News Guardian Articles - Alan Campbell MP for Tynemouth

Remembering Prince Philip

My first major constituency engagement after being elected in 1997 was the opening by the Queen and Prince Philip of the ill-fated Siemens factory. I was an anxious new MP and some of the women guests shared my anxiety because in the warm, optimistic days following the election they were…

Green Homes Grant Gone

Last week the Government announced the ending of the Green Homes Grant. Launched just last September the scheme was designed to retrofit 19 million UK homes which need insulation and more efficient boilers. It was the Government’s only major green stimulus policy and was one of the Prime Minister’s Ten…

Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill

Even as a “flagship” Bill the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill is a big Bill, proposing sweeping new powers and changes to the criminal justice system. Some like the Police Charter and stronger sentences for terrorists deserve support. There are also things that I and others have campaigned on…

Promising local plans for town centres despite lack of government support

Many town centres were in difficulty even before COVID and changes during the pandemic have turbo charged those problems. Town centres are important to so many of us. They are part of our identity even though many have seen better days. The challenge for government is how to first save…

Don’t blow the Budget

Next month’s budget will be the first to be delivered to a largely virtual Commons Chamber. Traditionally the Chancellor is heard without intervention to ensure the audience don’t miss any detail. The Leader of the Opposition’s response is one of the hardest to deliver – and again is heard without…

Proper funding for social care

A few weeks ago, the Communities Secretary wrote to local authority leaders thanking councils for their exceptional service during the COVID pandemic. He highlighted social care as being an important part of the response and spoke about extra funding going forward. Ministers had originally promised that councils would get “whatever…

Safe voting important for May

Last week the Government said the local elections in May will go ahead as planned though “the situation is being kept under review”. I hope that optimism is not misplaced. There are a lot of elections due this spring. Some were held over from last year when the country was…

Vaccination the No 1 Priority

The arrival of a vaccine in the fight against the pandemic is a 2021 good news story. It can be a bit galling to listen to the Prime Minister and Health Secretary who would have you think they had personally cooked the vaccine up in the kitchen in Number 10.…

In the Bleak Midwinter

“In the Bleak Midwinter” – Christina Rosetti’s poem set to the music of Gustav Holst – is the nation’s favourite carol – and mine. It is hard, however, to remember a midwinter as bleak as this. Our country already had one of the highest death rates from COVID 19 and…

Respect our shopworkers

There are many unsung heroines and heroes of this pandemic, including the people who have kept our country moving, kept us supplied and kept our communities safe. On that list are the army of shopworkers who have kept us fed, managed the shortages and managed social distancing. With more online…

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