Christmas Adjournment

Adam Jogee Excerpts

Thursday 18th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Adam Jogee (Newcastle-under-Lyme) (Lab)]

Madam Deputy Speaker, I wish you and yours and all colleagues a very happy Christmas. Christmas is a time for family and friends, merriment and relaxing, but it can also be a difficult time for many: for those who are mourning—it will be the first Christmas for my wife and her family since her dad died in June, so we will be feeling that particularly; for those who work in our emergency services and are on call over the coming days, including the clergy, who are busy doing the Lord’s work at this time of year; and for those serving in our armed forces, to whom we owe a real debt of gratitude. I thank all of them for what they do, both back home in Newcastle-under-Lyme and across our United Kingdom.

Three weeks ago, we celebrated the first anniversary since the closure notice was issued to the cowboy operators at Walleys Quarry. We have seen a real improvement and a tangible difference to the lives of local people, but there is more to do.

Our world faces crises in every corner, and my thoughts at this time of year are with the people of Sudan, Ukraine, Gaza and all parts of the world where there is pain and suffering, not least the good people of Australia as they deal with the disgusting, disgraceful antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi last week.

I welcome the action on the British Coal staff superannuation scheme in the Budget, which was mentioned earlier.

I urge Staffordshire county council—the less said about its former leader, the better—to ensure that it steps up and gives Newcastle-under-Lyme the focus we deserve. It must work quickly and effectively to fix the potholes on our roads, as I heard from my constituent Mark this week. It must improve road safety—I heard from residents in Madeley Heath yesterday about a collision that took place outside a local primary school—and sort the A500 slip road at Audley. That is not to mention the ongoing crisis in special educational needs and disabilities provision.

I thank our farmers in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire for all they do to feed us and tend to the land, and for their contribution to our economy. I have put on record my thoughts about the proposed changes, and they have not changed.

On occasion, it feels like I live rent free in the heads of some Conservative members of Newcastle-under-Lyme borough council—I feel sorry for them if I do; nobody deserves that. I will simply say, as it is the festive season, that it is an honour to represent them and everyone who lives, learns and works in Newcastle-under-Lyme, and I thank them for their support for my work.

In the year ahead we must focus on delivery, on providing practical outcomes for families in my community and on ensuring that the promises we make in this place are felt by people in Newcastle-under-Lyme, like Janet and Eric, who visited from Wolstanton just yesterday.

As I prepare to head for my train shortly, I thank my staff for the help they give me here in this place and back home in Newcastle-under-Lyme; I thank my family for sharing me with my constituents and everyone here, and for making this life work; and most importantly, I thank the people of Newcastle-under-Lyme for giving me the chance to serve in this place. Happy Christmas to all.