Dear Newcastle May 2019

Brexit continued to dominate headlines and Parliamentary time until this week’s local election gave some insight into voting intentions. In Newcastle the results were mixed with Labour losing one seat to the Liberal Democrats and one seat to Independents (Newcastle First).  Across the region the picture was worse for Labour with  losses in Sunderland, Darlington and Hartlepool, but Labour won a significant victory as the people of North of Tyne chose Jamie Driscoll to be our  first Mayor.

Scotswood Community Garden

Brexit was a big issue during the local elections, everyone is tired and frustrated with the lack of progress. That includes MPs like me! Parliament sat an extra week over Easter as the Government and Labour Party discussed options for a Brexit deal.. Theresa May spent over two and a half years arguing with her party about Brexit and still couldn’t produce something her own party could agree on. It is important that Labour works with the Government to see if we can agree something which is in the interests of our country.   But as the Prime Minister refuses to move on any of their red lines which would be so detrimental to the North East economy, workers rights and the environment, a deal seems unlikely.  I signed a letter organised by the Love Socialism Hate Brexit grouping arguing that a Confirmatory Vote should be Labour Party policy for  any Brexit deal and made clear that is my position.

Backbench and Constituency Role

• Spoke from the backbenches 13 times: Electoral Registration: EU Citizens (25^th April); UK Telecoms: Huawei (25^th April); Women’s Life Expectancy (25^th April); EU Customs Union (25^th April); Topical Questions (25^th April); Discrimination in Football (11^th April); Manufacturing Output Levels (9^th April); UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (8^th April); Online Harms White Paper (8^th April); Housing: Newcastle (8^th April); Gender Pay Gap (4^th April); Further Education Funding (2^nd April) Topical questions (4^th April)

Supporting Unison

• Asked 33 written questions: support for manufacturers (29^th April); the UK’s future association with the Horizon Europe programme (30^th April); whether local health profiles influence the allocation of public investment in health research (30^th April); protections from vulnerabilities to hackers in mobile signalling networks (30^th April); what plans to use the Spending Review to invest in the Northern Powerhouse (30^th April); on the rights record of Bahraini ambassador to the UK Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammad Alkhalifa (30^th April); EU students and international student fees (30^th April); training and assessments for UKVI Entry Clearance Officers (11^th April); number of Entry Clearance Officers employed in hubs (11^th April); data and user-generated content (24^th April); financial support for manufacturers (24^th April); support for circus skills (24^th April); beneficiaries of Erasmus (24^th April); funding support for manufacturers (11^th April); support available for manufacturers (11^th April); levels of stockpiling (11^th April); cost of preparations for leaving the EU (11^th April); number of visa applications (11^th April); the scope of the duty of care in the Online Harms White Paper (9^th April); the scope of the duty of care in the Online Harms White Paper; number of visa decisions made daily (11^th April); African visa applications (11^th April); comparative assessment of the trials of animal feed in UK and Canada (04^th April); definition of victims of sexual violence (10 April); length of support for victims of sexual violence (10^th April); publication of companies R&D spend (08^th April); support for victims of sexual violence (04^th April); response to children’s climate change concerns (2^nd April); school days lost due to school strikes (2^nd April); assessments of provisions for private rented housing (2^nd April); allocation of funding for the Borderlands Growth Deal (2^nd April)

Projects4ChangeUK –  Geordie role models

• I am engaged in correspondence with Ministers  or Government Agencies on Leasehold, Litter, Long Term Support for Victims of Operation Sanctuary, Newcastle United Finance, Weinstein and Ipsa, Relocation and Ipsa, with the Council on Kittiwakes and Homelessness and with LNER on Disability Access

Shadow Ministerial and PES Role

• I participated in a British Council delegation to France to look at promoting successful collaboration particularly between in the Creative Industries, Higher Education, Science and Research. Concerns were raised at the impact of Brexit on these links and it also became apparent that the UK had not taken advantage of all the opportunities for collaboration. For example in France the Erasmus Fund is used to benefit school children from deprived backgrounds by helping pay for study breaks to other EU countries
• Spoke from the frontbench once: UK-EU Trading Relationship: Industrial Strategy (30^th April);
• As part of the industrial strategy portfolio I continue to look at the challenges faced by particular sectors including the Care Sector, Pharma and Manufacturing..
• I met with many business organisations on the implications of a no-deal Brexit as the first Brexit deadline approached.
• Brexit is severely impacting capacity to develop policy in other areas but I continue to work on science and industrial strategy.

Tourism Week in Newcastle

Organisation

Our London Living Wage paid intern, Lois, left us and will be much missed.

Media

Quoted in national and local media including BILD Interview, Women Engineer photo, Newcastle United Documentary, ESRC Equity in STEM Education, Hope Not Hate, Celebrating Women of Colour Interview

Meetings and visits

 

St Anne’s College promoting Oxford University applications at St James’ Park

Meetings (Organisation/Name)

Macmillan Cancer Supports’ Health Inequalities Event, Celebrate the Tourism Industry, Mountfield Primary School visit, NUFC V Crystal Palace,  FCO & DTI Welcome Reception STEM the GAP delegation, Nigel Tully – National Youth Jazz Orchestra, NESTA Dinner, Keith Magee, British Council Paris visit: Higher Education Leaders, Research & Mobility Connections in Higher Education,  Visit to Theatre du Chatelet, English Teaching & Exams, Meeting with French Deputies, Meeting with Ambassador –International Opportunities for emerging Artists, R&D Drug Pricing, Hydrogen Showcase drop-in, Energy UK, Roundtable Robert Jenrick MP by PICTFOR, Single Launch  of Let Nature Sing, Shelter, Training and Awareness on Trans Issues, Politico, Huawei Technologies, Celebration of Farm Africa’s, Briefing Dinner on Information Operations, Foundation for Science & Technology debate on two cultures, Trussle Trust, Writing: Making Your Mark, New Chief Supt Ged Noble, Shelter visit, Family Blossom Day at  Scotswood Garden, Where Do We Belong performance at Northern Stage, Philip Lynagh – Giants on Quayside development, Sir Jim McDonald of Caesar, NoteMachine, Lotteries Council, APPG on Cycling, The Prince’s Trust; Centrepoint and the Children’s Society joint report launch, The Half God of Rainfall at Kiln Theatre, Projects4Change Parliamentary Visit, National Association of Retired Police Officer’s Survivors Pension Inequality drop-in, “Making Conservation Happen – The People’s Manifesto for Wildlife”, Small Island at National Theatre, Kilfrost Reception, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Alliance Healthcare Pharmaceutical Wholesale Service Centre Visit  Turning Points – Live Theatre’s 21^st Birthday, Turban Awareness Day with Sikh Channel, APPG on Mozambique meeting, Parliamentary Launch: Delivering Net Zero Carbon Buildings

The Young Company Northern Stage

Speaking

Unison FE Conference, Labour Energy Forum, In Our Space event, BEIS Select Committee CCS Report, Host AFBE Advisory Board Meeting, NE Rwandan Association 25^th Anniversary, Introduce Crackle. Dust. Women of the North Project, Debate on Facial Recognition and the Biometrics Strategy, Heathrow’s North East Business Summit, St Anne’s & Trinity Oxford event