2024 has been quite a year of Change. At the beginning of the year, we were still being led by a chaotic Conservative Government that was more concerned with staying in power than the health of our nation.
The election in July was an important watershed, where the country chose to change direction in favour of a mature and responsible Government that would work to fix the many problems that have developed for the benefit of all, including hard working areas such as Heywood and Middleton North.
Since that election it has been a busy Parliamentary session, with the new Government introducing many new initiatives and legislation to improve the country and society we live in.
Most significant has been the difficult decisions made to balance the budget and the £22bn black hole in the nation’s finances. Getting the economy back to growth is crucial by investing in our future with support for education, breakfast clubs for all children, meeting the energy demands with green, sustainable, energy; and recently a huge investment in repairing our roads.
And it appears to be working. Public borrowing was at a low in November, in part because of collecting more taxes as a result of growth.
As your new MP for Heywood and Middleton North, I am excited by the potential for our communities, and my commitment is to make every effort to champion the wonderful people and organisations in our area. I will make the case for more investment locally, regionally and nationally into the priorities that can make the biggest change.
My big focus for 2025 is to make progress on improved transport connections to Heywood and Middleton; early years support for children and families; and jobs for local people. And I pledge to keep you involved, informed and engaged with everything I do.
On a personal note, I also want to say a big thank you for all the well wishes from everyone on the birth of my baby in September. Together, we have been enjoying the Christmas lights and buying baby clothes at markets in both Heywood and Middleton!
Over the Christmas period my website will have details of how to get urgent help over the holiday, and my office will return on the 2nd January. I hope that very few people will need assistance, but we should also spare a moment to give our thanks for the health and emergency services, and others, who will spend Christmas working, here and overseas, to keep us safe, healthy and secure.
I wish everyone in Heywood and Middleton North, and their families, a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. I’m looking forward to 2025 and hope you are too!