In Parliament, I spoke up for the proud and hard-working people of Rumworth, Farnworth, Little Hulton, Great Lever, Walkden, New Bury and Kearsley — communities that have been left behind after 14 years of Conservative austerity.
Rumworth is now the 10th most deprived ward in the country. Over the years, we’ve seen youth centres close, vital local services disappear, and councils stretched to breaking point. Yet despite all this, our communities have never given up.
Groups like Urban Outreach, Wharton and Clegg’s Lane Church, and the Farnworth and Kearsley Food Bank go far beyond just handing out food. They help people manage debt, access benefits, tackle homelessness, and support those rebuilding their lives after prison. Our local charities and faith organisations are keeping people warm, fed, and supported — where government has failed, they have stepped in.
But this isn’t sustainable. The problems our communities face — from transport to childcare, from housing to health — are all connected. That’s why I backed ICON’s call for a national neighbourhood renewal strategy that puts local voices at the heart of decision-making, and for a serious funding commitment in the next spending review to rebuild areas like Rumworth, Farnworth and Little Hulton.
We’re not asking for handouts — we’re asking for fairness. We’re asking to be seen.