One of the things that you have to develop as a backbench MP is the ability not to let go of an issue. In the last few weeks I have had the real pleasure of seeing major change in a number of areas that I have campaigned about over the last five years.
Most readers will be aware of the recent announcements about secondary school funding whereby Gateshead council has received over £80 million to complete the updating of its entire stock. Most of the money will be spent in my constituency of Blaydon and whilst I welcome all of the funding I was especially please to see the agreement to rebuild Whickham School and Sports College. In my first week as MP I visited the school and saw a tremendous facility delivering tremendous results but operating from buildings that were sadly out-of-date.
I was pleased to help the school secure £1 million then but it was clear that much more was needed. That need was compounded following a serious fire at the school. So last week's result was a great boost to the school and others in the area.
It is a fitting tribute to the dedication of their teachers and allows them to build on the tremendous improvements in standards and results that have been achieved across the Region over the last decade.
Another school-related campaign led to me becoming involved with the All-Party Parliamentary group on Muscular Dystrophy (MD). Following a shower of letters from pupils at Ryton Comprehensive I attended a lobby in early June 2005 to help young boys suffering from Duchennes MD. The children asked me to support their teacher, Danny Smith, in his battle to help his young lad Sam.
I was then asked to chair the group and we have gone from strength to strength. We have helped to develop a young persons' campaign entitled 'Trailblazers' and last summer we produced a report calling for best practice to be shared across the country. Recently we have seen Strategic Health Authorities and community groups working together to improve services. We lead in the North East - thankfully - but why should a young lad in Newquay not be as well cared for as a young lad in Newcastle?
I am glad to see some real improvements for people suffering from the horrendous asbestos related disease, Mesothelioma. For over eight years I have worked with a group of women from across Tyneside who lost their partners to this devastating condition.
We have finally persuaded the government to agree to speed up and increase payments to those diagnosed with the disease. We have also been successful in getting the government to set up an Employer Liability Scheme, which should make it easier to track those employers and their insurers who have poisoned these good people at work.
Sadly we were not able to get full compensation for workers afflicted by Pleural Plaques, a form of scarring in their lungs. But, along with many other good people, I will continue to fight for a law that allows people to be treated fairly.
MPs rightly focus on improvements in their own patch but international issues affect us too. I have actively worked as Secretary of the All-Party group with Iraqis who seek to rebuild their country after decades of war and repression.
There's an angle for local people and the UK as a whole. Iraqis greatly respect us and are keen for us to trade with them and invest in a rich country which needs new schools, hospitals and roads. Iraqi Kurdistan is safe and stable and I hope that businesses in the North East will take advantage to help themselves, local employment and the Kurds.
It's been a privilege for me and my constituency team to have played a part in securing some real change so we can continue to promote social justice locally and more widely.
Newcastle Chronicle and Journal
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