Selby Times January 2025

I’d like to begin by wishing Selby Times readers a very happy new year. We begin 2025 during a period of adverse weather, and it is heartening to see communities coming together once more in support of their neighbours, friends, and family. Whether it be those people who opened their doors to neighbours during recent power outages, or individuals and businesses who have stepped up to support those hit by flooding, it is clear that, in our part of Yorkshire, our values remain firmly rooted in a sense of community. It is this spirit which fuels my determination to advocate for our towns and villages, whether that means campaigning on the issues which matter to us all here at home in Selby, or as your representative in Westminster.

It is also worth reflecting on 2024, a year of significant change in our community and our country. By their very nature, elections can be divisive events. It is a time when competing ideas are put to the test as politicians seek a mandate to represent their community. In spite of this, what struck me about my conversations with local people throughout 2024 was a sense that people in the Selby area do not view their lives through an ideological lens, but instead want what is best for the community. This was particularly apparent when speaking to those who weren’t necessarily supportive of my candidacy, but who wished me well nonetheless. They recognised that, as Selebians and as Britons, there is a great deal more which unites us than that which divides us. It is this attitude which I will always seek to emulate for as long as I serve our area as its Member of Parliament.

Looking ahead to 2025, I’m looking forward to continuing the work we’ve started together. Whilst the day to day of running of a constituency office is not always glamorous, I’m immensely proud of the fact that my office has recently processed its 10,000th piece of casework. Those are 10,000 instances of people reaching out to their MP for support or information, and it remains the privilege of my life to be able to play my part in trying to rebuild the faith of local people in the power of politics to change things for the better.

But our work doesn’t stop here. I’ve been out in the community, listening to the views and concerns of local people and engaging on a wide range of issues. I’m continuing to do this not to seek anyone’s vote, but instead to make sure that when I go to Westminster to represent our area, I do so with a strong understanding of the issues which are defining the lives of people in Selby.

In 2024 alone, the local Labour team and I have had the privilege of speaking with over 15,000 of you on your doorsteps, hearing your thoughts on everything from the urgent need for improved SEN support, to the importance of safeguarding our town and villages from flooding, or persistent cost of living pressures which all families experience. I do so in the knowledge that, as your MP, many of these issues do not fall directly in my remit, but with a strong conviction that the democratic process is at its healthiest when an MP shows a willingness to do everything in their power to draw attention to issues of significance and to impact change where they can. As we move forward into the new year, I carry these conversations with me, and they add to my conviction to work tirelessly to make our area the best place to grow up and to grow old.

I’d like to finish this update by paying a special tribute to all of those who have worked tirelessly over the Christmas period – sacrificing their own time for the safety and enjoyment of others. Whether that be the emergency service workers who take enormous risks day in, day out, or those who work in retail, hospitality, transport and social care. They are the very best of our country and deserve our full respect and support, and I will continue to do my very utmost to defend their interests in Westminster along with the rest of our fantastic community.