Andrea Jenkyns MP: The government’s efforts to level up are having positive impacts for working people

Andrea Jenkyns MP writes: In Morley and Outwood, a new skills and learning college will focus on upskilling and retraining. Over generations, it will serve tens of thousands of people in Morley and Wakefield, bolstering our local economy and future-proofing our area for the changes and challenges that may lie ahead. With an investment in our high streets and town centres (£24.3 million in Morley and Outwood and £25 million in Wakefield) we’re investing in heritage, from Morley’s iconic Town Hall to Wakefield’s Rutland Mills and BHS building.

Levelling up means more than just investment, it means being able to get a well-paid local job. In Wakefield, over 5,900 jobs have been created since 2010. It’s also worth repeating the impressive statistic that, since 2010, over 10,000 apprenticeships have been undertaken in Morley and Outwood; offering thousands the entry into new and developing sectors. Since 2019, over 1600 apprenticeships have been undertaken in Wakefield, boosting both the City’s economy and its productivity.

In order to level up our communities, our streets need to be safe places to start a family, raise children, and grow old. Only a government with a tough on crime approach offers this. That’s why the government has driven forward with its boost of policing numbers, with 589 new officers across West Yorkshire since 2019. This is already having a positive impact, seeing crime cut by 4.8 per cent over the last year. Conservative policies are making local streets safer for our families.

Alongside this, our Plan for Immigration takes a pragmatic approach to those arriving illegally. As readers will know, I’ve taken a zero-tolerance approach to illegal immigration and have supported the government’s efforts to deport illegal arrivals to Rwanda; where they will remain if their asylum claims are granted. This safe approach damages the business model that has allowed human trafficking to flourish and will rehome economic migrants in a safe, welcoming third country. Before this announcement, I was inundated with constituents concerned about the national security implications of illegal arrivals and I’m proud that this government is taking the steps to protect our borders and provide a safe third country for those seeking the opportunities that Rwanda offers.

This levelling up investment also looks to the health of our communities, reducing the inequalities that see people in the North living, on average, shorter than those in the South. Across Yorkshire, over £74 million is already being invested into our NHS and over 13,000 new NHS staff have been employed across Yorkshire and the North East to tackle the pandemic backlog.

These are the policies that the people of Morley and Outwood voted for. I’m proud that we’re the Party delivering real change for working people.