As we kick off 2024 my team and I have been as busy as ever, both in Wigan and in Parliament, raising the issues which matter to you. 

With the start of the year I am starting a new monthly newsletter to cover what I have been doing for Wigan in Westminster. From my usual advice surgeries, local meetings, campaigns, and the national issues which are all too relevant here in Wigan this newsletter is where I will be regularly updating my work as your MP and your voice in Westminster. 

Future of NHS dentistry 

Like many areas of England dentistry services in Wigan have been decimated over the past 14 years of Tory government. Despite promising a “dental recovery plan” last April there has been no action, and many people have been emailing me quite rightly complaining about this further broken promise from the government.

Recent figures show that more than half of all dentists across the North West are not currently accepting any new patients and almost 80% aren’t taking on an new adult patients. That is a scandal for a country as rich as ours. This month I have written to the Minister on behalf of all those in Wigan who have called for urgent action to make it clear that their broken promise is unacceptable and that we deserve better.

Labour has announced our own plan to rescue NHS dentistry, with plans for  an extra 700,000 urgent dentist appointments which will help people in towns like Wigan get the dentist treatment that they deserve.

Post Office scandal

With the release of ITV’s “The Post Office V Mr Bates” the Horizon scandal has been brought home to millions. Some of the of sub-postmasters who were part of the original 555 led by Alan Bates, and went to the High Court in 2019, were from here in Wigan. While many have only just become aware of the situation these hardworking, innocent people have spent years fighting after they lost their businesses and were forced to pay back thousands. They still haven’t received compensation – despite many promises –  and question the Government’s figures around the number of people who have been compensated.

As your local MP I have been raising their case with the government for some time, and have now written once more to the Business Secretary to urge quicker compensation for the affected sub-postmasters – both here in Wigan, and across the UK. As I made clear on BBC Question Time, it’s a situation that cannot be allowed to stand.

Independent football regulator 

In recent weeks I have been contacted by many constituents following the decision to dock points from Everton, for allegedly breaking Financial Fair Play rules. Understandably many in Wigan have immense sympathy for Everton fans, given the recent history of Wigan Athletic and the fierce battles to make sure our club could survive after a succession of poor management decisions by previous owners.

Football clubs are so often the beating heart of their communities, which we know well in Wigan, and there needs to be a urgent change in how football is governed to make sure football fans are respected and their clubs are protected. I’ve been calling for the Government to urgently follow through with promises to establish an Independent Football Regulator that will safeguard the future of the game, enforce compliance with financial regulation, and establish new guardrails for corporate governance, club ownership, fan engagement, and competition regulation.

Crime and Policing 

As ever the issue of crime is deeply concerning to so many in our community, particularly given the severe cuts faced over the past decade.

Earlier in January I had a catch-up with the local Police team to discuss the work that they are doing on tackling crime, the concerns many of you raise with me, and to see the new crime Prevention Hub at the station. There is so much more that we can be doing to tackle the crime which blights so many neighbourhoods and Labour has set out our mission to make our streets safe at the heart of our plans for government if we win the next election.

March Against Antisemitism

Hate crime, Islamophobia, and Antisemitism have rocketed in recent months with many in our community now feeling threatened in their own neighbourhoods. With colleagues from across the political divide I marched against antisemitism in Manchester and spoke against the way in which that evil has once again reared its head in our wider community.