My regular column was published in today's Sentinel (Stoke-on-Trent Live). I wrote about my Newcastle's 850th anniversary celebrations and also added some updates on Walley's. The text is below.
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It was great to have the opportunity to be out and about in Newcastle over the half-term break, and to spend some more time with my family. Back in Westminster, this week started with welcoming visitors from the constituency who had joined one of my Parliamentary coach trips. It was great to meet everyone, see some familiar faces and answer some of their burning questions about life as an MP.
2023 marks Newcastle-under-Lyme's 850th anniversary as a borough. Newcastle-under-Lyme was granted its first Royal Charter by King Henry II in 1173. Sadly, the original Charter has been lost over time. However, renowned local author and illustrator Mr Glenn James has carefully recreated the historical document with the help of students from St Mary's Catholic Primary School and support from GROW North Staffs. It was great to see so many of you at Brampton Museum at the weekend for the re-created Charter’s presentation to the Mayor, followed by a day of medieval-themed family fun.
Celebrations for this once-in-a-generation occasion have been taking place across the year. This summer promises to be a time of action-packed, family fun over the school holidays. The only thing I can’t promise is nice weather!
June sees the circus come to town. As the birthplace of Philip Astley, founder of the modern circus, it is only right that for the town’s 850th anniversary celebrations, Astley's circus celebrates its homecoming. On Saturday 17th June, circus-themed fun will be taking place across the day and long into the evening, featuring clowns, bubbles show, music, variety acts and plenty of interactive activities. I love to see events like this bringing residents together young and old, building community spirit, and supporting the local economy.
This month’s celebrations culminate in Armed Forces Day on Saturday 24th June. A special Civic Procession will take place from Castle House, followed by a service at the Cenotaph in Red Lion Square with food, drinks and a vibrant general market. The day offers a chance to recognise our heroes past, present and future. As part of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme, I have been fortunate to shadow our troops and learn first-hand about the work they do to keep us safe. As part of that scheme, I flew to Gibraltar this morning to learn about all three of our services that are based there, and to meet with the First Minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo, to assure him of Parliament’s ongoing support for the Rock and that we recognise its citizens as British, whatever the Spanish may claim. The British Army has had a presence in Gibraltar for more than 300 years. Its strategic position in the Mediterranean Sea makes it a key outpost, and is vital to Western security. I’m incredibly proud of our soldiers’ involvement in peace-keeping missions and providing humanitarian aid around the world.
Walley’s Quarry landfill site remains my top local priority. Many of you will have now seen the BBC Panorama programme on Walley's Quarry, appropriately titled “Landfill: Britain’s Toxic Secrets”. The episode highlighted the suffering residents have been living with for years. I would like to thank those constituents who made important contributions to the episode, including Beckie Currie and Lee-Bernadette Walford, for helping to express the human cost that residents have endured.
Before half-term, I once again took the opportunity to raise Walley’s Quarry in Parliament, asking what more can be done to bring the two (regulatory and criminal) investigations to a swift resolution, as well as highlighting the odour issues at Staffordshire Waste, which I am working alongside Jonathan Gullis MP to resolve. Whilst I am pleased that the smell from Walley’s is much reduced from 2021, more needs to be done. I won’t be satisfied until we see real justice and accountability for the suffering my constituents continue to endure.
I understand how frustrated people are by how long the investigations are taking, but they are the surest legal route to accountability and appropriate punishment and for that reason I will continue to encourage the EA to bring them to a final resolution as quickly as possible. I continue to urge the operator to apologise for their appalling mismanagement of the site and set out how they intend to compensate Newcastle residents for the harm they have suffered.