Sir David Amess Summer Adjournment

Liz Twist Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Liz Twist (Blaydon and Consett) (Lab)]

I recognise that it is a privilege to speak high up the list in this important Sir David Amess debate.

Just over a year ago, we welcomed not only a new Labour Government but the creation of the new Blaydon and Consett constituency. It is fair to say that there was some bemusement locally about our new boundaries. The new constituency spans towns and villages in both Gateshead and County Durham, all with strong identities of their own, but we have plenty in common, from the keelmen on the Tyne to the steelworkers of Consett, and not forgetting the vital role played by our women in our history or our strong mining history. We have a really powerful industrial past and a strong community spirit. My constituents are passionate about fairness and access to opportunity, and they know the real division is not Gateshead or Durham, but whether you are black and white or red and white.

I have had many highlights over the years serving my wonderful constituency, but top of that list has to be securing wave 1 funding for the new hospital in Consett to replace Shotley Bridge. After years of broken promises from the last Government, we are now expecting construction to begin by 2026-27. I want to say a massive thank you to Kevin Earley and the Shotley Bridge hospital support group, and to everyone in the local community for their efforts. That work continues, and we welcomed the Health Secretary to Consett earlier this year to discuss progress. I am grateful to the support group and the trust for working with me to ensure that we get everything in the right place to deliver for people in Consett. There is currently concern about the out-of-hours urgent treatment service in Shotley Bridge. This is an issue I have been raising and I would encourage my constituents to submit to the ongoing consultation, as I will be.

This year, the Government made transformational changes to employment rights, strengthening sick pay and moving towards fair pay agreements in adult social care. In April, the real-terms increase in the minimum wage meant that one in seven workers in the north-east saw a boost to their pay packet. This is what a Labour Government mean to my constituents.

We have had more constituency wins this year. Moorside primary became an early adopter of our free breakfast club programme, Shotley Bridge school received funding for its nursery, and we have had investment for the Oakfields GP practice in Hamsterley Colliery. I welcome Government funding to restore the Tyne bridge, a vital part of our regional infrastructure. Finally, we have also had the launch of the Gateshead safe haven, led by Gateshead citizens advice bureau and North East Counselling, to support people in mental health crisis, and 58,000 children across Gateshead and Durham will now benefit from a mental health support team in their school—an issue particularly close to my heart. None of this would be possible without the work of local people on the ground, so I thank all of them for everything that they do.

If there is one issue that remains high on the agenda for my constituents, it is bus services. After years of deregulation and slashed routes, residents feel unable to rely on our buses. That needs to change. I am proud that this Government’s Bus Services (No. 2) Bill will hand back control to our communities, and I look forward to working with our Mayor, Kim McGuinness, to ensure that that is the case. This year, I have talked to staff at Consett Empire about how we can keep the theatre thriving. I have heard the concerns of staff at Villa Real school about the state of their building, which desperately needs improving. I will continue to raise those issues going forward.

Road safety and speed limits are another major issue for my constituents, and I look forward to working with Ministers on the road safety strategy to resolve those concerns. I was proud to join the Rowlands family from Consett at a ministerial meeting. They spoke eloquently about their son Andrew, who lost his life in an accident involving an uninsured under-age driver. I pay tribute to all the families in my constituency campaigning for change after going through difficult times. Another shout-out must go to Terry Archbold and his daughter Bea from Burnopfield, who have been raising awareness of organ donation following Bea’s lifesaving heart transplant.

It is an honour to have a front-row seat for the fantastic work happening across all our communities in our schools, NHS, shops, libraries, care homes and leisure centres. This year, I have tapped my feet to the fantastic Ryton Singers and Winlaton’s Northern Phoenix brass band, and admired photography by Ryton camera club and Consett in Focus. I have met local environment pioneers at the Crawcrook repair café, the Chopwell regeneration shop, Blackhill Park’s community garden and the Greenside community orchard. That is not forgetting our small businesses, including those who met the Minister when he visited Consett last year. Thanks to all who showed him what our patch has to offer and spoke about their experiences.

I am always inspired by young people in our constituency. This year, we have had visits to Parliament from St Joseph’s in Blaydon, St Mary’s in Blackhill, and Derwentside college, and I hope that more schools will have this opportunity in future. I thank Parkhead, St Thomas More and St Patrick’s in Dipton for opening their doors to me, as well as High Spen and Ryton primary schools for their fantastic local murals and artwork. I got a good grilling from students at Consett academy, and the pupils’ Parliament in Shotley Bridge showed me how democracy is done—Westminster will be in good hands if we put the children of Blaydon and Consett in charge. I thank all the school staff for their hard work. I was pleased to meet headteachers from across our constituency to hear about the issues they face, and they have provided me with insights that I will feed back to Government.

I pay tribute to the fantastic volunteers supporting our community. There are too many to name, but I want to give a quick shout-out to Moorside baby bank, Newcastle United Foundation’s walking football in Blaydon, Consett Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide, Derwent Valley car club and Ryton’s Men’s Shed. I can only hope that I can match their passion and commitment for our communities.

Finally, I want to thank my constituency team. Since the election, we have opened a second office in Consett, and they have processed over 8,000 cases. I thank the Doorkeepers and House staff for everything they do to keep Parliament running. I thank my constituents, new and old, who make Blaydon and Consett a fantastic place to be. It is an honour to represent this constituency, and I will continue working every day to ensure that our people have the opportunities they deserve.