Nick with Jesmond residents Olwyn Hocking, David Hickling and Cllr David Hardman

Throughout the summer Nick held surgeries in Jesmond and meetings with a number of residents groups. Amongst the issues raised by residents were strengthening the council’s enforcement of rules for Houses in Multiple Occupation, restricting the use of “To Let” signs by estate agents, noise and anti-social behaviour, the ecouragement of considerate citizenship, student housing in relation to council tax and the benefit system, alcohol licensing, conservation, and the ongoing problem of pollution in the Ouseburn.

For a full account of the action Nick is taking on these and other issues, please see here.

Nick with Catherine McKinnell, MP for Newcastle North, Leroy Rosenier, Shaka Hislop, Sol Campbell and other campaigners

Nick attended the Show Racism the Red Card reception today in Parliament. MPs had been invited to hear a selection of anti-racism campaigners speak about their experiences, and to update Parliament on the good work they have been doing. In attendance were a number of former footballers, including former Newcastle United goalkeeper Shaka Hislop and former defender Sol Campbell.

Show Racism the Red Card is an educational charity that was founded in 1995 by Shaka Hislop and others when he lived in Newcastle in his time as a player here. The organisation sends DVDs, magazines and educational packs to schools across the United Kingdom, to spread the message of anti-racism. They are based primarily in North Tyneside, but they have offices all over the world. There are a number of Show Racism the Red Card Hall-of-Famers with links to Newcastle, such as Les Ferdinand, Chris Hughton, Olivier Bernard, Shay Given, John Beresford and the late Sir Bobby Robson.

Nick said “Show Racism the Red Card is a great organisation doing great work across the country. It started off its life here in the North East, and has grown into something truly inspirational. The reception in Parliament showed us just how far we have come in tackling racism, but also how far we have still to go. The speakers spoke movingly about their experiences in fighting racism, and they are a real credit to their profession.”

Nick with local Councillor David Hardman and Paul Curbishley of Taylor's in Acorn Road, one of the first to sign up to the campaign

Nick visited local businesses in Acorn Road in Jesmond today to support the local efforts spearheaded by Transition Jesmond to reduce the use of plastic bags.

The Jesmond scheme uses a rating scale to identify traders which are reducing their plastic bag use. The top level of three leaves (which has been awarded to 12 out of 21 local stores) designates shops which either do not use plastic bags, or charge customers for them.

The scheme was launched on the 13^th July by the Headteacher and pupils of West Jesmond School and has been welcomed by members of the public. Plans are underway to extend the scheme to other parts of Jesmond and later to the whole of Newcastle. Recently, Morpeth has announced that it will become plastic bag free.

Nick said: “Well done Jesmond traders for taking this issue seriously – plastic bags damage the environment. We can all do our bit to find alternatives. The Government should do more to discourage single use carrier bags. They haven’t even carried out an impact assessment on the likely effect of a charge on plastic bags. I strongly support the Greening Jesmond campaign.”

Nick and the local Councillors at the reopening of Harbottle Park

On Saturday 7^th May, Nick and new North Heaton Councillor Michael Johnson joined Ian Lavery, the MP for Wansbeck and President of the National Union of Mineworkers, for the unveiling of a memorial to the victims of the High Heaton mining disaster in 1815.

Ian spoke very movingly about the hard lives that the men and boys led, their courage in adversity and the hardships that they endured. The memorial itself is a frieze in the Socialist Realism style by local artist Nick Rowsell, and can be found behind the Spinney.

Saturday also saw the relaunch of Harbottle Park in Byker, which has benefited from a range of improvement works thanks to the work of the three local Labour Councillors, George Allison, Veronica Dunn and Nick Kemp. Over 1000 members of the local community were involved in shaping the designs and choosing the play equipment, and residents, including an 86 year old resident of Allendale House and a 2 year old in the neighbouring streets, helped create the new entrance.

The new centre brings together three of the NSPCC’s service teams for the area. Two practitioners from different services set up workrooms  to show local authority representatives, donors and partners how the organisation engage with children.

Nick said: “I really enjoyed my visit to the NSPCC service centre in my constituency. I was impressed by the comprehensive nature of the services that they offer, and by the extent of the investments they have made in caring for some of the most vulnerable children in the North East of England. I am very proud to have the facility in East Newcastle.”

The Factory is the only manufacturer of Battle Tanks and Heavy fighting vehicles in the United Kingdom. In the Government’s Strategic Defence Review, it was not made clear whether the SDR would impact on the future of the plant.

Nick said “The BAE plant is of enormous strategic importance to the country. It is the only factory that manufactures battle tanks and heavy fighting vehicles, and it would be a disaster if it were shut down.”

Nick with Mary Glindon at the launch of the Northern TUC Asbestos Support Group

The Northern TUC Asbestos Support Group was launched today by Nick Brown and North Tyneside MP Mary Glindon.

At their base in the Wallsend People’s Centre, North Tyneside, the Asbestos Support Group will provide advice and guidance for the growing number of workers in the region suffering from asbestos related illnesses such as mesothelioma, pleural plaques and asbestosis. 

The already high number of asbestos-poisoning victims in the North East is set to rise steeply over the next few years as the true scale of exposure is revealed, making groups like this one increasingly significant and relevant.

Nick Brown said: “This is an important initiative by the TUC. The support group offers practical help and advice to the victims of one of the great scandals of our age. Asbestosis is a remorseless killer. We should  stand up for the victims, conduct more medical research to prolong victims’ lives, safeguard future generations from exposure, and make the guilty employers and their insurers pay compensation.”

Nick has been a long standing advocate of asbestos victims, and has pushed to reverse a 2007 House of Lords judgement that denied justice to Pleural Plaques victims.

Nick with members of Newcastle's emergency services

The Evening Chronicle has today published details of a report which shows that Northumbria police force is the second worst hit nationally by spending cuts as a percentage of total funding.

Newcastle East MP Nick Brown said: “What the report shows is that the big Labour urban areas are taking a much bigger hit than the ones that are broadly speaking Conservative supporting. Northumbria has always suffered from being a mixed urban and rural force. It affects their grant formula. They will not find it easy to absorb this real-terms cut.

“Policing is a very labour intensive activity. It seems to me inevitable that this will have an impact on jobs. It makes the job of the chief constable a lot harder at a time when we ought to be helping them.”

And Nick denied claims by the Liberal Democrat and Tory coalition that the country was in it together in terms of painful spending cuts to deal with the national debt.

Nick said: “We are clearly not in this together. These cuts are falling disproportionately on urban police authorities in Labour voting areas. On the face of it, it doesn’t seem fair. Northumbria has always been disadvantaged by being treated as a part rural party urban area when in fact the overwhelming bulk of work is in urban areas.”

Nick at the Opening of Newcastle University's Edwardson Building

Nick Brown has signed a charter highlighting the plight of pensioners. The Newcastle East MP has pledged his support for Newcastle University’s Charter for Changing Age.

The charter provides a radical reassessment of the place of older people in society and calls for “profound” change in attitudes towards ageing.

The charter states: “Too often, political debate has focused on population ageing as a negative issue, a burden to be managed. This negativity pervades attitudes commonly seen in the media, business, employment, education and even in health and social care. Political leadership is needed to promote change across society.”

By 2020 over half the adult population will be over 60.

Nick Brown said: “This charter celebrates the fact that people are living longer – one of humanity’s triumphs. It is also important to recognise and promote age equality in society.”

Nick speaking at this year's Regional Cabinet in Durham

Today’s Evening Chronicle has paid tribute to Nick Brown’s work for the region as Minister for the North East – and criticised the Lib Dem Tory Coalition decision to scrap the post.

The Chronicle says: “Putting political allegiances aside, it is difficult to argue anyone could have represented the region better than the Newcastle East MP. Two parties not at all well-represented here, are now making decisions which will affect our schools, hospitals, police and an economy highly reliant on the public sector. Mr Brown has proven the need for a Regional Minister during his tenure in office and it is time for the Government to tell us its intentions regarding his successor.”