Happy New Year to all residents in Wythenshawe and Sale East, I am really pleased The Messenger have asked all local MPs to provide an update on what we are doing to represent you through the year. There are many ways we use to keep in touch with constituents, but I know many of you value traditional newspapers arriving on your doormat so it is really good to be able to do this regularly.

Going forward I anticipate this column will update you on what your MP is doing in Westminster to represent you. So, for this initial column I will highlight some of the work I have been doing over the past 12 months on your behalf. During the first part of the year, I was scrutinising and trying to strengthen the ‘Seafarers Wages Bill’ in the light of the P&O ‘fire and rehire’ scandal. I have been shadow aviation and maritime minister for almost 4 years and this piece of legislation is vital to protect workers’ rights, pay and conditions and banning fire and rehire. The Labour Party have pledged to outlaw these practices should we form a government and that can only be a good thing.

Also in the chamber I spoke in response to the spring budget – I get thousands of emails a month telling me of the harsh realities of the cost of living at the moment: old-age pensioners are afraid to put on their heating; more and more working families are using food banks; nurses, teachers and firefighters are struggling with household bills as costs go up and their pay stays the same; people are unable to meet private rents or manage rising mortgage rates; and local businesses are closing down because of overheads. This situation has yet to be resolved and I will continue to press for investment in green solutions to heating our homes however rather than securing our energy supplies, creating jobs and looking to green solutions such as offshore wind, nuclear and solar power the Government are debating further fossil fuel licences, which feels out of touch right across the board.

I secured an adjournment debate in May to raise the lack of investment by the Westminster government in our town centres after Sale and Wythenshawe town centre had unsuccessful Levelling Up bids. I was delighted at the end of the year when Wythenshawe was finally granted some funding from this scheme and will continue to work to raise the issue of local authority funding for these huge schemes which will bring homes, jobs, retail, and leisure and really regenerate our town centres. I will continue to work with local leaders, stakeholders, and the Government to press for much needed funding for regeneration in the area.

Other campaigns I have raised in the house based on casework received from you have been suicide prevention (where a bereaved father contacted me about suicide education in schools) the infected blood scandal (I have a constituent who was impacted about this and is still waiting for justice) and sewage contamination among many others. We returned to Westminster on January 8 and I raised with the Lord Chancellor and Minister for Justice the horrifying case of one of my residents whose case has been delayed adding to her trauma. Rest assured I will continue to work hard on your behalf. I would like to thank you all for your emails over the years sharing your thoughts and your issues. If you live in Wythenshawe and Sale East and would like me to support you with something do not hesitate to get in touch.