Dear Newcastle
It is now generally agreed by everyone that the budget was bungled, the question remaining is whether it was a failure of communication as the Chancellor claims, or substance as the opposition believe. In any case what is clear is that the since the Budget the news has only got worse for the country and also for the Tory led Government. Whilst theUK slid into a double dip recession, the Eurozone worries continue and in the North East we know that we only have only seen 11 per cent of the cuts. A lamentable Queen’s Speech showed the absolute lack of a credible strategy for growth at the national and was greeted on all sides as a missed opportunity. However we do have the European Council in the next two weeks and the Labour opposition will certainly be pressurising the Prime Minister to go there with a plan to get the European economy growing again.
The local election results in Newcastle gave us four new Newcastle Central representing or based councillors I would like to welcome: David Stockdale (Blakelaw), Louise Sutcliffe (Lemington), Jane Streather (Kenton) and Marion Talbot (Fenham). Irim Ali (Wingrove), Anne Schofield (Elswick), Nick Forbes (Westgate) and Rob Higgins (Benwell and Scotswood) retained their seats.
In the house raised the issue of empty homes inNewcastleand giving more power to the council to bring them into the rental market. I also spent five days inNigeriawith the All Party Parliamentary Group looking at that country’s human potential and how business and cultural links between the UK and Nigeria could be promoted. A report will be published in the next few weeks.
Media
- Quoted many times in Chronicle and Journal, as well as an as well as in trade press . I wrote a blog for computerworldukand an article for Modern Government. Completed 15 minute play for the Live Theatre about housing in Fenham
- I continue to use twitter extensively (@chionwurah)
Organisation
I offer work experience/volunteering to interested constituents and have a one-day week LSE intern. An increase in the staffing budget means I potentially have the budget to offer an apprentice/traineeship and I am investigating options.
I continue to receive a huge volume of letters, emails and phone calls, over 1500 per week.
Visits:
- Meetings included: Gang Show Civic Night, Santander, Aesica, Nick Forbes, Scotswood Community Garden Spring Day, Life Titanic Evening, Agricultural Biotechnology Council, APPG University Evening on the future of research, Engineering UK, Nigerian High Commissioner, Telegraph, Lloyds TSB, Black Swan, Victim Support Newcastle, Steve Evans on Newcastle City Broadband, Tyneside Cinema, IPR Licence
- Speaking engagements included Hosting Association for Black Engineers Advisory Board Meeting; Gainford Hotels, Congolese community open day, Newcastle Parliament Outreach workshop for voluntary & community organisations, Parliamentary Science Committee, Economic Research Council