Welcome to this weeks newsletter.
On Monday, we said goodbye to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at her state funeral, following a period of national mourning. Hundreds of thousands of people queued up for many hours to go and pay their respects to her in person as she lay in state at Westminster Hall. As an MP I was given four tickets to invite people to go and visit on behalf on the people of Crewe and Nantwich. You can read about the people that came and why I asked them to come below.
Over the past couple of weeks, it has been touching to see our country come together in shared grief and thanks for our Queen who lead a long, dedicated life of public service. I would also like to thank the police, from all over the country, who all came to the capital to help keep everyone safe.
Today the Chancellor confirmed a package of support which will see households save up to £1,400 on their energy bills and provide support for businesses, charities, schools and others as well. He also announced a series of policies which will help grow the economy and allow people to keep more of the money they earn.
I have also wasted no time in pushing local causes with the new Government. I asked the Prime Minister at her first PMQs about Crewe's bid to become the headquarters of Great British Railways.
Before the period of mourning I also went along to a number of events and visits across the constituency which, out of respect, I did not share at the time. I hope you enjoy reading about my visits to the Nantwich Food Festival, HS2 works and BAE Systems.
Parliament week is coming soon, and to mark it I have organised a debating competition for local schools. Local high schools, sixth forms and colleges will be entering teams of 4-6 pupils. Fully funded training sessions for interested schools and students will be provided. Please do let me know if your school wants to take part.
If you are looking to start a career in politics, the Blavatnik School of Government has three Political Leadership Scholarships available for our one-year Master of Public Policy (MPP) to support those wanting to stand for elected office. This is an amazing opportunity for a talented individual. Read on below to find out more.
Finally, we are having a Cheese & Wine Bingo fundraiser next Friday 30th Sept at Hough Village Hall. Let me know if you'd like to come. We are also delivering my newsletters again after pausing for the period of mourning. If you can spare an hour to deliver some that would be great!
Have a great weekend.
Crewe and Nantwich Residents Visit Queen Lying in State
Help with Bills and Growing the Economy
Pushing new PM on Crewe GBR Bid
Nantwich Food Festival
Visiting HS2 Works
BAE Systems
Parliament Week Debate
Oxford Scholarship
Traffic Report
Crewe and Nantwich Residents Visit Queen Lying in State
MPs were able to invite four guests to the Lying in State of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. I invited local residents Sarah Winchester, Gerald Newbrook, Phil Malam and Steve Weekes who attended today on behalf of the people of Crewe & Nantwich. Surprisingly, with all the many people moving through, all four had the very short moment of them paying their respects for all of us captured by the BBC.
I wanted to invite people to represent the relationship between the Queen and the constituency, but not just with dignitaries, but the people who serve Crewe & Nantwich so well. Also, the relationship between the Queen and the military and voluntary organisations. There is no perfect way to do this and we didn’t have much time to organise, but I hope this group of people are a good way of representing the people and organisations of Crewe & Nantwich and our history with the Queen. I am very grateful to them all for taking part.
Backgrounds of those that visited:
Gerald Newbrook: In 1995 the Queen visited Crewe station and Gerald was the local Scout Leader asked to organise for 200 local scouts to greet the Queen at the station. Voluntary organisations like the Scouts were important to the Queen.
Phil Malam: The Queen met Phil in 1972 when he was just 19 when she opened Leighton Hospital, having started work just before the visit as a hospital porter. Phil has worked there ever since as their longest serving member of staff. Phil not only represents this important visit but public sector staff who reflect the Queens own values as a public servant.
Sarah Winchester: Sarah was one of the pupils at Monks Coppenhall who were invited to perform for the Queen when she visited to open Crewe Heritage centre in 1987. This was a visit remembered by many local families who saw the Queen as she travelled around the constituency.
Steve Weekes: Steve is a veteran, serving 24 years as a Welsh Guardsman who met the Queen on numerous occasions during his duties. Steve represents the important relationship between local Armed Forces personnel and veterans and the Queen.
Talking about his experience after the visit Steve said “As one of the fortunate four I wish to thank Kieran for giving me the opportunity to pay, not only my respects, but to represent Veterans past, present and Serving Members of the Armed Forces for Crewe & Nantwich. I would like to mention a very special Normandy Landing Veteran Sgt Bernard Morgan who unfortunately wasn't able to make the trip which opened up the opportunity for myself to pay my respects for him. A surreal and emotional day.”
This week we said our final goodbyes. What a life of service and what a fitting tribute to that from her country and people. And the police headed home too, after keeping us all safe again.
Help with Bills and Growing the Economy
I know people have been very worried about paying their bills and businesses unsure if they can stay afloat. We were facing household bills as high as £6000 next year and businesses going bust. As it did during the pandemic, today the Government confirmed it is going to step in and help. Bills for families and businesses will be capped.
No one can promise the next 12 months aren't going to be difficult and I won't pretend otherwise. We can't escape all the consequences of Russia cutting off energy supplies and post COVID inflation. But this is a realistic plan for help. At the same time, our new Prime Minister and Chancellor are determined to grow our economy. We have to remain a country businesses want to invest in. Creating better jobs and getting and getting people into work are what we should aim for.
This plan includes:
Energy Price Guarantee - Announced a couple of weeks ago, cutting energy bills by up to £1,400 through limiting the unit price you pay for electricity and gas.
Energy Bill Relief Scheme - Supporting businesses by discounting gas and electricity prices for businesses, charities, schools and hospitals.
Allowing people to keep more of their own money
Creating Zones and Tax Incentives to encourage economic growth
Stamp Duty Cut - with new threshold of £250,000 and £425,000 for first time buyers
Accelerating Critical Infrastructure Projects - Such as transport, energy and telecoms
Strengthening Universal Credit Sanctions - Setting clear expectations for finding work
Sunset on EU Law by the end of next year - Reducing burden on businesses and improving growth
Freezing Alcohol Duty
Pushing New PM on Crewe GBR Bid
A few weeks ago, at Liz Truss's first Prime Minister's Questions, I wasted no time in pushing the new PM on Crewe's strong bid to become the home of Great British Railways. It is important that the Government continues to level up places like Crewe, through investment like the GBR HQ.
While the Prime Minister could not pre-empt the decision, it was great to hear that she will continue to focus on levelling up areas that have previously been left behind.
As one of my colleagues rightly said, "Give it to Crewe!"
PS. For anyone wondering about my nose...
Nantwich Food Festival
A huge thank you to all the amazing volunteers who organised and ran the Nantwich Food Festival event for the benefit of the town and our area a few weeks ago. I really find it astonishing that volunteers make it happen and I would encourage everyone to help one year. It's just potentially a couple hours, doesn't have to be a huge commitment. Join me cleaning tables for a few hours!
It was great to visit and thank sponsors like Mornflake Mighty Oats and Applewood Independent Ltd amongst many others.
The calm corner was an amazing addition this year with thanks to Steven Misfud and his Direct Access Group team.
I loved visiting some of my local businesses like Cheerbrook Farm Shop , Harry's Milkshake & Hot Chocolate and The Cheshire Biltong Company . Sorry if I missed anyone!
Visiting HS2 Works
I have recently been taken around South Cheshire to visit some of the early work for the West Midlands to Crewe leg of HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd.
The HS2 Engagement and Engineering teams took me through the current activity in the area, potential supply chain opportunities and what communities can expect to see during construction and operation. They also discussed the importance of keeping residents in the loop about what is happening in the area, through sending letters.
Myself and the team visited an early environmental work to see what HS2 contractors are already doing to combat the environmental impact of the construction. For example, for every one pond that is being disturbed, another 2 are being created These are dotted all over the Crewe and Nantwich constituency.
We also visited an early works building site, where they spoke to CLD fencing, a local contractor who have been employed by HS2 to place secure fencing around many of their building sites.
HS2 is an amazing opportunity for our area, bringing jobs and investment into our area both during construction and once the lines are built and operating. While there is, of course, going to be some environmental impact from the construction, it is great to see that HS2 and their contractors are already working to ensure that local habitats are not lost.
The construction also provides good opportunities for local businesses to get contracts, with some, like CLD Fencing Systems, already benefitting. We want to organise events for local businesses, so that they can speak to organisations like CLD fencing and learn about how they can get contracts too and make the most of the opportunities HS2 brings.
Along with the £22.9 million Crewe Town Deal, £14 million from the Future High Streets Fund and £5 million to create an Institute of Technology at Cheshire College - South & West we can see levelling up in action locally and I am optimistic for our future as a town and region.
BAE Systems
I recently visited the BAE Systems factory in Radway Green, near Crewe, where they make ammunition for the British Armed Forces.
I was shown around the factory and learned about the long history of the site. The factory is on the site of the old Royal Ordinance Factory, which began producing ammunition in 1940 during the Second World War. It was then taken over by BAE in 1987.
I was then shown how a bullet is made. Much of the production work is done by advanced technologies, with each round checked by digital cameras and lasers to ensure they comply to specific criteria.
The site employs over 400 people, some of whom are apprentices in the early stages of their careers.
The British Armed Forces play a vital role in keeping us safe from threats overseas. However, they are only as effective as the equipment they are provided with. It was amazing to see how a factory in our local area expertly produces much of the ammunition they use whilst on duty around the world.
It is also great to know that, yet another company is providing, local, young people with the great opportunities that apprenticeships provide, allowing them to receive on-the-job training, and learning the skills early on that will allow them to get on in life.
Parliament Week Debate Competition
Parliament Week this year is going to take place on the 14th until 18th November. To mark this, I am launching the Crewe and Nantwich Parliament Week Debate Competition, in partnership with Debate Mate.
Debate Mate is a global education organisation that teaches the key skills of communication, critical and creative thinking, teamwork, leadership and core confidence through debate. Their programme is proven to develop critical and creative thinking, empathy, resilience, leadership, teamwork, and above all, core confidence.
If you would like to learn more about Debate Mate visit here: https://debatemate.com/
We are asking all local high schools, sixth forms and colleges if they would like to enter a team of 4-6 pupils. Do not worry if your student’s have not had the opportunity to take part in formal debates before – we are working with Debate Mate and Cheshire College South and West to provide fully funded training sessions for interested schools and students.
The training sessions will be delivered across a 6 week period, with some training sessions to take place in Parliament Week and with the final session towards the end of November where teams will compete to win our ‘Parliament Week Debate Competition 2022’.
If you are interested in submitting a team then I would be most grateful if you could email me or call my office on the below details by 30th September, so that we can arrange to deliver training sessions with your teams.
Oxford Scholarship
Are you interested in a career in politics or policy?
The Blavatnik School of Government has three Political Leadership Scholarships available for our one-year Master of Public Policy (MPP) to support those wanting to stand for elected office in the UK and Ireland. The MPP is an intensive one-year graduate degree that offers a distinctive approach to learning about public policy.
The Political Leadership Scholarship aims to improve the diversity, capacity and training of public leaders from all backgrounds in the UK and Ireland. To be considered for the scholarship, candidates will need to demonstrate:
· Exceptional academic merit and potential
· History of being active in party politics
· Desire to shape future governments
· Intention to seek elected office at a local or national level within five years of graduation
The scholarship covers the full cost of tuition and a set amount for living expenses. For further information about the scholarship or the MPP, please visit https://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/study/mpp or contact admissions@bsg.ox.ac.uk.
Traffic Report
The following are road closures for the week ahead as reported by Cheshire East.
Moss Lane, Crewe - 26th September until 30th September
Middlewich Road
Beam Street, Oat Market, Swine Market, High Street, Nantwich - Until 28th October