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This week in Denton & Reddish
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** Dear Constituent,
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Hello and welcome to my weekly update!

Last week saw a raft of activity both down in Westminster, including the Chancellor's Autumn statement and a big Levelling Up win, and visits and events right across Denton, Reddish, and from this edition, the new Gorton & Denton constituency as well.

Please scroll down to the community board to start filling up the Christmas-time diary musts!
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This week, #DestinationDenton ([link removed]) was granted almost £17m of funding for the Festival Hall, Victoria Park and public realm improvements around the town centre.

I thanked the Levelling Up Minister for that funding and ask how I, as the MP, can be kept involved in the project beyond the bid.

The Autumn Statement delivered by the Chancellor this week was a pre-election gimmick that does nothing to improve the lives of people across Tameside and Stockport.

It came amidst Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts which downgraded expected growth in the economy over each of the next three years, with debt as a proportion of GDP expected to be 28% higher than when the Conservative Party came to power in 2010.

Despite changes to National Insurance and other taxes, this Parliament is still set to be the most tax-raising Parliament on record, with Labour’s analysis showing that the tax burden is set to increase by £4,300 per household.

The fact remains, that after 13 years of Tory rule families in Tameside and Stockport are worse off.

This week laid bare the full scale of the damage this government has done to our economy, with nothing the Chancellor announced even remotely compensating.

Our community deserves better than this catalogue of failure, we need a fresh start and a Labour government to get our economy back on track.”

On the day that the Qatari-brokered deal for a short ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was agreed, pending Israeli hostage releases for the release of imprisoned Palestinians, I joined a small group of Labour MPs to meet the Palestinian Ambassador to the UK in a private briefing organised by Lord Wajid Khan.

His Excellency Husam Zomlot updated us all in detail on the current dire situation facing the civilian population in Gaza and the immediacy for medicine, food, water, fuel and shelter to be provided in adequate quantities over the coming days. He also spoke about the settler violence occurring in the West Bank.

Ultimately, we were all agreed that every effort should now be made by the international community for the current pause to be the genesis for a complete cessation of the violence; for alleged war crimes on both sides to be properly investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice in the international courts; and for a proper concerted effort to get a viable State of Palestine created and recognised, as the only route to stop the bloodshed in the region.

It was a very moving at at times extremely heart-breaking meeting, and I’m so grateful to him for being open and honest about the political challenges ahead, and the urgent necessity for the international community - including the UK - to use every diplomatic, legal and political route to get a lasting resolution to the horrors we have been witnessing

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At Defence Questions I reiterate my view that we need to be working for an enduring cessation of the violence and to get aid into Gaza quickly. I ask what help UK forces can give to build up capacity to get the support into Gaza in the quantities we need to save lives.
Andrew in the constituency

SUPPORTING WORK FOR SMILE UK'S FOODBANK

It was a pleasure to visit the Work for Smile UK foodbank in Crowcroft Park and see the brilliant work they're doing to support the local community.

Run by Zaman and his family, and other dedicated volunteers, they offer lots of food and support providing a lifeline during what is a difficult time for many.

MINI COP-28 IN GORTON

Thank you to Afzal Khan MP who invited me along to a mini COP-28, with schools across Gorton being invited to take part in an environmental summit.

The work the children had done was incredible, on a whole range of subjects from global warming, deforestation, warm homes, wildlife protection and more.

VISITING RUSHFORD PARK

A huge thank you to Councillors Suzanne Richards, Luthfer Rahman and Abid Chohan for showing me around the fantastic sport facilities at Rushford Park.

There’s now no fewer than five floodlit astroturf pitches, a full-size grass pitch, changing facilities and a brilliant function room. They also have plans for a multi-games area and eventually a sports hall too. They have over 350 kids playing football here and it’s great to see such a big investment in community and grassroots sport.
Andrew in the the media

Poverty destroys lives.

It puts up barriers to potential, wrecking life chances and holding communities back.

The fact that in 21^st century Britain, the scourge of poverty remains an ever-present in so many parts of this country, is a national disgrace.

Here in Tameside, we still face immense challenges in tackling poverty, symbolised by the impact it is having on the next generation.

In 2021/22, over one third (36.1%) of children in Tameside were living in poverty, a figure that rose by 5% since 2014/15.

Thankfully, we have a community that looks out for each other, giving a helping hand to those that need it.

Last Sunday, I spent time volunteering at the Work for Smile UK foodbank in Crowcroft Park, Longsight, which will form part of the new Gorton and Denton constituency, in which I will be the Labour candidate at the next general election.

Run by a gentleman called Zaman, alongside his family and other dedicated volunteers, the foodbank is a vital resource for the local community.

It provides a safety net for so many, ensuring people have the basics they need to keep going.

But the fact that so many people must rely on foodbanks should concern us all.

After 13 years of Tory decline, relying on a foodbank is a necessity facing almost three million people across the UK, according to the Trussell Trust.

When it comes to the fight to end poverty, tinkering round the edges won’t cut it, we need a fundamental change.

It's why I’m proud to back Labour’s New Deal for Working People, led by my Tameside colleague Angela Rayner MP, which will deliver a genuine living wage and extend it to all adults, scrap the scourge of zero hours contracts, and strengthen workers’ rights.

Measures that won’t just make a change in the here and now but help fight back against poverty for generations to come.

However, in the face of that Tory decline, foodbanks like Zaman’s, as well as those at St Mary’s Church in Haughton Green and Tameside East in Dukinfield, are doing an incredible job, and need our support now more than ever.

As we head into the Christmas period, when foodbanks are often at their busiest, I would urge everyone across Tameside to show their local foodbank the support it needs, through donations or volunteering, and help keep that community spirit going.
Community Board

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Andrew Gwynne . 139 St Annes Road . Denton . Manchester, Greater Manchester M34 3DY . United Kingdom