In 2019 the eyes of the nation were on Northumberland as Blyth Valley made history for electing a Conservative Member of Parliament for the first time ever. Guy Opperman was returned in Hexham and Anne-Marie Trevelyan was re-elected in Berwick Upon Tweed with massively increased majorities. And in Wansbeck, the Labour Party came within 814 votes of losing in all 4 Northumbrian constituencies!
Now, reconfirmed as the biggest party in Northumberland, we have a duty to fight every single day to repay the trust that voters placed in us.
Residents across Blyth Valley were frustrated at a failure to deliver on the referendum outcome they voted for. Even my predecessor Ronnie Campbell wrote in the Guardian that Labour councillors in Northumberland are 'lazy, and only interested in taking home their pay cheques'.
Northumberland Conservatives, on the other hand, recognise that our county has immense potential. The people who live here are rightly proud of their area and in power we can make sure that potential is realised.
Whereas others are only interested in fighting the battles of the last century, we are investing in jobs and industry. While others criticise our county, we are promoting our county and what it has to offer to the rest of the world. Through Discover our Land we are demonstrating that this is a great place to live and visit, and with Produced in Northumberland we are continuing to promote the Northumberland food and drink industry. This is a great place to live, work and do business and we are increasing the number of opportunities for our county to achieve its potential.
Under the leadership of Northumberland Conservatives, the County Council has been recognised by Friends of the Earth as the Greenest county in the North East. In Blyth we have benefitted from millions of pounds of investment in the green technologies industry. On top of that our council has done more in 3 years to restore the Northumberland to Newcastle rail line than the Labour Party did in 30 years. As the MP, I will be working from day one to ensure we have passenger rail services back in South East Northumberland by 2023!
By working together we can deliver the changes that will allow Northumberland residents to achieve their full potential. And that is how in 2020 we can prove voters were right to trust us!
Best wishes for the New Year, Ian.
