100 days of Labour
100 days of Labour
Plus: £1m bus lane fines, ex-MP's Saudi gig and fury over pool closure plans
Hello and welcome to the 60th edition of The Lancashire Lead. This weekend marked 100 days since the General Election and it’s fair to say an awful lot has happened in that time. The Lead’s national title has taken a closer look at those first few months here and has found far more cause for optimism than many would have you believe.
That issue also includes my brief thoughts on the same period from a Lancashire perspective and you can read those in this edition as well, along with a contribution from Blackpool South MP Chris Webb as he reflects on a period in which he’s been keen define his approach as ‘Blackpool first, party second’.
Also in today’s edition is a look at potential closures of key facilities which are causing significant unhappiness in West Lancashire. There’s also news of a recently departed MP’s new Saudi Arabian job, the bus lane which has earned £1m in three months, and Luke Beardsworth regular column - this time looking at the painful circumstances surrounding a dire Ofsted report - which is only available to paying subscribers.
As mentioned in the intro, this weekend saw the Government hit 100 days since taking power and a lot has happened in that time. Amid a flurry of negative headlines which range from fair criticism to the bias you’d expect from right-wing titles to Sky News’ slightly bizarre efforts to find scandal where there actually isn’t any, Labour has launched a website to showcase what it has achieved so far.
If you happen to follow several MPs on social media (for example if it’s necessary for your work…), you’ll have seen this shared plenty of times as the Labour administration attempts to regain control of the narrative relating to its work so far.
As part of The Lead’s analysis of those first 100 days, I offered a brief summary of how it’s gone from a Labour perspective which went as follows:
Up here in Lancashire, as results started to roll in during the early hours of July 5, Labour could be forgiven for thinking all their dreams had come true. Alongside a return to Government and a national landslide, the party had won almost all of our county. The only exceptions were in Blackburn - where independent Adnan Hussain won - and Fylde - where ex-police and crime commissioner Andrew Snowden claimed the Tories’ only seat. With that, eight new Labour MPs were sent from Lancashire to Westminster in addition to Blackpool South’s Chris Webb who had only been elected two months earlier.
If they hoped for any sort of honeymoon period, it’s proved to be very short lived.
Most notably, the winter fuel allowance vote placed many of the newly elected, and longer-standing, representatives in an unenviable position - caught between backing their party and being seen to support a hated policy that took much-needed money from the elderly. Meanwhile, the 2024 intake seemed to be using their new platforms to build an argument against proceeding with the previously agreed devolution deal - only for the government to announce it was going ahead after all.
There have been successes for Lancashire's Labour representation in the past 100 days but the challenges now are to both earn more of them and find ways to make sure the public can see it happening.
One person who is keen to make sure such positives can be seen is Webb. He’s had a pretty extraordinary year which saw him elected in May, standing again in the General Election in July and then soon abstaining in a vote on of his party’s biggest early policies.
He’s shared his summary of the first 100 days of The Lancashire Lead which goes as follows:
Blackpool first, party second. That is the principle I have stuck to while working as your MP for the past 100 days. It’s the approach I will always take for my constituents.
I am a proud Labour MP but, ultimately, I am the Member of Parliament for Blackpool South, the place I was born and raised. Whether you voted for me or not, it’s my job to serve and represent you.
When MPs were asked to vote on means testing the Winter Fuel Payment on 10th September, I chose not to vote with the government. But standing up for Blackpool South is about far more than Westminster. The real work happens on the ground in my home town.
Over the past few weeks I have been forming a Winter Taskforce, bringing together partners including Blackpool Council, Age UK, Cadent and Citizens Advice to host Pension Credit Surgeries in community centres, warm hubs and other accessible locations across Blackpool South. This will ensure that no one goes cold or hungry this winter.
Along with the cost of living, tackling crime and anti-social behaviour was one of my election pledges to you. My commitment was put to the test just one month after I was elected when violent disorder broke out on the streets of Blackpool. I worked closely with the police in the lead up to the riots, stood side by side with them as events unfolded, and debriefed with them afterwards to fully understand the causes of the disorder and how we can prevent it from happening again.
It’s impossible to engage in meaningful conversation with racists or violent thugs but it’s important to engage with my constituents who have genuine concerns about undocumented immigration, and to inform them about the work the government is doing to tackle it – such as introducing measures to strengthen border security, enforcing immigration rules, closing asylum hotels and increasing returns.
It’s just as important to highlight our humanitarian obligation to asylum seekers. More efficient processing of asylum claims under this government will allow more foreign nationals to contribute positively to society, filling our skills gaps, just as immigrants have done in Britain for generations.
In the past 100 days Labour has set out to bring about the change we promised. Among its first moves, the government has created a Child Poverty Taskforce, started a publicly-owned clean power company, introduced the Renters’ Right Bill, cracked down on the online sale of knives, given the most significant boost to wages and workers’ rights in a generation and begun to reform NHS dentistry.
I have been extremely active in Parliament – raising questions, giving speeches, meeting and writing to ministers – all in an attempt to highlight to Westminster the challenges Blackpool faces. And I feel I am being heard.
In the past 100 days I have welcomed three senior government ministers to Blackpool where I have shown them the problems we face and the good work that’s already being done on child poverty, unemployment, road maintenance, in culture and in sport. This is a government that recognises that many of the challenges this country faces are distilled in Blackpool.
I have also been active in the community. I have visited 50 businesses, public sector organisations and charities in Blackpool South, and attended many community events. Each visit has led to meaningful conversations about our town and what we need to do to bring about real change.
What has become even more apparent to me since my election on 4th July is that Blackpool already has the solutions to its own problems. It just needs investment and consistent support to allow us to implement them and build a better Blackpool.
One man who’s no longer representing Lancashire is former Preston North and Wyre MP Ben Wallace. The former Defence Secretary decided against standing for re-election in July 4 and he’s now lined up new employment.
The Guardian reports that Wallace has landed a new job which will see him advise Saudi Arabia on reform, governance and security. Rowena Mason writes:
The former MP has been given permission to move into a role as senior adviser to a firm called CTRD, working with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia – a country criticised for its brutal record on human rights and oppression of women.
The job was approved by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba) but it placed strict conditions on Wallace, saying he must not lobby the government or advise on matters of UK defence for two years after leaving office.
Once touted as a future party leader, Wallace left his job as defence secretary just over a year ago after leading the UK’s response to the war in Ukraine, saying he was standing down to “invest in the parts of life that I have neglected, and to explore new opportunities”.
When West Lancashire missed out on Government funding through the Levelling Up scheme, council bosses insisted they still wanted to progress with plans to replace the swimming pools in Ormskirk and Skelmersdale.
At every stage of the proposal to replace Park Pool and Nye Bevan Pool, including when the planning applications came forward, it has been explained that the existing facilities would remain open until the new ones are built.
But with financial pressures now combined with rising costs, that has now changed. Instead, West Lancashire Borough Council is set to consult on proposals to temporarily close both venues to help free up funds towards building the replacement. The reaction from residents has been furious, with letters being sent to key officials and a petition against the closure registering more than 2,000 signatures in the space of a couple of days.
The matter was raised in a report which will go before councillors on Wednesday and explains the financial issues. It says:
“There have been concerns over the potential financial viability of the new hubs for some time. Financial challenges have included significant increases in construction costs. The latest projected cost has increased from £36.6million in 2021, when the project was considered viable, to an estimated £49 million currently.
There have also been significant increases in interest rates, rising from 0.1 per cent in December 2021 to 5.25 per cent in July 2024. Although there has been a small drop since, it is not expected that they will reduce to previous levels. Since Covid 19, economic volatility has also presented challenges which have impacted the financial viability.”
There is now believed to be a £13m shortfall between the funding allocated to the projects and what is actually needed and cost-reducing measures being considered include using “innovative” building techniques and placing the pools above ground level.
But also being considered is closing the existing, loss-making facilities early, though it is stressed there are no other cuts to well-being and leisure services being proposed.
Council leader Yvonne Gagen has defended the proposals, saying:
“Tough decisions must be made to ensure we can deliver on our Council priorities and for the residents of the Borough. Which is why we intend to consult on the potential closure of Nye Bevan and Park Pool leisure centres as part of our plan for delivery of two new Wellbeing and Leisure Hubs within the Borough.
“We want to assure our residents that the future of wellbeing and leisure in West Lancashire is extremely important to us which is why we are looking to take essential steps now with the aim of providing a more secure, sustainable and economically viable leisure offer for our residents of West Lancashire.”
The town’s MP Ashley Dalton has also given her backing to the council after receiving assurances that it would only be a temporary measure. She said:
“The Council must find over a £1million in savings this year and it is costing that just to keep the pools, which are both at the end of their expected life spans, maintained and safe for public use. In addition, due to inflation, additional funds must be found in order to bring forward planned new facilities.
“The Council has therefore decided that in order to bring forward the new facilities as quickly as possible, and find the savings needed to balance the budget it will *propose to* cease to spend the upwards of £1million a year on shoring up the existing inadequate and out of date facilities and focus on realising the new facilities.
“I am assured that the Council will be moving quickly to bring forward the new facilities as soon as possible and that children’s swimming lesson services will be temporarily transferred to other facilities in nearby boroughs. I have also been assured that trades unions and staff have been consulted about any possible redundancies and everything possible will be done to avoid compulsory redundancies.
“I know it is frustrating for everyone to be without these facilities in the meantime but it seems the only feasible way to make sure West Lancashire pools are sustainable in the long term.”
How much money would you think a bus lane could generate in three months? I personally would not have guessed as high as seven figures but that’s what’s happened in Preston.
A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council told the BBC: "Any funds generated go into countywide highways budget that the council has to improve the highway network, including introducing safety schemes and filling potholes."
Another week, another by-election. This time it’s at South Ribble Borough Council in the seat vacated by new MP Paul Foster. This one was held by Labour in a vote which attracted a turnout of just 18%.
As a result, David Bollenberg is the new representative for Bamber Bridge West, with his 253 votes enough to beat the Conservative candidate Stephen Bridge into second place.
In this week’s Blackpool Lead, Michael Holmes writes about the employment tribunal in which senior officers at Lancashire Constabulary faced criticism for their ill-treatment of disabled female officer suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety.
The officer, who is a victim of domestic violence, faced comments and treatment which were “completely inappropriate and displayed a lack of insight or understanding of mental health issues”, the tribunal found.
It concluded that Darby was victimised by the force, which was found to have failed to make reasonable adjustments for her mental health conditions and a further hearing will take place to determine what compensation must be paid.
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Also available to read on the Blackpool Lead site in recent days are the contractor collapse which has delayed the building of the town’s new courthouse and a parking row which is said to threaten two businesses.
🎰 Gambling addiction is so bad for some Blackpool residents it has driven them to consider suicide, a new report has warned (LancsLive).
⏱️ Preston’s long-awaited Shankly Hotel development faces another delay as building and planning issues continue to slow down progress (Blog Preston).
📝 Lancashire County Council has agreed how it will attempt to reduce the risk of residents being drawn into terrorism (Blackpool Gazette).
❌ Damning Ofsted report warned children ‘not safe’ at suspended nursery (Blog Preston).
With Lancashire’s devolution deal still not signed off and no mayor to be included, the county was left of the first ever meeting of the government’s new Council of Nations and Regions - and there are some strong feelings from the county’s leaders on the matter.
The new forum held its first meeting on Friday and included the Prime Minister, prime the leaders of the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and England’s mayors.
In future, newly elected mayors will be able to join but Lancashire’s devolution deal means no such appointment and therefore no seat at the table. South Ribble MP Paul Foster has lobbied against the current deal and reacted to news of the meeting with a familiar sense of frustration, writing: “Lancashire not represented.! We desperately need an elected Mayor. Not sure why there’s a resistance from some?”
Webb, who shares a similar position on the matter, re-iterated that feeling, adding:
“It's clear that Lancashire is missing out on crucial representation, and our residents are suffering as a result. We urgently need a Mayor for Lancashire to harness the potential for billions in public and private investment. By establishing strong leadership, we can follow the successful models set by @AndyBurnhamGM, @LCRMayor, @TracyBrabin and others driving our County forward and ensuring our communities thrive. Let's must make this happen!”
And ahead of the meeting, Ribble Valley Council leader Cllr Stephen Atkinson blasted it as the ‘opposite of devolution’. Robbie MacDonald reports that at a full council meeting, the Conservative councillor let rip at the entire concept of the forum. He said:
“Further to this council’s extraordinary meeting on devolution, we have now had commitments from the leaders of Fylde, Wyre and Burnley councils that they are against local government reorganisation.
“I recently took part in a debate alongside the leader of Chorley Council, Alistair Bradley, on BBC Radio Two’s Jeremy Vine show. We debated Lancashire devolution and whether there should be a mayor? During the debate, Coun Bradley said there would be a Council of Nations and Regions that mayors would attend.
“This has never been communicated to this council. So I searched the internet and it seems clear that this is the opposite of devolving powers back to the people. According to what I’ve read, the Council for Nations and Regions will be chaired by the Prime Minister, the most powerful man in the Labour Party and the country. Most of the mayors on it will be from the Labour Party. It will be like King Keir’s round-table, surrounded by his barons.
He added: “This is a change in the country’s constitution. A transfer of power from councils to a small few with vast powers. It feels like back to the future in Norman England.”
A few What’s On stories which have caught my eye before we finish on Luke’s column:
Cult social media sensation Fesshole set to bring outrageous confessions to Preston
Nostalgic 'hole in the wall' takeaway reopens in Morecambe for first time in a decade
Blackpool's Half Way House pub wins award - five years after being derelict
A Nightmare on Eldon Street
By Luke Beardsworth
Eldon Primary School, in Plungington in Preston, was recently hit with an ‘inadequate’ rating by Ofsted - one of the last ‘headline’ ratings Ofsted will give out, after campaigning in the wake of the death of Reading headteacher Ruth Perry which was strongly linked to the stress caused by the Ofsted inspection process. Her school, Caversham, was likewise downgraded from ‘Outstanding’ to ‘Inadequate’. As ever, lost in almost every aspect of the debate that has followed is the fact that hundreds of kids have had their education impacted as a result.
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