Politically Speaking by Jade Botterill MP: Fighting for our community
A few weeks ago, I was stood in Thornes Park Stadium for the results of the local elections, watching many Labour Councillors lose their seats.
They are hardworking, decent people driven by a genuine desire to do right by their neighbours, who refused to give up on their communities. It was hard to see them lose, and I know their contributions will be sorely missed.
I won’t pretend I don’t have my reservations about the new council. Too often Nigel Farage has sought to divide people rather than unite them, and many of the new Reform councillors were until recently Conservatives, the very Party that got our country into this mess.
However, my first priority has always been local people, and I will continue to work every day to ensure you see the change you deserve. From special educational needs to filling potholes, the Labour Government has provided record funding for local authorities, and I will work constructively with the new Council to ensure it is spent well and our area feels the benefit.
So, while the media focus on plotting and gossip, I’m getting on with the things that matter to local people: tackling the cost of living, driving down NHS waiting lists, and creating safer communities free from anti-social behaviour and crime.
I am proud of the work we have done so far: NHS waiting lists are the lowest for three years while ambulance response times are the fastest for half a decade; working families are benefitting from sick pay and parental leave as Day 1 rights; rail fares and prescription charges have been frozen; we restored control of our borders to bring net migration down by 82 per cent; 50 new laws were passed since the election to reform our water industry, nationalise our railways and start Great British Energy; and there are 3,000 more neighbourhood police on our streets with new powers to help tackle anti-social behaviour and shoplifting.
These are real changes that are already benefitting our community, but we cannot stop there.
Take one example, the state of our high streets. After my colleagues and I raised concerns, we’ve heard from local people about criminal gangs using high street shops to launder money and undercut honest businesses, the government has taken action.
They have provided £30 million to tackle organised crime operating through Britain’s high streets. This will fund a new High Street Organised Crime Unit to coordinate action across enforcement agencies. We will also recruit additional officers to strengthen enforcement activity, while Trading Standards will receive a cash boost to increase raids, inspections and enforcement action.
These measures will back honest, local businesses, and drive organised crime out of our communities. This won’t just crack down on crime; it will help good shops thrive, and make our high streets and town centres safer, more desirable places to be.
For me, this is an example of how politics should be. Local people raising their concerns and actually being listened to.
That’s how I’ve always tried to represent you, whichever Party you voted for, and I’ll remain focussed on one thing: fighting for our community.