Happy New Year to everyone and I hope you were able to take some time for you and yours over the festive period. For those of you that were working or volunteering, I thank you and hope you can find some time for yourself soon.
As the New Year starts, we all start to think about what it might bring and I wish you all the very best in realising your hopes and dreams. As we move further away from the pandemic the UK economy can continue to improve which will be good for us all.
Putin’s war in Ukraine and the Hamas instigated conflict in Gaza, remind us of the unstable world we live in. These are just two of many conflicts around the world and I sincerely hope we can see them reduce in 2024, but I am afraid there is not much optimism to be had.
Peace is something that has thankfully been largely present in the UK for many years now, but these conflicts remind us how close conflict can be and the importance of living in and promoting democratic processes. I read over Christmas that truly democratic countries have never instigated a war, it’s always autocracies, dictatorships or similar.
You can all help the democratic process in the UK by engaging. 2024 will definitely see us elect a Police and Crime Commissioner for Durham and Darlington and a North East Mayor for us in my Sedgefield Constituency. I would encourage all of you to, at the very least, ensure you are registered to vote and exercise that vote.
Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor will be the name of the Parliamentary Constituency for us at the next election. Although this is forecast to happen in 2024, the precise date is at the choice of the Prime Minister and can be as late as January 2025 if he allows Parliament to go full term.
Each and every one of us has the opportunity to engage in elections, either by standing for election, supporting someone you believe in or just by exercising your right to vote.
Whether you vote or not is a personal choice and the people elected will still be your representatives, but it is very difficult to criticise what they do if you don’t take part in the process.
You will see Parliament sitting again from Monday 8 January and we start with the Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill and I have a Delegated Legislation Committee on Money Laundering.
Every new year creates opportunities and I will be taking every opportunity I can to talk to ministers on your behalf. I will be initially focusing on the Levelling Up Minister, the Secretary of State for Local Government, the Policing Minister and the Transport team, but if there are others you want on my list, please let me know.
And, whatever 2024 brings, my team and I will continue to work hard on your behalf and continue to inform you of all I do as your representative. It was a delight to see a number of you over the break and the thanks we received was humbling.
Representing you remains an extraordinary experience. It is driven by what you, as constituents, request so, as always, if there is anything you want us to help with, or us to be aware of, please either call at one of my surgeries, call Aycliffe 790580 or email paul.howell.mp@parliament.uk