Reflecting on my period on the backbenches …

I was delighted to be appointed as a Minister in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government by the new Prime Minister in July. Since then, I’ve had a chance to reflect on my 10-month period on the backbenches, where the focus was on a series of campaigns and projects that were important to constituents in Oldham West, Chadderton & Royton.

These included:

Campaigning with Unison & the RAC Foundation for HMRC to update the 45p 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 to 55p per mile, which had been frozen for 15 years, as well as securing a commitment from the Treasury to review the system ahead of the next budget.

Thanks to the campaigning of Chadderton couple Ryan & Cassie Claydon, introduced a Bill to Parliament to allow 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗯𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 in England & Wales, avoiding the need for families to attend a registrar’s office in person.

Travelled as part of a 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝗸𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲, including visits to Chernobyl and Kyiv, and later hosted Ukrainian co-operative leaders in Parliament to discuss the country’s recovery and rebuilding.

Helped 𝗔𝘃𝗿𝗼 𝗙𝗖 secure inclusion in a £4.5m community regeneration funding programme, supporting the club’s facilities and its work with hundreds of local young people.

Worked with local Labour Councillors in Coldhust to secure Council backing for the restoration of 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 through funding for a new all-weather pitch, new facilities and bringing the West End Street site back into community use.

Tackled the 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿-𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗠𝗢𝘀 by pushing for stronger planning controls, with Oldham Council acting to ensure smaller HMOs now face greater scrutiny through the planning process – as well as submitting a formal objection to the proposed HMO conversion on Long Lane in Chadderton

Supported and worked with the Shared Health Foundation in their work to end the plight of 𝗢𝗹𝗱𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 through better housing, higher standards, and an end to children living for years in unsuitable accommodation.

Brought National Highways, Costco, the council and local businesses together to push for a solution to the persistent congestion around the 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗰𝗼 𝗷𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗸.

Worked with local campaigners and community groups in Fitton Hill to explore bringing the long-disused 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘂𝘀𝗲 for local groups, youth activities and support services.

Secured unanimous support from Oldham Council for action on 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗶𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁’𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗽-𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘀 and challenged the airport directly over the impact on local residents and what can be done to extend more job opportunities at the airport to our borough.

Through the 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵-𝗜𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗹𝘆, I worked with colleagues from across these islands on shared challenges and strengthening the UK-Ireland relationship.

Successfully challenged proposals for Royton Town Centre, with TfGM and the council agreeing that 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 to help keep pedestrians safe.

I’m grateful to everyone who helped turn those concerns into campaigns for change, each one started with local people and grassroots community action.

Being a local MP for me is about more than what happens in Westminster. It is about standing up for our communities, working with people to find solutions and getting things done.

While my time on the backbenches is over, I won’t stop trying to get things done for local people – after all, community work is the route I took into politics all those years ago.

(Chamber photo UK House of Commons)