LOCAL HERO AWARD 2021 2021 has been yet another difficult year for us all physically and emotionally. We began the year in yet another deep lockdown that took away the Christmas period from us, and it was months until the green shoots of normality took root once again. We have…

Back in 2019, in the face of rapidly rising child poverty levels in the North East, I teamed up with the National Education Union (NEU) to produce a child poverty report. The aim of the report was to highlight the key causes and effects of child poverty in the North…

North East schools are set to lose up to £7.26m as a result to changes to the dates pupil premium funding is allocated. Previously the money would be allocated based on data taken in January, but this has now been moved forward to October. The government claim this is to…

This country needs a bold and ambitious vision for an ‘Electric Vehicle Revolution’ with the North East at the forefront. The speech made by the shadow business secretary Ed Miliband today laid out the Labour Party’s radical and transformative plan for the UK’s car industry centred around electric cars and…

Food poverty is reaching crisis point up and down the country, including here in the North East. The North East has the second highest rate of child poverty in the UK at 35% (behind London at 39%). This includes the UK’s biggest increase in child poverty from 2014/15 to 2018/19 (rising from…

The week from the 8th-14th February marks Heart Unions week, a week dedicated to raising awareness and celebrating the role unions have played in protecting their members. The role of unions have been more important than ever throughout the pandemic. The attack on workers’ rights has become more aggressive than…

Thank you to everyone who voted in my Local Hero award this year. Over 30 groups or individuals were nominated for the award this year, a testament to the incredible community spirit here in Wansbeck. While all the nominees are heroes in our eyes Natalie & Johnny Kerr are worthy…

2020 has been an extremely difficult year for all of us mentally, physically and financially. But during this tough time we have also seen the incredible spirit of the community, and what we can do when we come together. Perhaps the most stark example of this came over half term,…

Wansbeck Constituency Labour Party have launched there christmas campaign to ensure that every child in Wansbeck receives a toy this christmas. After a tough year for everyone, this is a fantastic idea that will hopefully make what is often a very difficult time for people that bit easier. If you…

Important notice on Pension Credits According to Independent Age, there an estimated 1634 pensioners living in Wansbeck who are entitled to pension credits but do not receive them, amounting to an unclaimed £2,700,000. For many, receiving pension credits can be the difference between being in poverty and being able to…