JimfromOldham

What was the point in that?

I can’t help but think that yesterdays Queens speech was a waste of time for everybody involved. The Prime Minister doesn’t want to let this parliament sit for long enough to enact any of the legislation that the Her Majesty put forward. It’s clear to anyone that thinks about the issue that the whole ceremonyContinue reading “What was the point in that?”

Bus franchising is the way forward

I know, because constituents regularly remind me, that the state of the bus service in Oldham and the rest of the city-region isn’t fit for purpose. Today the Greater Manchester Combined Authority has begun a public consultation period on whether to press ahead with a franchising system in our bus network. Major cities all aroundContinue reading “Bus franchising is the way forward”

Jim McMahon MP ‘hopeful’ after Hays Travel buys Thomas Cook shops

Oldham West and Royton MP Jim McMahon is optimistic that the move by Hays Travel to buyout all 550 Thomas Cook shops will lead to saving the two Thomas Cook shops in the constituency. Jim McMahon MP said, “I am hopeful that this move will ensure that the jobs at the two Thomas Cook shopsContinue reading “Jim McMahon MP ‘hopeful’ after Hays Travel buys Thomas Cook shops”

The Chancellor doesn’t care about poverty

The Chancellor’s refusal to commit to ending social security freezes is a ‘travesty’ says Oldham West and Royton MP Jim McMahon. At Treasury Questions last week treasury ministers refused confirm that they will go ahead with lifting the social security freeze which was previously thought to be government policy. Reacting to the news Jim McMahonContinue reading “The Chancellor doesn’t care about poverty”

Our towns need significant investment

OLDHAM West and Royton MP Jim McMahon has reacted to the findings of a report by EY and the Centre for Towns with regret. The joint report focuses on levels of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in our towns and cities, and it finds that ex-industrial towns like Oldham saw a 50% decrease in manufacturing FDIContinue reading “Our towns need significant investment”

Climate Emergency: Here’s the action

This Monday marked the start of two weeks of global action by the climate activist group Extinction Rebellion. The action the group plans to undertake will be disruptive and it’ll be annoying for commuters and the free flow of traffic, but I feel it is right to mainstream this debate and unfortunately that only happensContinue reading “Climate Emergency: Here’s the action”

Oldham and Universal Credit

Figures given to me by the House of Commons Library state that the percentage of claimants for Universal Credit in my constituency for August 2019 stands at 7.2% of our economically active population (16-64). This compares starkly nationally, with an average of 3.7% claiming Universal Credit, almost double. I see this not as aContinue reading “Oldham and Universal Credit”

£25 Billion Shortfall in Local Government Funding

The report by the New Economics Foundation and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has highlighted real and necessary concerns about funding for local services in the coming years, with a no deal Brexit and reforms meaning that funding for Local Government will reach a critical point, even surpassing the cuts from Austerity we have facedContinue reading “£25 Billion Shortfall in Local Government Funding”