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| The Cabinet comes to West Yorkshire |
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 As a local MP I'm in Wakefield and Leeds almost every Friday, visiting schools, meeting constituents and talking to local business people. But I'm really proud that this Friday the whole Cabinet has come to our area.
It's more than just the same old Cabinet meeting in a different venue. Every Cabinet Minister has been in West Yorkshire for the day - opening schools, visiting community groups, and meeting workers in the financial services sector. And Ministers spoke to local residents just before the Cabinet meeting to listen to their concerns and to inform our discussions round the Cabinet table.
I visited a great youth centre in West Leeds with the Justice Secretary Jack Straw – and announced the funding for 21 youth projects across the country – including £5 million to expand a youth centre in south Leeds – to give young people exciting new things to do and places to go after school and at the weekend. The Prime Minister Gordon Brown and I officially opened the new Allerton High School and I took the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to the Lewisham Park youth centre in Morley.
It's particularly important that Gordon Brown has chosen to bring his top Ministers to our area at this time. Families in West Yorkshire are understandably worried about the economy and the financial services sector - which is so important to our area's economy – is being hit particularly hard. As the Chancellor made clear in the Pre Budget Report on Monday, this government won't just sit back and do nothing. We must do everything we can to get our area and the whole country through this recession as quickly and fairly as possible. |
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| Sir Alan Sugar to front new apprenticeships drive |
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 I know that Sir Alan Sugar is synonymous with success, hard work and determination. That’s why I’m so pleased that he has agreed to help us promote apprenticeships to young people across the country. It’s great to have him on board.
I’m sure that Sir Alan’s backing will ensure that apprenticeships are given the recognition they deserve – among employers and young people alike.
Expanding and strengthening apprenticeships is a key stepping stone to addressing the need for skilled workers, dealing with challenging economic times and paving the way toward extending the education and training age to 18. |
New apprenticeships drive to be fronted by Sir Alan Sugar
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| Read my latest Tribune column |
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Alistair Darling's statement on Monday was a dramatic but decisive response to the extraordinary economic events we have seen around the world. When the Governor of the Bank of England tells the House of Commons that we cannot rule out nationalising all the banks, we know these are exceptional times.
But the one thing which is no surprise is the Tory response. Instead of government acting, the Tories would stand aside. Instead of being decisive, the Tories would leave families to sink or swim on their own.
The idea that this week’s Pre Budget Report means the death of New Labour is absurd. By combining action to deliver economic stability and growth with measures to promote fairness and social justice the PBR is – in keeping with the economic policy we have pursued over the last eleven years – New Labour through and through. |
Tribune column - November 2008
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| Let's improve our play areas |
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 We all want to make sure our children have the opportunity to have fun and play safely. That’s why I joined Councillors Judith Blake and Lisa Mulherin last Friday in calling for better play areas for young people across Morley and Leeds.
I went to visit the Railway Terrace playground in East Ardsley, which is in serious need of refurbishment. The swings and roundabout were rusting away, and the grass was knee-high: not the kind of place anyone would want their children to play. |
Call for better play areas
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| The tragic death of Baby P |
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Everyone in Britain is horrified at the suffering that baby P endured and the failure of agencies to prevent this happening. People are asking how these despicable acts of evil can happen in this day and age and in Haringey of all places.
As a parent, I found reading the confidential serious case review and the details of the abuse deeply disturbing. It is even more heartbreaking now that we have all seen the photographs of baby P.
Like everybody I am angry that crucial interventions to save this little boy were not made.
Professionals working with children in this country do a tough job in very difficult communities but I will not hesitate to act on the findings of the investigation into what went wrong in Haringey and on Lord Laming’s review of child protection.
We must do whatever it takes to protect children from abuse and I will not rest until we have the very best child protection arrangements in the world. |
House of Commons statement on safeguarding children
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