Rishi Sunak was taunted about living under a Labour mayor in his North Yorkshire constituency at Prime Minster’s Questions yesterday.
Harrogate-born David Skaith was elected mayor of York and North Yorkshire on May 2 last week. He took up the role yesterday.
Mr Skaith was photographed with Labour leader Keir Starmer at Northallerton Football Club a couple of hours after he was declared mayor on Friday.
Mr Starmer told the House of Commons that Mr Sunak now had “great Labour councillors” in Downing Street and Southampton, where he grew up, and a Labour mayor in London.
He added:
“At his mansion in Richmond, he can enjoy a brand new Labour mayor of North Yorkshire.”
Mr Sunak was quick to reply:
“I was of course surprised to see the honourable gentleman in North Yorkshire. Although probably not as surprised as he was when he realised he couldn’t take the tube there.
“I can tell him the people of North Yorkshire believe in hard work, secure borders, lower taxes and straight talking common sense.
“They are not going to get any of that from a virtue signalling lawyer from North London.”
Mr Starmer said:
“It was great to be in Northallerton where they had just voted to reject the Prime Minister’s proposition.
“No matter where he calls home, all his neighbours are backing this changed Labour Party.”
Read more:
- How Labour defeated the Tories in North Yorkshire’s first mayor election
- Harrogate Station Gateway: consultants’ fees rise to £2.1 million
- North Yorkshire combined authority advertises for £125,000 chief executive
Andrew Jones MP urges Prime Minister to ease ‘strain’ on access to Harrogate NHS dentists
Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones today urged the Prime Minister to tackle the “immediate strain” facing local people trying to access NHS dentists.
Concerns about a shortage of NHS dentists in Harrogate were heightened last week when Chatsworth House Dental Clinic, on King’s Road, said it will stop treating NHS patients at the end of the year.
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions today, Mr Jones said he and fellow North Yorkshire MPs met with the local integrated care board last week to discuss ways of improving dentistry provision. He added:
“But when surgeries suddenly close to NHS patients without notice as one in Harrogate did very recently, an immediate strain is put on local provision.
“Will the Prime Minister look at what can be done in these circumstances to ensure that no one is left without access to an NHS dentist?”
Mr Sunak pledged to “look into this issue” and said Mr Jones would be “reassured” to know the government was investing £3 billion a year into dentistry. He added there were no geographical restrictions on which dentists people could attend.
‘Sitting on the sidelines’
Tom Gordon with Daisy Cooper, the Liberal Democrats’ health spokesperson.
The man who hopes to succeed Mr Jones as Harrogate and Knaresborough MP at the next election accused his rival of “sitting on the sidelines” over dentistry.
Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, said he was “pleased that after 13 years Andrew Jones has finally bowed to pressure and asked a question in Parliament about the dentist crisis affecting local residents”, adding:
“In the last six months, the Lib Dems have been increasing the pressure on him to do this. We have set up a dentists survey, arranged a meeting with the Lib Dem shadow health minister and made sure that questions were asked in Parliament about this issue.
“We’ve heard awful stories about how local people have been putting up with pain as they can’t afford to see a dentist. It shouldn’t have required a concerted campaign to make our MP act.”
“We’re determined to keep on fighting for the cash that will re-establish NHS dentistry in our area. We hope Andrew Jones will join us in this fight rather than sitting on the sidelines as he has done over this and many other issues for the last 13 years.”
Following his meeting with Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board last week, Mr Jones said:
“Dental services have been recovering but there is much more progress to be made.
“It is important that action is taken swiftly to expand the NHS dental provision in our area.”
Read more:
- Station Gateway: Andrew Jones calls for funding to be switched to ‘other projects’
- Local politicians raise concern over lack of Harrogate and Knaresborough NHS dentistry
- Harrogate NHS dentist to move to ‘membership only’ patient scheme
Andrew Jones MP calls on Prime Minister for rail improvements
Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones today urged the Prime Minister to introduce more apprenticeships in the rail industry.
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Question Time, Mr Jones asked Boris Johnson if he would ensure there were apprenticeship schemes in place to help the industry become more efficient and embrace technology.
He called for the government to focus on training engineers and drivers in order to recover services lost during the covid pandemic.
The Conservative MP said:
“For years in Harrogate and Knaresborough we had the Labour no growth Northern rail franchise.
“We have new rolling stock, more and better services. We have though seen some lost as the industry has had to suspend some services while they catch up on driver training lost during the pandemic.
“Strikes just takes us back to the 1970s, so will the Prime Minister’s focus on the future ensure that we have apprenticeship schemes focussing on engineering and driver training to ensure we recover the services lost and an industry that’s focused upon efficiency and embraces technology for the future.”
Read more:
- Harrogate rail campaigner ‘optimistic’ early morning train could be reinstated
- No replacement buses for Harrogate district commuters during strike
- No trains for two days in Harrogate next week as strike action hits
In response, Mr Johnson said:
“We’re doing just that.
“We’re reforming train driver training to make entry into the sector simpler, while continuing of course to make sure we meet vital safety requirements.”
Chris Watt, a Labour Party campaigner in Harrogate and Knaresborough, responded on Twitter by saying that Harrogate was one of the last stations left with old fashioned Pacer trains during Mr Jones’ time as rail minister.
Ripon MP urges Boris Johnson to take ‘more humane approach’ to Ukraine refugeesExtraordinary #Harrogate #Knaresborough MP @AJonesMP to call for rail improvements #PMQs when he was Rail Minister (3 times) Harrogate line was one of the last in the country left suffering Pacer trains and under his @Conservatives Gov @northernassist have recently cut services!
— Chris Watt (@ChrisWatt4) June 22, 2022
Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith urged Boris Johnson to adopt a “more humane approach” to Ukrainian refugees at Prime Minister’s Questions today.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Smith, a Conservative, said to Mr Johnson:
“People across the country are genuinely concerned at our response on refugees, on the bureaucracy, on the tone of our response.
“He’s shown with vaccines that government change really comes from the very top. Please can I urge him to look again at resetting our policy and taking control of a more humane approach to those women and men fleeing from Ukraine.”
Mr Johnson replied that this government “have done more than any other to resettle vulnerable people since 2015”.
Mr Johnson responds to Mr Smith.
He added:
“I think there is a huge opportunity now for us to do even more and that’s why my friend, the Rt Hon Secretary of State for Levelling Up will be setting out a route by which the British people — not just the family reunion route which can run into the hundreds of thousands — but also a route by which everybody in this country can offer a home to people fleeing Ukraine.”
Mr Johnson said further details would be revealed “in the next few days”.
Just over a week ago Mr Smith urged the government to “rip up the usual bureaucracy and let’s just say they are welcome and we will make it as easy as possible to be here”.
Harrogate Conservative leader defends local response
Harrogate Borough Council leader Richard Cooper has accused the opposition Liberal Democrat leader Pat Marsh of appearing ignorant after she asked what steps the Tory-controlled council was taking to help the people of Ukraine.
Cllr Pat Marsh
Cllr Marsh asked in an email:
“What is being planned? Have we earmarked possible accommodation, have monies been allocated to help to feed, possibly clothe people?
“Please start some proactive actions now, the people of Harrogate district would support all efforts to help these desperate people fleeing a war zone, not of their making. We cannot just sit by and do nothing.”
Read more:
- Ripon MP Julian Smith urges UK to ‘rip up’ red tape and welcome Ukrainian refugees
- Harrogate council HQ ‘like the Mary Celeste’, says councillor
She also urged the council to lobby the UK government to grant more visas to Ukrainians.
Cllr Cooper’s response, seen by the Stray Ferret, says Cllr Marsh was “entirely wrong to allege that Harrogate Borough Council has sat by and done nothing”.
Cllr Richard Cooper
He added:
“For a start I have asked the council housing team to identify available properties so that we can react quickly to accommodation refugees as we did for Syrian and Afghan refugees.
“We have established contact with Jenny Travena, a former independent councillor, who is working with the Harrogate District of Sanctuary to coordinate our efforts when refugees arrive.
“We will take part in the government’s matching scheme to provide suitable accommodation with individuals and families fleeing the war when the final arrangements for it are announced.
“We have also determined that we have no contracts with Russian companies nor investments with them. We have cancelled performances at the Royal Hall from Russian linked companies and we have shown our solidarity with the people of Ukraine by hoisting their flag at the Civic Centre and the war memorial.
“I am concerned that your email gives an impression – granted that it appears to be from ignorance – that the borough council is taking no action whatsoever to prepare for Ukrainian refugees. This is entirely untrue. The action you have asked for is already being taken and I am rather surprised you didn’t know about it.”
Boris Johnson urged to support Harrogate Town’s Wembley campaign
Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones today urged the Prime Minister to support Harrogate Town’s bid to rearrange the date of its trip to Wembley so fans can attend.
The Football Association has said last season’s postponed FA Trophy final between Harrogate and Concord Rangers will take place behind closed doors at Wembley on May 3, just two weeks before fans can return to stadiums.
It means Town fans will be cruelly denied a trip to the home of English football for the second time in 12 months.
Speaking today at Prime Minister’s Questions, Conservative MP Mr Jones described a Wembley cup final as the “holy grail” for supporters of smaller clubs. He said all four MPs of affected clubs backed the campaign to move the date and asked:
“Will the Prime Minister join us in encouraging those scheduling the matches to do all they can to move the date so that fans can attend?”
Boris Johnson replied:
“I hope very much that the Football Association will listen to carefully to what my honourable friend has to say and that they do what they can.”
Read more:
The FA previously said the game would be rearranged when fans can return. Town fan Rob Nixon told the Stray Ferret supporters should be rewarded for their patience.
“After missing out on Wembley last year, we had a lot of good faith in the FA after they suggested a final we could attend this season. I think it’s only fair they honour this and reward the fans for our patience.”
A petition set up by a Harrogate Town fan to move the fixture now has over 1,100 signatures.
Andrew Jones urges PM to give support package to conference sectorHarrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones today urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to commit to a support package for the conference and exhibition industry.
Speaking at Prime Minster’s Questions, Jones said Johnson had recognised the difficulties facing the industry last month when he revealed ministers were working urgently on a support package for sports clubs that rely on paying spectators.
Jones said the the exhibition industry was “really important in Harrogate and Knaresborough”, adding:
“Could he tell the House when that package will be coming forward, and will it include the conference and exhibition industry?”
Read more:
Johnson said the conference and exhibition industry was worth about £90 billion to this country and of “massive importance” but did not commit to any firm support.
He added:
“It was a very difficult decision to take to pause conferences and exhibitions. We want to get them open as fast as possible.
“Of course, they have had a lot of support, as I indicated earlier—the £190 billion package is there to help businesses of all kinds—but the best way forward is to get the kind of testing systems that will enable not just conferences and businesses of that kind but all types and even theatres to reopen and get back to normality. That is what we are aiming for.”