Christmas Adjournment

Chris Webb Excerpts

Thursday 18th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Chris Webb (Blackpool South) (Lab)]

There are many issues affecting Blackpool South, but my work this year has often returned to a few key areas. I have met hundreds of business owners, community groups and young people in Blackpool who have told me the same thing: they want pride back in our town, job security and opportunity.

My constituency is home to an iconic tower, three piers, the pleasure beach and countless attractions in between. It is a place where tradition meets reinvention and has been welcoming visitors for generations. Alongside our permanent attractions, our seasonal and annual events, including the illuminations, are the key reasons why 21.5 million people visit Blackpool every year. I congratulate Kate Shane on receiving her MBE and thank her and all the Blackpool tourism team for the outstanding work they do on behalf of our town and the countless independent businesses I have visited across my patch. They keep Blackpool going.

Tourism and hospitality are the beating heart of Blackpool’s economy and, as chair of the all-party parliamentary group for hospitality and tourism, I have been pushing to give this sector the recognition it deserves nationally. The sector employs more than 3.5 million people, contributes £93 billion to the economy and generates £54 billion in tax revenue each year, but right now it is under real pressure. The current business rates discount for hospitality is 5p—far below the 20p permitted. I will keep pressing the Government to increase the discount to the full 20p. Businesses tell me that they want to invest but that the system is holding them back.

Nearly 3,000 people have backed my call for a world-class arena on the empty Blackpool Central site, where every previous proposal has failed. It would bring in visitors year round, support local businesses and secure Blackpool’s future as a leading destination for entertainment.

Sticks of rock and fish and chips are part of the seaside’s identity, but I also want to address dietary health in my constituency. Blackpool faces some of the highest levels of food-related ill health and deprivation in the country. We have one of the highest densities of fast food outlets alongside high levels of poverty and limited access to nutritious food. Among children of reception age, 27% are affected by obesity, rising to a shocking 42% by year 6. We need to limit unhealthy food outlets, support healthier businesses and make education a priority. Good work is already happening through organisations such as Grow Blackpool, LeftCoast and Blackpool Learning Rooms. In 2026, I want to see those projects grow.

Crime and antisocial behaviour has had a real impact in my constituency. This year, I have supported grassroots boxing and rugby league as a tool for focusing young people’s minds. I have seen how boxing and rugby league give young people structure and purpose: they build discipline and confidence, teach respect and turn people’s lives around. Clubs like Brian Rose boxing academy and Blackpool Scorpions provide support, create belonging and improve physical and mental health. I am pleased that Ministers are listening, and I look forward to working with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to drive that forward.