News

The Yorkshire Evening Post has reported today that business leaders and MPs in the region, including Rachel, have united to send a letter to the Government emphasising the importance of a high-speed rail network, linking key cities in the north – including Leeds and Sheffield – the Midlands and London, especially with regards to future economic prosperity.

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I marched on Saturday for an alternative to the Government's austerity measures with Yvette Cooper, Luciana Berger and Sharon Hodgson.

Read my take on the march here.

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Families in Leeds West will be worse off because of Chancellor George Osborne’s Budget. Rachel spoke in the House of Commons to criticise the Chancellor’s lack of a credible growth strategy, and questioned what it will mean for hard working families in Leeds West. After her contribution to the debate, she said:

“George Osborne’s reckless policies to cut too deep and too fast are hurting families here in. He is sticking to Plan A, when all the evidence shows that the Chancellor needs to reconsider.

The facts are obvious – growth has been revised down by the Office of Budget Responsibility every time the Chancellor has delivered a Budget. Inflation is steadily rising, and the cost of living is pushed up by the increase in VAT. The Tory-led Government’s economic policies are putting more and more people out of work – and borrowing is up by over £40bn as a result.

What the Chancellor didn’t say is that unemployment estimates are being revised upwards – and it is a real worry for families in Leeds West.

Meanwhile, big business is getting a Corporation Tax cut, while working families are feeling the squeeze.

The Chancellor needs a Plan B – one that puts jobs and growth first.”

Rachel stepped back into the classroom today ? this time as a teacher. She went to Leeds West Academy to lead a ?Teach First? lesson in politics. Rachel talked about her work as an MP, and then gave the Year 10 students the opportunity to role-play as politicians, discussing and debating ways to tackle the current budget deficit.

The lesson was part of the national Teach First Week, when leading figures from business, politics, journalism and entertainment have been sharing their skills and experience with children around the country.

Rachel said, ?I was delighted to be asked to lead the Teach First lesson in politics. I think the Teach First Week is a fantastic innovation, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Leeds West Academy. It?s a great school, and I?m always pleased to be able to support it.

Now, more than ever, it?s important to support the aspirations of our local young people. They all need to know that everyone has the potential to be a success, if given the right encouragement and opportunities. As someone who benefited from some really inspirational role models in my childhood, I?ll be very happy if I can inspire even a few of today?s schoolchildren to realise their ambitions.?

Rachel and students from Swallow Hill Community College and Abbey Grange returned from the Holocaust Educational Trust’s visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau on Thursday 10th March vowing to act on the lessons learned from the experience.

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Rachel organised and chaired a discussion last week with local education providers to discuss education in Leeds West and the upcoming changes.

The meeting was attended by a range of local Headteachers, Chair of Governors and representatives of the University of Leeds, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds Trinity University and Leeds City College. The group came together to talk about budgets, the future of the School Sports Partnership and aspiration amongst local students.

Rachel said, ‘The event was a really good opportunity for local educators to share their views on the challenges facing schools and universities and to discuss collective ways forward. It was very useful to hear what they had to say on local budget changes and future of school sports in West Leeds and I will use these views in my work in Parliament.’

Rachel marked International Women’s Day by meeting Hetty Bower, a 105 year old former Suffragette.

Standing in front of a statue of Emmeline Pankhurst in Westminster, alongside leader of the Labour Party Ed Miliband, Yvette Cooper MP and other Labour Colleagues, they marked the 100th anniversary of the celebration of International Women’s Day.

Rachel said:

“It was an inspirational experience to meet Hetty, who stood up for women getting the vote so many years ago. I’m working hard to see more women MP in Parliament – I’m only the second woman to ever represent the 8 seats in Leeds.”

On Thursday pupils from Bramley St Peters Primary School, Bramley Primary School and Raynville Primary School took to the streets, with Rachel and Councillor Ted Hanley, outside the Baths with posters that they had made themselves and chanted “let us swim!” to protest against the reduction in hours, that would meant they will lose their current swimming lessons at the Baths.

The children were featured in the Yorkshire Post, Yorkshire Evening Post and Guardian Leeds over the weekend and a handful gave interviews to Radio Aire.

On Sunday The Politics Show, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire featured a section on Bramley Baths,which can be watched by clicking here.

Local people are also organising a 'tweet-up’ this week at the Baths to highlight the issue.

Rachel recently took part in a panel discussion as part of West Leeds Academy’s Citizenship Day. Rachel answered questions from the students based around ‘responsibility’. She was joined on the panel by, among others, Lee Ingham (Chief Executive of Bramley Elderly Action) and Dave Gauder (former World’s Strongest Man and Anti-Bullying Champion). Rachel answered a variety of questions, ranging from “what is your proudest achievement” to “if you were Prime Minister for a day, what would you do?”

Rachel said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to talk with West Leeds students about responsibility and citizenship. Some of the questions were really challenging, and I hope that I my answers gave an insight into the work of an MP."

At weekly Prime Ministers Questions yesterday Rachel asked David Cameron what the reduced opening hours at Bramley Baths would mean for the future of school sports and the Olympic legacy in Leeds, as the reduced opening hours mean that schoolchildren will be unable to have their usual swimming lessons at the baths. Unfortunately, the Prime Ministers response didn't address the question.

Rachel will be continuing to campaign against reduced opening hours at Bramley Baths and you can sign up to the mailing list at rreevesmp@gmail.com

Rachel visited Surgical Innovations plc last week, a Leeds-based international supplier of advanced medical equipment. Surgical Innovations specialise in the design and manufacture of pioneering devices for use in what is commonly known as ‘keyhole’ surgery, or surgery that causes minimal lasting damage to a patient after an operation procedure.

Rachel had the chance to meet both the design team and visit the manufacturing centre, and was very pleased to see young local people doing the kinds of jobs that may well be the future of manufacturing in the north of England.

She said:

“Surgical Innovations is a fascinating business, bringing advanced creative designers and manufacturing jobs to Leeds. I was particularly pleased to see the company invest in young people by providing a range of apprenticeship opportunities for local school-leavers and graduates. It is really important that companies in our area invest in young people - especially after the recent disappointing news about the levels of youth unemployment.”