Kate Osborne MP: A busy week out and about in my Jarrow Gateshead East constituency
Child poverty remains one of the most urgent issues facing our communities. Fourteen years of the Tory government has left millions of children across the country bearing the brunt of their failures, their cuts and their deliberate destruction of community safety nets have left our kids growing up in poverty.
Here in the Jarrow and Gateshead East constituency, around one in three children are affected – a shocking and appalling statistic that should shame any government.
This week the government released its latest data showing that here in the Jarrow and Gateshead East constituency, around one in three children are growing up in poverty.
The single most effective way we can alleviate child poverty is by removing the two-child limit on benefits.
Regular readers will know it is something I have long campaigned on, I have always opposed the two-child limit – it is a cruel and unjust policy that has pushed families deeper into hardship and this month I joined more than 60 MPs who have signed Labour MP Kim Johnson’s letter to the Prime Minister, calling on him to immediately scrap the two-child benefit cap.
The cap impacts around 70,000 babies, children and young people across the North East including 13.2% of children in our constituency. Removing the cap will make such a difference for so many and I won’t stop campaigning until it is lifted – families in our constituency cannot wait any longer.
This week I was out and about in our constituency, I love getting out and about in our communities, meeting local people, businesses and organisations, and seeing first-hand the brilliant work being done across Jarrow and Gateshead East.
I started the week at Tesco Simonside, where I met volunteers from Boldon Pond, who were fundraising for the wonderful wildlife charity Pawz for Thought. We have the Boldon Pond Swans calendar up in my office every year (as well as the cups!). As always, our community members are inspiring, the dedication of volunteers across our area and their efforts sustain so many causes that enrich our communities.
There were so many highlights, speaking to constituents, visiting the new Breast Cancer Centre, visiting Bill Quay Community Farm, a much-loved part of our constituency. It was great to chat to John and Ashlyn, about their exciting plans for the future, and see once again their passion for keeping the farm thriving. Whether
it’s enjoying an ice cream, relaxing with a cuppa in the new American bus diner, or simply enjoying the green open space for a walk, the farm offers something for everyone.
I picked up some bargains from the Key Community Bus, parked outside Boldon Community Association – the bus is for everyone to use, and I love chatting to them and thanking Elizabeth and her team for everything they do. The bus is a shining example of what happens when people come together: offering affordable fresh produce, tinned goods, and household items to families right across the constituency. A brilliant reminder of how deeply this project is rooted in meeting community needs. Everyone is welcome aboard, so please do spread the word and support this brilliant local initiative.
This new school year began with something truly transformative: the biggest expansion of childcare and family support in a generation.
Labour’s rollout of 30 hours of free childcare is already making a real difference. For too long, families have faced impossible choices, with parents cutting their hours or leaving work altogether because childcare costs were unaffordable. That has been unfair on families and damaging to our local economy.
I’m proud that Jarrow and Gateshead East was one of the first areas in the country to benefit from this expansion, giving families real choice and flexibility, while giving children the best possible start in life.
Back in Westminster, I’m looking forward to welcoming staff and students from Hebburn Comprehensive School later this week. They’ll be taking part in a Q&A session, and I know they’ll bring fresh ideas and challenging questions.
Meeting young people from our constituency is always a highlight of my work. It’s so important they see democracy in action and feel empowered to have their voices heard.
As we move towards the busy Christmas period, my diary is already filling up with local events and activities. I will soon be launching my annual Christmas Card Competition – one of my favourite traditions – and I’ll also be continuing my Street Surgeries, taking my office out into the community so I can hear directly from you about the issues that matter most.
As always, my office is here to help. If you need support or would like to raise an issue with me, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by emailing [email protected].