I want to start by wishing everyone in Stourbridge a very happy new year. I hope you all enjoyed a festive period largely free of Brexit chatter, as we once again return to the issue with the restarting of the ‘meaningful vote’ debate in the House of Commons.
The week started, quite appallingly, with the abuse of my colleague Anna Soubry MP, who was called a nazi, shouted at and hounded just outside Parliament. Sadly, she and others from all sides of the argument are used to this level of abuse: a sorry state of affairs brought about by the animosity and divisiveness of the Brexit debate.
I hope that in this new year, we can start to heal these divisions in our society and, as a government, get on with improving people’s lives.
My views on the Prime Minister’s deal as the best possible compromise remain the same, and you can read my full article explaining my reasoning on the front page of my website www.margotjames.com
I have also, of course, returned to my ministerial work. This week I have announced funding for some innovative schemes to help older and disabled people improve their digital skills. I want to make sure that the digital revolution and technology benefits everyone, of all ages and abilities. I am also determined as ever with my ministerial work to bring benefits to Stourbridge, and to that end I will host a digital skills event here later in the year for small businesses and older people.
I will be in Stourbridge on Friday and I am looking forward meeting a group to discuss how we can reduce single-use plastic in our area, cutting waste and improving our local environment. I intend to start a new campaign on this very soon, and I will talk more about it in my next column.
On Saturday I will be hosting an open advice surgery with Quarry Bank Council candidate Chris Blake. If you want to talk to me about any issue at all, please do come along. I will be at the Quarry Bank Community Centre from 10am-11.30pm.
Finally, my warmest congratulations to Dr Janine Barnes from Oldswinford, who was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours. Dr Barnes is an NHS neurology specialist who has worked for the Dudley NHS Trust for ten years. Her determined work supporting Parkinson’s patients in the borough and indeed nationally through her work for Parkinson’s UK and NICE (National Institute for Care Excellence) has been particularly recognised. Congratulations again to Dr Barnes for this richly deserved honour.
As ever, you can keep up with my work on Facebook at www.facebook.com/margotjamesmp. You can also email any questions or concerns to margot.james.mp@parliament.uk and my team and I will do our best to help.
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