In the House of Commons today, I asked Dr Vince Cable, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he would be willing to meet with me and representatives from City of York Council to discuss the Council’s … More…

Voluntary organisations in York are struggling to find essential funding despite an increasing need for their services.  I raised this issue in the House of Commons today.  My exchange with Nick Hurd, the Minister for Civil Society, can be read … More…

I welcome the Government’s announcement that High Speed 2 will link the East Coast Main Line at York.   I strongly supported the proposal for a new high speed rail line to Yorkshire when it was first announced by the … More…

  Today marks the 68th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Nazi concentration and extermination camp which is the site of the largest mass murder in history.   In the weeks leading up to today, the Holocaust Educational Trust placed … More…

I met staff at the Jorvik Viking Centre in Coppergate, York today, as they prepare to welcome visitors over the weekend as part of the York Residents Festival.   The 18th York Residents Festival takes place on 26 and 27 … More…

In the House of Commons today, I called on the Government to lower the voting age to 16 for all elections and referendums in the UK.   I was one of a cross-party group of MPs who tabled a motion … More…

  I joined over 70 MPs and Peers from all parties this evening to show my support for a major new campaign by 100 of Britain’s leading development charities and faith groups who have joined together to call for action … More…

  I joined a giant bumble bee and campaigners from Friends of the Earth in the House of Commons last week to draw attention to the alarming decline in UK bee numbers which is due to many factors, including habitat … More…

In the House of Commons this evening, I called for the Department for Work and Pensions to carry out an annual review of local housing allowance and market rents.   I have previously raised my concern over the large gap between … More…

I visited the Golden Slipper pub in Goodramgate today to talk to landlady, Anita Adams about the problems facing the pub industry.   The Golden Slipper is a traditional public house in the centre of York that has the appearance … More…