Labour Party: Weardale Branch

30/08/2026

There are lots of funding schemes available for voluntary and community groups in County Durham from national, regional and local sources. Our councillors also have funds available that you may be able to apply for.

28/08/2026

Labour have gained Billinge & Seneley Green in St Helens (Merseyside) in today’s by‑election, taking the seat from Reform UK.
It’s a useful result for us here in the North East — County Durham, Teesdale, Bishop Auckland, Shildon and the wider region — because St Helens has been one of Reform UK’s strongest council areas nationally. They won all three seats in this ward back in May. Today’s gain shows a clear shift back towards Labour, even in places where Reform had recently broken through.
For anyone following politics across the North East, it’s a reminder that local by‑elections can move quickly, and that Reform’s vote isn’t fixed even in areas where they’ve surged. Interesting that they are close to losing control here in County Durham. Just needs a few more clear minded councillors to pull away from the EXTREMISTS.

27/08/2026

Mutuals are how we can revive Britain’s high streets.

Place-based businesses reinvest where their members live, and doubling the size of the co-operative sector would put that model on high streets across the country.

27/08/2026

No child should grow up in a hostel.

No family should wait ten years for a home.

That is why Labour is investing nearly £10 billion to build genuinely affordable homes where they’re needed most.

26/08/2026

August Surgeries 📅

Here are the dates and times for my MP surgeries across August.

If you need support with an issue or would like to discuss how I can help, you're welcome to book a private appointment with me. To book a slot, please email [email protected]

I'll shortly be sharing details of my Summer Roadshow events across the constituency for August - September very soon, if you'd prefer to come along, meet me and have a chat at one of my public events!

25/08/2026

Rural areas need to give their input.

The future of buses in the North East is up for discussion - and we'd love you to be part of the conversation 🚌 💛

Join our free online event tomorrow (Saturday 25 July, 10:30-11:30am) to learn more about bus franchising, ask questions and find out how to have your say in the consultation.

Sign up link 👇

21/08/2026

Agricultural shows are one of the few places where rural residents can speak directly to their MP about:

farming policy

rural transport

planning and land use

veterinary access

broadband and mobile coverage

local services

environmental regulation

Your MP wants to be present but some organisers are blocking...

Please feel free to comment below.

29/07/2026

Just turn up.

24/07/2026

We need your help to shape the future of rural transport in the North East!

We at Weardale Community Transport are excited to be a partner in a new and exciting project called ROUTES (Rural Optimised User-centred Transport Eco System) that's hoping to make it easier for people to access employment, healthcare, education, and community activities by developing more flexible, accessible, and demand-led transport solutions.

It's a new initiative funded by the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority to improve transport options across rural areas of the North East.

The project is focusing initially on researching West Gateshead, South Northumberland, and North County Durham, working closely with local communities to understand existing transport challenges and identify gaps in provision.

By combining local knowledge with detailed transport data, the project will help develop practical solutions that meet the needs of rural residents. These could include community transport services, shared vehicles, accessible transport options, and demand-responsive services that complement existing public transport networks.

To ensure the project is shaped by those who use transport services, we are asking residents, groups, and organisations to complete our survey and share their views.

Please find the survey here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=aKng34m4lUqjPyDLXnseB2wOPN5AqKNAoQfrVJxHrDtUNVdTMDRBMzA1WkZOVllCQUo2VFBSS0I4VC4u&route=shorturl

We would also be grateful if you could share the survey with your networks, friends, family, colleagues, service users, and community members so that as many people as possible have the opportunity to contribute.

Your feedback will play an important role in shaping future transport services and helping create stronger, better-connected rural communities.

24/07/2026

Yesterday evening, we spent time canvassing in part of as part of our Labour listening campaign.
We were grateful to speak with more than 50 households about the issues that matter most to them. We heard many thoughtful and relevant comments and concerns about local, county and national matters, and these are being fed back to Sam Rushworth MP.
People were friendly, welcoming and, in some cases, pleasantly surprised to be visited and listened to.
A sincere thank you to everyone who took the time to speak with us, share their views and raise their concerns. Your voices matter, and we are grateful for the opportunity to listen.