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Dear Newcastle

Asking a question on Brexit question January 2017

I don’t know about you but I was very much looking forward to the end of 2016.  It was an extremely difficult year in many ways for many of us. The Brexit vote divided our city down the middle. The death of Jo Cox in a politically motivated brutal murder was both tragic for her loved ones and disturbing for all who value democracy.  The uncertainty over the consequences of Brexit and the continued cuts to Central Government funding called into question both investment and public sector services.

2017 had to be better, I thought.  Well now we find ourselves in 2017 we realise that the battles and the challenges haven’t gone away. Far from it. We have a long, long haul ahead of us.

Brexit chaos intensifies even as Theresa May is bowing to Tory internal pressure for a ‘Hard Brexit’, leaving the Single Market and the Customs Union.  That leaves manufacturers like Nissan facing increased uncertainty.

The current crisis in our NHS is unprecedented. Our health service is on its knees with one third of hospitals having declared they need urgent help to deal with the number of patients coming through their doors. A&E departments have turned patients away more than 143 times between 1 December 2016 and 1 January 2017. In one day last month 15 hospitals ran out of beds with elderly patients languishing on trolleys in corridors, sometimes for over 24 hours.

The inauguration of Donald Trump in the US has made many in Newcastle more fearful for both our economic and military security.

However there is also some good news with Nissan choosing to continue investing in the North East, Legal and General completing its investment in Newcastle and the launch of Freedom City 2017, celebrating fifty years since Martin Luther King

Freedom City launch on 16 Jan 2017 celebrating 50 years since since Martin Luther King received his Honorary Degree at Newcastle University

Shadow Ministerial Role

Backbench and Constituency Role

Media, Organisation & visits

Office

Media

Meetings and visits

With staff at Newcastle College’s Cruddas Park Learning Centre

Speaking Engagements

 

 

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