign to increase school places at both schools, which are at or near capacity, to accommodate growing demand.

This week I finally got a reply. And it was not the news we hoped for.

Instead of taking responsibility and using some of the DfE’s massive budget underspend to provide the funding we need to build a new sixth form and increase school places, the Minister denied there was even an underspend – contrary to evidence highlighted by the independent National Audit Office – and rejected the request.

Workington’s outgoing MP, Mark Jenkinson, who is not standing to represent Workington at the next election, has refused to call on the government to provide the funding, instead resorting to his usual approach of blaming the local council.

Mark Jenkinson can create all the alternative facts he chooses but he can’t hide the truth from the people of Workington.

Perhaps instead of trying to find a way to blame everything on Cumberland Council he could use the time he has left to work with me, with local school leaders and with parents to convince his government to change its mind and provide the funding needed to expand school places.

The people of Workington deserve better than this petty political point scoring. They need a grown up MP focused on delivering for the town.

Rest assured I will keep fighting on this issue.

Josh MacAlister

Standing to be your Labour MP for Whitehaven and Workington