Jon Trickett MP: I will fight for the interests of working people

Jon Trickett MP writes: Election night was a historic moment. I’m sure you also watched in awe as Conservative Party held seats fell one after the other to Labour and other parties.

The Normanton and Hemsworth result was finally announced at close to 5am on Friday morning showing that I had been re-elected with an increased majority. I made it clear in my acceptance speech that this result was not a victory for me alone and belongs to all the local people who made it happen.

As I travelled to Westminster this week for the new parliament I reflected on the promises I made during the campaign.

I said I would serve local people without fear or favour and that I will be a strong Yorkshire voice in parliament. I said I would always fight for the interests of working people which are neglected in modern Britain. I said I’d argue for the restoration of mineworkers’ pensions. I said I’d defend the green belt from developments that don’t benefit the local community. I said that I was independent minded and would stand up to the powerful, including on my own side, when I think they’ve got things wrong.

I intend to stick to these pledges. The hard work begins now. I am very clear that now we have a Labour government, we must deliver real change for working people. Of course this will take time. There is no magic switch we can press to solve all the issues created by 14 years of Tory neglect. However, we must demonstrate to the public that we are on their side by implementing reforms that improve the lives of normal men and women.

I will certainly be holding my own government’s feet to the fire as much as I did the Tory government. I feel optimistic that we can turn the page on 14 years of Tory failure and reform government so that it no longer works only for the rich and powerful. But I have always believed that change doesn’t only come from above. Ultimately, change is driven from the grassroots. When millions of citizens stand together and raise their voices, politicians are forced to listen and change happens. So I say to constituents, make your voices heard. Stand up for what you believe in.

Please write to my office if you have any issues whether they are local or national in scope. I will always fight for my constituents, regardless of who they are, when they have problems. Even if we don’t always agree on matters of policy, I will always engage and let you know where I stand.

I would like to once again take this opportunity to thank everyone who voted, regardless of whether they voted for me or not. It is important to take part in the democratic process. After all, many people gave their lives to win and defend it.

I would also like to thank all the activists of Normanton and Hemsworth Labour Party. They are the most committed, community-minded people I know and they work week in week out to make our area a better, fairer and more prosperous place.

Now, let’s get on with building a better future for Normanton and Hemsworth.