HearFromYourMP

Previous message | Messages for this constituency | Next message

A great result in Broadheath and another very busy week

Posted by Kate Green, MP for Stretford and Urmston, at 12:47, Mon 20 January 2014:

Apologies for the belated blog: last week was hectic. Here in Trafford, our energies were concentrated on the Broadheath by-election, which took place last Thursday. It was an important election, with Labour seeking to take a second council seat in the ward, following the death of the former Tory councillor, and to advance our campaign to drive the Tories from overall control in Trafford, following some good Labour successes in the borough in the past couple of years.

I am delighted that, thanks to the very hard work of a dedicated Labour team, Helen Boyle was elected as a new Labour councillor, defeating the Tory candidate by a margin of 119 votes. We were especially pleased to have the help of colleagues from other boroughs in Greater Manchester – it was great to have their support.

Monday to Wednesday was spent in Westminster, although I didn’t spend much time in the chamber itself. But I was busy with meetings on a number of issues, including with Matthew Oakley, who has been commissioned by the government to review the way benefits sanctions are being operated, following widespread concerns that Jobcentre Plus is becoming much harsher and unreasonable in the way it treats benefits claimants.

That was a theme I found myself addressing again on Sunday morning, when I was invited to participate in a TV discussion of the recent channel 4 programme, Benefits Street. I must say I am really disturbed at the divisive and stigmatising portrayal of people in that programme – we don’t know all their circumstances or back story, and whatever the background to their being on benefits, it harms us all as a society when we seek to demonise people or hold them up to public contempt, as the programme seemed to do.

On Tuesday morning, I attended a debate in Westminster Hall on the economic benefits of the High Speed 2 rail link. It’s clear this could bring considerable benefits to the North West, but only if construction of HS2 is accompanied by a comprehensive economic development plan for our region. Of course, it will be quite some time before work begins on constructing the link beyond Birmingham to Leeds and Manchester, but we need to think far ahead. I’m very interested in the proposal that an HS2 “academy” should be opened in the North West, to ensure we train people here for the jobs that it will create in construction, engineering and so on. That’s something I’ll be asking more about.

In the afternoon, I went along to one of the most interesting sessions I’ve attended since I entered parliament. The Alzheimer’s Society invited MPs to participate in a taster session of their “Dementia Friends” training. The Dementia Friends campaign aims to raise awareness of what it means to live with dementia, and how we can all help to support those who experience it. In Urmston, Age UK has already carried out some very effective training of local businesses, shops and the police, and the Alzheimer’s Society are keen to see the training offered in other parts of my constituency too. I’ve written to the manager of Stretford Mall to ask if he’d support a campaign to sign up all the local shops in the Mall to have their staff members undertake the training. Having tried it myself, I can say it is a real eye-opener, useful, practical and very worthwhile. I very much hope local businesses will support it.

I managed to fit in two receptions on Tuesday evening, one organised by the road safety charity Brake, and one by the fabulous Fabian Women’s Network, who run a superb training programme for women interested in standing for elected office or thinking about a role in public life.

On Wednesday, a debate took place in the chamber on the national minimum wage (NMW), called by Labour. I went in to sit with Rachel Reeves who was opening the debate. She made a powerful speech, calling for better enforcement, promotion of a living wage, and raising the level of the NMW, which has fallen in real terms over the past few years.

I had to leave before the end of the debate, to attend a meeting organised by LGBT groups concerned about the way internet filters are blocking access to legitimate information sites that can provide reassurance and knowledge to LGBT people, especially to young people. Then it was back to the chamber for the votes which followed the NMW debate, and finally I dropped in to a reception organised by Marie Curie cancer care, to mark the launch of an important report on BAME communities’ access to end of life care. I really welcome the report and will certainly be asking how we can apply some its recommendations in Trafford.

Friday, in the constituency, was also busy – a catch-up with one of the MEN journalists, a visit to Kings Road primary school to discuss road safety issues, a meeting with a local business keen to develop new retail and business units on its land, a really useful discussion with the chair of Manchester United’s disabled supporters association, and a fascinating visit to Aviva’s motor insurance claims handling centre in Stretford. It’s such a privilege to represent such a varied and go-ahead constituency, and I’m very lucky to do so.