On this day one year ago, we won the general election which returned Labour to power after 14 years in opposition. We campaigned on a promise to end the chaos & decline which the Tories inflicted and deliver the change local people have been crying out for: economic stability, rebuilt public services, and rising living standards.

At that election, promoting Community Ownership was one of my four priorities for the people of Oldham West, Chadderton & Royton, and this is what we have done so far to safeguard heritage buildings and community venues for local people:

𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐎𝐥𝐝𝐡𝐚𝐦 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦 at its historic home on Fairbottom Street, with its 500 seats retained ready for 2026 to bring back its Christmas pantomime and a space to give local young people opportunities to learn and enter creative industries.

Put 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐄𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐥 with facilities the surrounding community deserves, setup in a co-operative ownership model, so the facility is in the hands of local people. After visiting to reaffirm our support in early 2024, campaigning on the issue during the general election, taking Council officials there after the election; we then organising a clean-up event last October with local organisations, volunteers, community groups & the Council.

Passed the Great British Energy Act into law, which has set up the publicly owned company that includes a remit to 𝐤𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲-𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. A £1 billion a year investment to create 1 million owners of UK produced renewable energy.

𝐑𝐞-𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐨𝐲𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥 and Library fully restored for community use and back to its former glory, thanks to a Labour-led Council investing to protect the rich heritage of a great town.

Launched 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤, a £70 million multi-sports centre of excellence from grassroots sport for all, up to elite performance Further & Higher Education sports academies. This builds on the stability and certainty created when we secured the ground as an Asset of Community Value, leading to a ground-sharing deal with Roughyeds and now stable club owners who have promotion for Latics back into the Football league.

Started to build 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧, the Co-operative Party’s leading campaign to transform our country. It is about asking the political system to look at community as a powerful tool for solving serious social and economic problems – not just as an afterthought.

Worked with 𝐀𝐕𝐑𝐎 𝐅𝐂 and the Council on empowering grassroots football in our borough and delivering great facilities to local people in the surrounding area in a way which is done of, by and for local people.

For the first time, a government has 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲-𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠, including £20 million to support co-operatives and community land trusts, putting local people in control of where and how homes are built.

Set out our plans to 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐎𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝 and introduce a strengthened ‘Right to Buy’ Assets of Community Value in the English Devolution White Paper, creating a more robust pathway to community asset ownership allowing communities to purchase cherished assets that are at risk of being lost.

Our goal is a decade of national renewal and, while we are encouraged by this progress so far, we are not complacent and know there is much more still left to do.

This week marks one year since we won the 2024 general election. Labour campaigned on a promise to change Britain by ending the 14 years of Tory chaos & decline and instead deliver economic stability, rebuilt public services, and rising living standards.

During that campaign, fighting for Good Jobs was one of my four priorities for local people, and this is what we have done so far to deliver more secure & better paid decent jobs for local people:

Achieved the 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝟕, while 380,000 jobs have been created, highest business confidence in 9 years, and interest rates have been cut four times.

Started legislating for the Employment Rights Bill which will 𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐳𝐞𝐫𝐨-𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬, end fire-and-rehire, strengthen statutory sick pay, and expand day-on rights.

Completed the expansion of Bee Network buses to every route in Greater Manchester with 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 & 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬; tap-and-go system for payment, 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 £𝟐 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐩, and commuter rail across our region being brought into local public ownership in the network, including at Mills Hill and Moston stations by 2028.

Approved £𝟐.𝟓 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 in the Spending Review which includes 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 for constituents in Heyside at Cop Road; taking the Oldham-Rochdale line 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐞𝐲𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐝, 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐲, 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫; and 𝟏,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐁𝐞𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.

Begun to break down the barriers to apprenticeships and skilled jobs with a new law to streamline processes for introducing new qualifications & adapt to emerging skills gaps; establish Skills England; and put £1.2 billion each year to support 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬.

Continued to complete the jigsaw in 𝐎𝐥𝐝𝐡𝐚𝐦 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐥 with both the New Market Hall in Spindles and the Old Library restoration nearing completion; Oldham Council offices opening at Spindles; the Egyptian Room opening, taking on the Prudential Building, and opening of The Hive as a co-working and social enterprise hub. All of these projects are regenerating our town centre, preserving heritage buildings, and driving footfall to high street businesses.

Supported independent shops, chain stores, restaurants and bars on 𝐑𝐨𝐲𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐭 in their dispute over service charges, so we can ensure the precinct can thrive and have a stable long-term future.

Established 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 as a new publicly owned, clean power company to lower bills and drive-up living standards in the face of cost-of-living pressures. A first step to delivering clean power by 2030, along with the £24 billion of private investment we have secured for clean energy projects, £22 billion we have invested in carbon capture in our northern industrial heartlands, and the Tory offshore wind ban we have overturned.

Completed the first phase of our 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥-𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐛𝐬 at Whitegate End, Richmond Academy, Westwood Academy and Northmoor Academy, which will expand to every primary school in the country, putting £𝟒𝟓𝟎 𝐚 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬’ 𝐩𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 and providing at least 30 minutes of free childcare every morning.

Expanding access to 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝟏𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 in Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton from September 2026, lifting 𝟏𝟎𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 across the country and putting 𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 £𝟓𝟎𝟎 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬’ 𝐩𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬.

Made our business rates reforms the law to deliver certainty for our town centre retailers with 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝟒𝟎% 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐟. By putting the online & the on-street on a level playing field, redressing the imbalance between the out-of-town & the in-town, and protecting 1 million properties protected from any inflationary increases next year – we are breathing new life into high streets & communities.

Ended deregulation failure of our railways with the Public Ownership Act, which has started to bring train services back into public hands, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

Making work pay by increasing the National Living Wage in April to £12.21 per hour, which has brought 𝐚 £𝟏,𝟒𝟎𝟎 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝟑 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 across the country. In Oldham alone, over 𝟕𝟎𝟎𝟎 people have directly benefitted from this uplift.

Started public consultation on the 𝐀𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞 which through co-operation between local authorities in Oldham, Bury & Rochdale, and coordination from the GMCA & Mayor Andy Burnham, will create a growth cluster in the North of the Greater Manchester conurbation and 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝟐𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐣𝐨𝐛𝐬.

Our goal is a decade of national renewal is well underway. While we are encouraged by progress so far, we are not complacent and there is much more still left to do.

Labour won the 2024 general election a year ago this week. We campaigned on a promise to change Britain by turning the page on 14 years of chaos & decline under the Tories and deliver economic stability, rebuilt public services, and rising living standards.

At that election, one of my four priorities for Oldham West, Chadderton & Royton was to fight for Decent Homes, and this is what we have done so far to deliver more good quality family homes for local people:

Begun legislating for the Renter’s Rights Bill which will 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟐𝟏 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, apply the Decent Home standard to the private rented sector, and end rental bidding wars.

Agreed a Spending Review which includes the biggest investment in affordable housing in a generation – £𝟑𝟗 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬, providing the Council with room to go even further than its pledge to build 500 new social homes as part of their ‘local solutions to a national crisis’

Announced planning reforms to deliver the 1.5 million homes by the end of this parliament we promised, with the OBR already determining the reforms will bring 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝟒𝟎 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬.

𝐎𝐥𝐝𝐡𝐚𝐦 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 approved by Oldham Council Cabinet to build 2000 new homes and unlock council-owned brownfield land so we can end the housing crisis without ripping up the green belt.

Announced the National Housing Bank to unlock £𝟓𝟑 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 and to turbocharge housebuilding.

Expanding our Warm Homes Plan to deliver warmer, cleaner to heat homes and 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 of pounds on their energy bills this winter.

Drive forward our brownfield-first approach – as I have seen at visits to 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐞 housing development in Coldhurst and 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐰 on Fitton Hill – so local people are not forced out of the community they call home in order to get on the housing ladder.

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐮𝐧𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 through Places for Everyone, a framework opposed by opposition parties in Oldham who are putting at risk the very green spaces we have fought so hard to protect.

Campaigned to address the crisis in temporary accommodation, given that at the end of last year over 7,500 families were on the social housing register in Oldham alone, and in our borough there are currently 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝟕𝟐𝟓 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

Completing our 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞 for veterans, carers and key workers, including veterans’ capital housing grants totalling almost £3.7m which supported veterans last year with housing needs by developing new-build projects, or refurbishing accommodation.

We are encouraged by this progress so far but not complacent. Our goal is a decade of national renewal and there is much more still left to do.