It is almost a year since the country voted overwhelmingly for change – rejecting fourteen years of disastrous Conservative rule and placing its trust in the Labour Party to deliver a fresh start. But we always knew that would not come easy.
The Tory legacy is one of deep inequality, broken promises and growing despair. They promised to level up but ignored our communities. After everything we have endured, it is no wonder people feel let down. Trust in politics has been badly damaged – and restoring that trust is one of the most urgent challenges facing this Labour Government.
No government will get everything right. But it is the duty of a friend to speak out when something is going wrong. When thousands of you contacted me distraught about the two-child benefit cap, the Winter Fuel Allowance, and proposed cuts to disability benefits, I listened. I did not walk away – I engaged with colleagues and pressed for change.
Let me be absolutely clear: I have always opposed the two-child limit. It is a cruel and punitive policy introduced by the Conservatives that has driven hundreds of thousands of children into poverty, including many in our region. It punishes families for having children and ignores the real financial pressures parents face.
While Labour inherited the worst public finances in living memory, that is no excuse to punish children or working families. Tackling child poverty must remain a top priority.
As your Labour MP, I have raised these issues directly with senior Cabinet Ministers. That is the difference a Labour MP makes – your concerns are now being heard at the heart of government. Under the Tories, our voice was excluded. With Labour, we have the power to push for real change.
And that pressure is working. In recent weeks, the Government announced plans to ease restrictions on Winter Fuel Payments, confirming more pensioners will be eligible. The two-child limit is now under active review. These developments are in part because MPs and campaigners like me have kept the pressure on.
According to the Child Poverty Action Group, ending the two-child cap would lift 350,000 children out of poverty immediately. That is what is at stake – and why the fight must continue.
The North East has the highest proportion of disabled people in the country. The proposed disability benefit cuts would be devastating. I believe they are not just morally wrong, but economically self-defeating. That is why I joined over 140 Labour MPs in signing a letter demanding the Government scrap them. Cutting support will not create jobs – it will just push more people into hardship.
Of course, the damage done over fourteen years cannot be undone overnight. But Labour is already starting to turn the tide. We are restoring economic stability and refocusing policy on the needs of working people – delivering better jobs, fairer wages, more affordable housing, and properly funded public services.
Just this week, the Chancellor announced the tearing up of the old Treasury rules – rules designed to benefit London at the expense of regions like ours. In their place comes the single largest investment in North East transport infrastructure in history: £1.82 billion, including a new Metro line from South Hylton to Pelaw and a brand-new station in Follingsby.
This investment is a direct result of relentless pressure from North East Labour MPs and the All-Party Group for the North East, which I chair. It is transformational. The new station will connect tens of thousands of people to jobs and opportunity – helping create a stronger, greener economy for our region.
One of my top priorities is making sure Labour’s national mission delivers real and lasting benefits for the North East. That includes long-overdue investment in our key industries – the Port of Tyne, offshore wind, green energy and shipbuilding. These are the industries of the future. With the right support, the Port of Tyne could become a green energy powerhouse – providing secure, unionised jobs and long-term resilience for our communities.
While Labour is focused on delivery, parties like Reform UK offer only distraction and division. Their promises may sound appealing to those who feel betrayed by the Tories – but scratch the surface, and they collapse. They offer fantasy economics, deny climate science and have no serious plan. Their agenda would deepen the NHS crisis, damage schools and undermine our economy.
I know that sometimes change can feel too slow or too cautious. But because MPs like me have spoken out, the Government is rethinking its mistakes and redoubling its efforts. Our voices are starting to be heard.
This is only the beginning. As your Labour MP, I will keep fighting for compassionate policies, real investment in our communities, and opportunity for all. I was elected to fight for real Labour values and I will always push for real Labour change.