Earlier this month the people of Hazel Grove constituency did me the great honour of re-electing me as their MP with an increased share of the vote. I wish to thank all those who voted for me, but now that the campaign is over I am determined to continue to work on behalf of all local residents, regardless of who they chose to vote for. I am a passionate campaigner for our area and I am proud of my record of action on local issues. I am committed to continuing this hard work in the years ahead.
As I returned to Westminster for the new Parliamentary term, I felt those similar ‘back-to-school’ nerves that I remember from my days as a primary school teacher. I was looking forward to meeting new colleagues, being sworn in as a Member of Parliament for the second time, and also to hearing the Government’s national programme as set out in the Queen’s Speech last week.
I was particularly pleased to hear in the Queen’s Speech that a top priority for the agenda is education. The Government will work to ensure that every child has the opportunity to attend a good school and that all schools are funded fairly. This is something I have campaigned hard for both before and during the election so that we invest record levels in our schools with no local schools budget being cut.
I am glad that Government will reform mental health legislation and ensure that mental health is prioritised in the NHS – this is another issue I have long championed.
I am pleased that the Government is still committed to improving social care, but that this will now be done through a consultation. I hope that a positive and genuine dialogue between the Government, the social care sector, and care users will bring about good policy making and an effective outcome.
I am supportive of the main principles behind each of these measures, but I look forward to opportunities to scrutinise their details as I work to get the best deal for our area.