News Guardian Articles - Alan Campbell MP for Tynemouth

Decrease in police numbers worrying

As a former Home Office Minister I take a particular interest in the levels and causes of crime. It was interesting then to see the impact of the pandemic especially when the economy and society in general was locked down. There was further evidence of rising crime this week with an NFU Mutual report showing…

Battle over Trade Bill

This week saw the latest stage in an important battle raging in Westminster. It is between the Government led by a Prime Minister with a cavalier attitude towards accountability and a Parliament puritanically keen to defend its rights. It emerged earlier this week when Parliament debated the Trade Bill. The Bill allows…

Chancellor announces new measures to help economy

All eyes this week were on the Chancellor as he announced measures to address what he called a “profound economic challenge”. Many of the measures are welcome but the real test is whether they will overcome the lack of confidence people have about going out again. The “psychological security” he…

Calls for an emergency budget

With lockdown easing, there is much talk at Westminster of an emergency budget before the summer. When it happens it needs three priorities – jobs, jobs and jobs. Unemployment doubled in my constituency during April and May and when furlough ends it’s likely to go up even faster. Furlough and Government business grants have been crucial for…

Concerns over food standards

Recently more than 20 Conservative MP’s, including the Chancellor, by accident we are told, rebelled on an amendment to the Agriculture Bill to protect food standards. It does underline unease across the Commons, and even in the Cabinet, about the risk from cheap imports of foodstuffs once we’ve left the…

Anger from local people over Dominic Cummings

As an MP who places great value on being out and about, gauging constituents’ opinion, lockdown has been a challenge. Not so, however, on the matter of the Prime Minister’s advisor Dominic Cummings about whom hundreds of constituents have shared their views. Words like “narcissistic”, “cheating” and “arrogant” are commonplace.…

Lessons must be learned

The Government may hope to get through the COVID-19 crisis before any public inquiry, but with cross party select committees and the media asking questions experience may triumph over hope. This is not just about ministers’ decisions or the effects of a decade of underfunding but the way the NHS…

A virtual Parliament

The challenge of the COVID-19 crisis and the Government’s handling of it demanded more than a daily press conference. MP’s are encouraged to take part online with two hours of questions and statements then limited debate time. Only non-contentious business is being taken at present because there is not yet…

Let’s make sure it’s a country worthy of all the effort

I echo the words of the Prime Minister when he praises our fantastic NHS staff. He says that his experiences have changed his view of the NHS. When he returns to Number 10 I expect he’ll find that our country has changed too. When this pandemic ends there will be important lessons…

Stay at home, save lives

Parliament broke for its Easter recess with MP’s unsure when we’ll return. Our last act was to pass the Coronavirus legislation giving the Government unprecedented but necessary powers. In a way the Commons has practised social distancing for years with the gap between the two frontbenches set at two sword…

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