Mark Eastwood MP: Enjoying being out and about in the community

Mark Eastwood MP writes: While I was saddened and disappointed that we got to the situation where Boris felt he had to resign. I have had no hesitation in backing Liz Truss throughout this contest as I firmly believe she has the right credentials to become our next Prime Minister.

Liz was brought up in Leeds and has visited Dewsbury several times in her previous ministerial and secretary of state roles.

She understands the challenges facing local people and has the right plan for the economy to help ease the rising cost of living and to level up all communities within Dewsbury and Mirfield.

Meanwhile, away from the national political scene and with Parliament breaking for recess, it has been an excellent opportunity to get out and about.

This week, I have been engaging with local businesses, such as visiting G Brocklehurst Transport to discuss fuel costs affecting the haulage industry.

I was also delighted to call in to see the Take Ten team in Dewsbury to congratulate Stevie Morley for winning the Yorkshire Choice Volunteer of the Year Award and to discuss support for their mental health and suicide prevention initiatives.

Take Ten was also one of the places Liz Truss visited on a previous visit to our town a few years ago.

At the weekend, it was great to participate in the Kumon Y’all charity football tournament in Savile Town on Saturday with my team ‘Eastwood Wanderers’.

I was honoured to present prizes alongside the Mayor of Kirklees. It was also a pleasure to showcase such a fantastic event to Cabinet Minister Andrew Stephenson MP, who was visiting our town.

I was pleased to have a proactive meeting this week with Dewsbury Neighbourhood Police, Safer Kirklees and the Hope for Justice Charity to see what localised action is being taken to ensure that our town is a safe place for people to visit. From my discussions with constituents, it is clear that the people of Dewsbury expect crime and anti-social behaviour to be tackled firmly and effectively, which is why I am supporting efforts to drive down crime and improve public safety.

I have also attended the Mirfield in Bloom judging day this month and congratulate the team for recently receiving the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. I was also delighted to attend the Castle Hall Academy Careers Fair which offered students a great opportunity to engage with a variety of organisations and enables them to make well-informed and confident decisions regarding their aspirations and future careers.

Finally, it was good to visit the Howlands Centre this week to meet local town centre businesses to discuss their issues and concerns. I’d also like to wish Howlands well for their Open Day this Friday, July 29 to celebrate their 70th anniversary. I would encourage as many people to come along to the Howlands on the day to join them in marking this fantastic milestone.

Thank you for reading.

As always, the team and I are here to help. Please feel free to contact me via email: [email protected] or telephone 01924 939007.