Last week, I headed down to Birmingham for a few days for this year’s Conservative Party Conference—a particularly important one as it was Theresa May’s first as Prime Minister.
One of the things I was most happy to hear there were new plans, announced by Theresa May, to stop ambulance-chasing lawyers harassing our Armed Forces.
This is something that has been raised with me time and time again by residents across my constituency and I have heard horrific stories from some of the veterans who live in our community who have been harassed by these lawyers. There has been mounting evidence that these law firms have been making legal claims on an industrial scale against our soldiers returning from military operations. One veteran living in Bolton West has told me of how he was forced to deal with these lawyers whilst battling Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after returning from Iraq. This isn’t how we should be treating the brave men and women who risk so much to keep us safe.
Labour took us to war in Iraq and Afghanistan and Labour made the British people subject to the European Convention on Human Rights but did not think about the consequences of any of those actions. Their Defence Secretary thought that we could go to war without firing a single shot and we know how that turned out. Our Armed Forces went there thinking only about keeping us safe when they went to war. After risking their lives and many returning home with life changing injuries and PTSD, they didn’t come home expecting to be harassed by lawyers making vexatious claims against them.
This has got to stop and I’m extremely pleased that Theresa May has announced that we’ll opt out of these human rights laws so that, in any future conflicts, we can also protect the brave men and women who risk their lives to keep us safe.
After a busy few days in Birmingham, it was back to normal as I headed back to Bolton West & Atherton to meet with constituents and attend meetings.
Last Friday, I was invited over to Victoria Mill in Atherton to meet with the people behind the new Atherton Community Hub. Everyone knows there is a real lack of provision for young people in our area, with very few safe and dry places for them to go in the evenings, at weekends and during school holidays. I know that this problem is being looked at by a number of organisations at the moment, and I’m pleased to say that Atherton Community Hub are making very good progress in their project at the top of Victoria Mill.
Jennie Mills, David Seddon and Russell Jarmesty have ambitious plans for renovating this huge space. There will be space for young people to relax and meet new people, as well as workshops that will offer training opportunities on a wide range of interests including motor mechanics, arts and crafts, photography and technology. There will also be a café and a place for young people to learn about cooking and baking.
But there are also plans to make sure that the space is well-used during the day, too. The Community Hub plan to work with a wide range of services that will help older people as well. This will be a genuine community space for anyone who wants to use it.
Plenty of local businesses have already come forward to support the project, including Stephensons and McLaughlin’s Kitchens, and David Seddon and Russell Jarmesty who each run a gym and martial arts studio in Victoria Mill have put in a lot to get this project off the ground.
Atherton has an abundance of community spirit, everyone knows that. But to see so many businesses and local people come together to support this project is fantastic and I’m looking forward to going back to the Community Hub again when it’s up and running.