It is the honour of my life to represent you as the Member of Parliament for Wigan, and to serve as Labour’s shadow Cabinet Minister for International Development.

Since my election in 2010 I have stood up for our town and fought for a better future for our community, and for communities like ours across the country. I have stood shoulder to shoulder with our community as it has been buffeted by Tory cuts and the chaos of failed economic experiments – but also shoulder to shoulder with the most disadvantaged communities the world over.

Towns like Wigan, and the people who make it such a welcoming and proud community, are proud of the UK’s helping hand to those genuinely in need of Britain’s support and it is a pleasure to make Labour’s case for the support for those who need it.

But my role as Wigan’s MP is, and always will be, my priority. With my Labour colleagues we have been making the case that towns like Wigan deserve – and expect – better from central government, and we have demanded that government hands power back to the heart of our communities and the people who understand what towns like Wigan need.

In the coming general election we have a chance of forging a better Britain, with a Labour government which will deliver on our promises to hand back power to industrial and coastal towns through the UK, giving voice to our concerns, and bringing hope of a better future for all of our communities.

Here on my website you can keep in touch with my work in Parliament as your local MP, my work as shadow Cabinet Minister for International Development, links to my social media content, and ways to contact me to highlight your local concerns or queries.