Sir David Amess Adjournment Debate

Connor Rand Excerpts

Thursday 12th September 2024 Commons Chamber

[Mr Connor Rand (Altrincham and Sale West) (Lab)]

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for allowing me to make my maiden contribution in this debate. I pay tribute to the Members on both sides of the House who have made their maiden contributions, including the hon. Member for West Dorset (Edward Morello), who gave us an illuminating insight into what we could hope to see in his constituency. I also pay tribute to those who knew Sir David Amess for their moving contributions.

I am extremely proud to be the first Labour Member of Parliament for Altrincham and Sale West, in no small part because of the brilliant team of local volunteers who worked on the campaign and the support of my wonderful friends and family. I also thank my constituency neighbour, my hon. Friend the Member for Stretford and Urmston (Andrew Western), who was born in my constituency and was such a valuable friend to me during the campaign.

At this early stage in my contribution, I want to pay tribute to my predecessor, Lord Brady, who represented the people of Altrincham and Sale West for 27 years. I thank him for his service to his constituents and for his kind words to me following my election. I think one of my constituents summed it up best. While I was knocking on doors in Hale during the election campaign, a woman—and the whole House will be relieved to know that I will not attempt to impersonate her—said of Lord Brady, “The thing about Graham is that whether you agreed or disagreed with him, and frankly I usually disagreed with him, he was always unfailingly affable.” I hope to one day be described by my constituents in a similar fashion. Of course, as the result of a rather interesting few years for the Conservative party, he might well come to be remembered as one as the more consequential chairs of the 1922 committee. I am sure the new chair, the hon. Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman), is hoping for a slightly quieter few years. Judging by the friendly and collegial way in which that party’s leadership contest is shaping up, I have every confidence that that will be the case.

When I meet new Members from all sides of this House and tell them I am fortunate enough to represent a constituency as beautiful as Altrincham and Sale West, in many cases I get a nagging sense from them that my mere presence in this House, representing where I do, is symptomatic not just of the level of change at the last general election, but of a Labour party that is able to appeal to every part of our country and every section of society. However, the reality is that my constituency is extraordinarily diverse in almost every regard. Within easy reach of the city of Manchester, it is a place of business, thriving small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurship—including the spectacular market in Altrincham—but Wythenshawe and Trafford general hospitals are also major employers. It is an area with tens of churches, four synagogues and the Altrincham and Hale Muslim Association, and it is where many from Hong Kong have chosen to start a new life away from tyranny and repression. Yes, it is a part of the world where many people are doing well for themselves and for their families, but it also has an estimated 3,000 children growing up in poverty.

What unites the constituency and makes it such an extraordinary place is that it has such a strong sense of community, participation, and everyone pitching in to play their part. I have seen that at Altrincham football club, a brilliant community club with amazing grassroots initiatives, and which in 2019 became the first team in England to wear a shirt inspired by the rainbow flag to show their support in the fight against homophobia. I have seen it from staff and volunteers at the Garrick Playhouse, who work tirelessly to put on a comprehensive series of plays and productions, and I have seen it at Trafford South foodbank, which works across the constituency to provide for people in need. It is able to do what it does thanks to the remarkably generous donations of local people. However, all too often, organisations such as that foodbank are having to go above and beyond in the most challenging of circumstances to stop people falling through the cracks, because as a country we have failed to provide people with the security in work that they need; we have failed to provide the economic stability and certainty that businesses need in order to invest; and we have failed to address the long-term challenges our country faces.

That is why Labour was elected: to fix what has become broken, and to offer hope and renewal. That is why the people of Altrincham and Sale West sent me here: to cut waiting times across our national health service, including at Wythenshawe and Trafford general; to clean up our badly polluted rivers and streams; and to make sure people can feel safe on our streets by tackling crime and antisocial behaviour. Having worked on a national campaign against the violence and abuse that shopworkers receive, I know how important it is that we clamp down on crime against public-facing workers, and I know that this Government will act. Having changed our party so that we could be given the extraordinary opportunity we have to change our country, that is the sort of tangible change to the lives of people in Altrincham and Sale West that we must achieve. I am looking forward to working to deliver that change in the years to come and showing how, even in difficult times, Government can still be a force for good. That is the very least that the people of Altrincham and Sale West, and of our country, expect and deserve.