News

Rachel took the opportunity for a tour of the new Leisure Centre in Armley last week. She was shown around by the Centre Manager Dave Bennett, and the Area Manager Simon Clarke.

Rachel said, "The new Centre is an amazing addition for Armley, and further afield across Leeds West. It has been hugely busy lately, which is a testament to how good it is. It provides car parking, two swimming pools, two sports halls, a gym, and more. The prices are reasonable, especially if you have a Leeds or a Breeze Card. I encourage everyone that can to come along and try out the new facilities."

Last week Rachel attended an assembly at Raynville Primary School, where she gave out medals to those pupils who have done particularly well recently, and was presented with scarves from the children.

The scarves were all made and designed by the children, an aid of the 'One Goal' initiative, which aims to ensure that the Millennium Development Goal of all children attending school by 2015 is hit. Currently, 74 million children in the world still don't attend school.

Last week Rachel met up with Pauline Brearley, who has written a book entitled 'The history of a branch of the Davidson family tree'. It was written in tribute to her late husband, who died of mesothelioma from asbestos, and all proceeds will go to the June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund.

You can watch online here Rachel's speech to the House of Commons in response to the Budget Statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Rachel has written in the Yorkshire Post that the cuts outlined in the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Budget yesterday will put the future prosperity of our country at risk:

THIS is a Budget that is both unfair and damaging to growth. The Government has been talking down the economy and talking up the deficit in an attempt to scaremonger British people into the believing that the sorts of spending cuts and tax increases that we have seen today must be endured.

I am in no doubt that the deficit must be reduced. But it is misleading and wrong to claim that the cuts ordinary people – who are least responsible for the crisis – are now being forced to shoulder is the only way to achieve this.

In fact, the surest way to bring down the deficit is to ensure strong and sustainable growth that results in a new, rebalanced economy.

Click to Read More...

Following questions and lobbying from Rachel, we have received the great news that funding for the A65 Quality Bus Corridor will continue, after much doubt that this project would be cancelled due to government cuts.

Rachel said, "This is great news for people in Kirkstall, and those that travel along the A65. Funding was originally given by the Labour government, because this project will speed up bus journeys, increase bus use, and provide a better experience for bus travellers. I'm glad that our campaign has paid off."

Rachel spoke in the commons yesterday about her concerns for the future of Regional Development Agencies, including our own Yorkshire Forward. The coalition government is determined to cut RDA's calling them "a waste", yet Yorkshire Forward and other RDA's have done brilliant work across the country; aiding businesses to stay afloat during the recession, giving support to keep people in work and now stimulating the economic growth that we need to recover from recession.

You can watch Rachel's speech during the House of Commons debate on Government Support for Industry on Parliament TV by clicking here.

Rachel spoke passionately to defend the work of RDA's and of the importance of promoting economic growth. She spoke of her concerns that the coalition governments planned cuts will lead to a double-dip recession, damaging industry, causing business failures and job losses, leading to an even higher budget deficit and arguing that what we really need is growth. Growth from strong and diverse regional economies, which relies on the government supporting industry in all our regions - as RDA's do.

Rachel also spoke of Yorkshire's proud industrial and manufacturing past and the strong industry we have in our region today. She called upon the government to give local people and businesses control over their economic future. Control that will be taken away by cutting RDAs. Yorkshire Forward has already been forced to make £44m worth of cuts by the coalition government, as reported here in the Yorkshire Evening Post.

Rachel said today, "I am very disappointed that the government are committed to cutting the budgets of Regional Development Agencies, like Yorkshire Forward, when they have made such positive contributions to local industry and local people. Regional Development Agencies would aid our economic recovery, contributing to the growth of new industries and building a new, stronger economy. By cutting the RDA's the government is putting our economic recovery even more at risk"

This weekend Rachel began petitioning for the Kirkstall Forge railway station. It's a really important project, as it will connect local people, and allow residents in Kirkstall to more easily travel into Leeds. It is part of a bigger Kirkstall Forge development, of which the railway station is crucial and would bring many benefits to the local community and economy.

The new station was promised by 2012, but now seems to be on hold. The petition calls on the government to honour commitments to invest in the station, which will enable more people to use the train, taking traffic off the busy A65 at peak times and support the development of new houses and businesses on the site.

If you would like to sign up then please email rreevesmp@gmail.com, with the subject 'Kirkstall Forge petition'.

This week Rachel met again with the organisers of the I Love West Leeds festival, to hear all the latest festival plans. The festival runs from 3-25th July, at venues all over West Leeds and promises to be great fun for all the family.

Rachel said, "I encourage everyone to go along to a local event during the festival. There is something for everyone, and you'll really enjoy it!"

You can find out information about all the festival events on the I Love West Leeds website

Last week Rachel went to Ms Riley's year 5 class at Castleton Primary School in Leeds West, to discuss with the class issues in their local community. The children made presentations to their MP, and Rachel discussed with them how they could make their local community better.

Rachel commented, "I really enjoyed spending time with such a great class, in a fantastic school. The children raised issues in their local community with me, and we had a good time discussing how we can all make our communities better."

On Thursday Labour Leadership contender Ed Miliband came to Leeds. Whilst here he visited Swallow Hill Community College with Rachel, where he toured the school and attended a meeting with the School Council, discussing issues with pupils. He then gave a speech to Labour Party members and supporters at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, about his leadership bid, introduced by Rachel and Leeds Central MP Hilary Benn. This was followed by an audience Q&A session, chaired by Rachel and a meeting with local union and council representatives to discuss his Living Wage Campaign.

Rachel wrote an article in the Yorkshire Post the same day endorsing Ed for leader and giving her reasons why, which you can read here.

In Progress today Rachel writes about the risk of Government cuts

Cameron shifts away from the Lib Dem ‘Greek defence' but rushed cuts and lack of plan for growth could risk the UK ‘turning Japanese'

On Monday 7 June, David Cameron made a speech in which he set out his view on tackling the budget deficit and debt. In a ‘textbook' attempt at blaming the predecessors while preparing the public for the emergency budget on 22 June, he set out three reasons - the size of debt repayments, foreign investors, and the possibility of higher interest rates - for why he believes "there is only one option in front of us: to take immediate and decisive action"...

Read More...

Watch Rachel's maiden speech to the House of Commons below.

Thanks to Dave Naylor at his Caramboo blog for recording Rachel's speech. Hope you enjoy.

In the Guardian today, Rachel is critical of the misuse of the Greek crisis by the coalition government. Read it here.