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02
Jan 2024
MPs Watch: New leisure centres, New Year's Honours and spiking
Every month the Stray Ferret tries to find out what our local MPs have been up to in their constituencies and in the House of Commons.
In December, Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre became the latest leisure facility to open its doors in the Harrogate district.
Meanwhile, the New Year’s Honours list was revealed and the government unveiled plans to tackle spiking across the UK.
We asked Keir Mather, Selby and Ainsty MP, if he would like to highlight anything in particular, but did not receive a response.
Here is what we know after analysing their online presence.
Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP.
In Harrogate and Knaresborough, here is what we found on Mr Jones:
- On December 11, he visited the newly opened Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre.
- On December 12, Mr Jones accused Liberal Democrats of covertly following him after his car was photographed in Harrogate without valid MOT.
- On December 15, Mr Jones visited Harrogate business Techbuyer to sign an IT Repairs and Reuse declaration. He also received a tour of the company.
- Mr Jones spoke in the House of Commons on December 18 to welcome to government’s plan to tackle spiking in the UK.
- Mr Jones welcomed the arrival of the Winter Fuel Payments and Pensioner Cost of Living Payments for pensioner households worth up to £600 on December 28.
When we contacted Mr Jones for comment, his office sent a list of his engagements for December.
They included attending Vida Court care home to turn on their Christmas lights, meeting with with senior leadership at North Yorkshire Council to discuss SEND funding and welcoming students from Ashville College to Parliament.
Others included visiting Hampsthwaite Church of England Primary School to present the winner of his Christmas card winner with their framed entry and certificate and participating in an episode of BBC Politics North in Leeds.
Mr Jones also attended a Christmas candlelight vigil at Stonefall cemetery in Harrogate and met with Cancer Research UK to discuss the Government’s smokefree generations pledge.
Julian Smith, MP for Ripon and Skipton.
In Ripon, here is what we found on Mr Smith:
- Mr Smith made no spoken contributions in the House of Commons in December.
- Mr Smith updated his website 13 times in December, which included posts promoting government initiatives and visits within his constituency.
- On December 30, he congratulated Mary Fisher, lollipop lady at Darley and Summerbridge Community Primary School, for her New Year’s Honour British Empire Medal.
- He posted 20 times on his X account, promoting various government funding initiatives and visits to local businesses in Skipton and Ripon.
When we contacted Mr Smith for comment, his office sent a roundup of his engagements for December.
Among them included attending the Skipton and Ripon Area Constiuency Committee, visiting Fisher Medical Centre and Skipton Job Centre to learn more about how they were supporting the community.
Mr Smith also met Simon Theakston, managing director of Theakston Brewery in Masham, to discuss the chancellor's autumn statement and visited Moorside Primary School to speak to pupils from years 5 and 6 about his role as an MP.
Keir Mather, Selby and Ainsty MP.
In Selby and Ainsty, which includes rural south Harrogate, here is what we found on Mr Mather:
- Mr Mather posted 12 times on his Facebook page in December. None of the updates related to areas of his constituency which fall in Harrogate.
- He posted seven times on his X account, none of the updates related to areas of his constituency which fall in Harrogate.
- On December 6, he spoke in the House of Commons on a debate on conversion practices for LGBT people. He called on the government to ban conversion therapy in the UK.
Read more:
- MPs Watch: New MP, River Nidd and Mayoral election
- MPs Watch: Climate change, NHS dentists and Harrogate Station Gateway saga
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