Dear Newcastle April 2019 I always feel Spring is really here when the clocks go forward and the cows return to the moor. But in Westminsterland, nothing much is changing. The Brexit train grinds on even as the buffers are…
Happy International Women’s Day
Happy #InternationalWomensDay to everyone everywhere but especially in #Newcastle where we have such a great history of amazing, campaigning women! To celebrate International Women’s Day here is a Women’s Co-operative Guild of Newcastle-upon-Tyne banner. This banner was probably made shortly after the…
MP’s Report: September 8th to October 12th 2018
Dear Newcastle Most of the last month has been “ConferenceTime” with MPs, accompanying media and lobbyists decamping from Westminster accompanied, in Labour’s case at least, by delegates and members from across the country. Labour’s conference was well attended, constructive and…
Today’s vote on Heathrow
As a member of parliament I am often faced with difficult choices and this is especially true for today’s debate on the National Policy Statement on Airports. A third runway at Heathrow raises very challenging economic, environmental and ethical considerations.…
Dear Newcastle
I am deeply saddened and ashamed to think I may have constituents who fear they might not be welcome or indeed celebrated in the Labour Party because of their Jewish faith or heritage. The mural upon which Jeremy Corbyn commented…
Dear Newcastle
Parliament has returned with the Autumn and it is the same subjects which are occupying Westminster minds – Tory infighting, Brexit and the economy. The Labour Party Conference showed a party united and determined to achieve a ‘jobs first’ Brexit,…
These crimes shame Newcastle – but we are making our city safer for girls and young women
Today a jury returned guilty verdicts on 17 men and 1 women who committed abhorrent crimes in our city. The convictions came about because of the bravery of victims in testifying and Northumbria Police’s Operation Sanctuary – a complex, three…
The most popular economists in the House are… [Updated with new names]
Late last year I asked the House of Commons Library to tell me which economists were most cited in the House, and posted a graph on my website illustrating trends over time. Now we’ve added Schumpeter, Blanchflower and Galbraith into…
Chi’s speech on Brexit (text and video link)
You can find the video of Chi’s speech on Brexit here, and the full text is below. My constituency voted to remain. My country voted to leave. My conscience continues to believe that the country’s interests are best served within…
MP’s Report: 31 January 2017
Dear Newcastle 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…