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Political Priorities
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- Labour's credit card reforms good news for Washington consumers says Sharon Hodgson MP 25.03.10
 Sharon with Consumer Minister Kevin Brennan MP Sharon Hodgson MP has welcomed the Labour Government’s agreement with the credit and store card industry as good news for people in Washington. The agreement means that, in the future, consumers’ most expensive debt – like withdrawing cash on a credit card – will be able to be paid off more quickly, there will be better repayment plans available to customers, a ban on credit limit and rate increases for people at risk of financial difficulty and a right to 60 days to reject interest rate increases. Sharon Hodgson MP said; "This...
- “We must keep investing to help everyone back into work”, says Sharon Hodgson MP 23.03.10
 Sharon with Yvette Cooper MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Sharon Hodgson MP, Labour candidate for Washington and Sunderland West, today called on local Tories to abandon their plans to scrap extra jobs for young people. Sharon Hodgson said: “We have got to keep investing in jobs through the recovery. That’s why I am backing the Future Jobs Fund which will bring more jobs to the area, jobs that David Cameron wants to slash. “In previous recessions unemployed young people were left on the scrapheap. We can’t let this happen again. “That’s why I support Labour’s guarantees...
- Save Sunderland's Sure Start Centres 19.03.10
Sharon Hodgson MP is joining forces with families across Washington and Sunderland to show support for the city’s Sure Start centres. The facilities which essential provide early years support for young children are under threat from Tory plans to cut children’s funding. Almost a hundred local parents signed up to the petition last weekend with many more expected to add their names in the coming days. Families are invited to show how much they love their Sure Start centre at a new website www.saveoursurestart.com. The Tories would cut Sure Start from families on middle and modest incomes. Instead of the...
- Sharon Hodgson welcomes a bonus round for struggling pubs as Government pledges £4 million funding 19.03.10
Local MP Sharon Hodgson today welcomed an announcement by Minister for Pubs John Healey that extra support would be made available for struggling pubs across the country. The 12 point action plan will give practical support to pubs and comes as a welcome boost to the industry which is losing over 40 pubs a week. New help will include £3.3 million for business support to make pubs more successful and help communities buy into struggling pubs to keep them running. Business support is also in place for struggling membership clubs, “beer ties” will be slashed and a consultation is underway...
- Enterprise scheme to help local Veterans “Be the Boss” 18.03.10
Sharon Hodgson MP has welcomed a new scheme to provide ex-service personnel with loans and grants to help them start up their own business. The Labour Government has announced the “Be the Boss” enterprise scheme which will be delivered by the Royal British Legion throughout the UK. Sharon Hodgson MP said: “Veterans in Washington and Sunderland who have bravely served their country deserve help to get a business going. This scheme will take business ideas off the drawing board and made into reality. “I would urge veterans who might be thinking of setting up a business to get in touch...
- 500 reasons to be cheerful as Nissan set to turn out new Leaf 18.03.10
 Sharon Hodgson today welcomed the announcement that Nissan’s new electric ‘Leaf’ model is to be built on Wearside at the Washington plant. The announcement sets in stone the North East’s role at the heart of low-carbon vehicle production and will create up to 500 jobs as well as safeguarding many existing positions for generations to come. Sharon Hodgson said: “This is wonderful news for Washington and Sunderland. We’ve been leading the way for a while when it comes to low-carbon vehicle manufacture and I am delighted that this announcement will cement our reputation as a global hotspot for these...
- Sharon Hodgson MP gets on board with Guide Dogs’ Talking Buses campaign 17.03.10
Gateshead East and Washington West MP calls for better information on the buses. The MP is backing calls for the installation of audio and visual announcements containing information about the next stop to be installed on all local buses. Gateshead East and Washington West MP Sharon Hodgson has pledged her support for Guide Dogs’ ‘Talking Buses’ campaign, at an event held by the charity to raise awareness of how Talking Buses – which clearly announce the next stop and final destination – make bus travel easier and safer for passengers. Guide Dogs has found that many disabled and elderly people...
- Local MP joins Breakthrough Breast Cancer to ensure older patients are given 'Every Chance' to beat breast cancer 03.03.10
 Local MP Sharon Hodgson joined forces with Breakthrough Breast Cancer as the charity launched the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Every Chance campaign to urgently tackle the barriers that limit equal access for older patients to breast cancer treatments and care. At the launch, the MP for Gateshead East and Washington made her commitment to equality within the NHS after hearing mounting evidence that older breast cancer patients are missing out on every chance to access appropriate treatment. Recent research funded by Breakthrough and others shows that some older patients are not benefitting from the advances in radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery...
- MP cuts the ribbon at Children's Society shop re-opening 18.02.10
 Local MP Sharon Hodgson cut the ribbon at the re-opening of the refurbished Children’s Society shop in Concord, Washington last Tuesday (16 February). The new look means that the shop is a brighter more inviting place for customers and staff alike. Sharon said “I am delighted to be able to support the Children’s Society and re-open their fantastic new shop for them. The Children’s Society does a lot of very good work, and so I was only too happy to be here today, and maybe even pick up a bargain or two!” Local residents are being encouraged to bring...
- Shoppers urged to swap for Fairtrade by Sharon Hodgson MP
 Sharon Hodgson MP is encouraging shoppers in Gateshead and Washington to buy Fairtrade products during this Fairtrade Fortnight (22nd February – 7th March). Sharon welcomed Labour’s plan to boost funding for the Fairtrade labelling system and urged shoppers in Gateshead and Washington to look for the Fairtrade Mark on food, gifts and other products in the shops. Over 4,500 products have been licensed to carry the Fairtrade Mark and there are over 460 producer organisations selling to the UK, representing more than 1.5 million farmers and workers in developing countries. Labour’s latest investment will bring another 1 million producers...
- VoteNHS launched 11.02.10
Local MP Sharon Hodgson has welcomed the launch of the “Target Cancer” campaign on www.voteNHS.com, launched by Andy Burnham MP, the Health Secretary, and Douglas Alexander MP, Labour’s General Election co-ordinator. The “Target Cancer” campaign aims to save up to 10,000 lives by backing a pledge to create a new NHS guarantee of cancer diagnosis within one week of GP referral, allowing patients to be tested and told their results in just seven days. Andy Burnham also challenged the Conservatives to reverse their policy of scrapping all NHS targets and patient guarantees, and to match Labour’s one-week cancer diagnosis guarantee....
- MP commits to beating cancer 09.02.10
 Sharon Hodgson MP has backed efforts to beat cancer at a major Cancer Research UK event in Parliament. During the reception, the Gateshead and Washington MP discussed the importance of keeping cancer high on the political agenda. MPs heard about Cancer Research UK’s new Commit To Beat Cancer campaign, which calls on the next Government to make the UK’s cancer outcomes among the best in Europe in the next ten years. The campaign asks supporters to contact their prospective parliamentary candidates, asking them to sign a Cancer Commitment. Sharon Hodgson MP said: “One in three people can expect...
- Sharon Hodgson MP thanked for pledging to 'do her bit' for British Armed Forces 05.02.10
 Sharon Hodgson, MP for Gateshead East and Washington West, has been thanked for pledging to do her bit for the British Armed Forces family. Hodgson met with a delegation from The Royal British Legion at Westminster to get behind the charity’s call for general election candidates of all parties to support the whole Armed Forces family. She also discussed the Legion’s manifesto and the changes that it is calling for. The manifesto sets out priorities for the next Government to improve conditions for the British Armed Forces past and present and their families. It encourages MPs and prospective parliamentary...
- Free laptops and broadband for families with children in Gateshead and Washington 02.02.10
Hundreds of families with school age children across Gateshead and Washington could benefit from a new scheme offering a free laptop and broadband access, according to local Labour MP Sharon Hodgson. The scheme, which has been launched by the Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Schools Secretary Ed Balls, will mean thousands of children and their parents will be able to get internet access at home to boost their school work. Trials of the programme showed that children who benefited spent an hour more each week learning online, compared to their classmates who already had the internet at home. And 81...
- Green boost available for homeowners 02.02.10
Local MP Sharon Hodgson is urging constituents to take advantage of financial support from Government and install energy saving technology in their homes. From April those who install energy-generating devices will be able to claim money from the Government for the energy they produce, on top of the savings they’ll already have made to their household bills. Power from a solar panel could earn a household £900 on top of a £140 saving in energy bills, more than covering the cost of installation. Sharon Hodgson MP said: “I’m delighted that householders who make the effort to go green will be...
- Sharon Hodgson MP commits to safeguard the legacy of Holocaust Survivors 21.01.10
 Today Sharon Hodgson MP pledged her commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day by signing a Book of Commitment in the House of Commons to honour those who perished in the Holocaust. With 27th January marking the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration and extermination camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Holocaust Educational Trust placed a Book of Commitment in the House of Commons to give MPs the opportunity to remember those who were persecuted and murdered during the Holocaust - and to support a ‘Legacy of Hope’, learning from Survivors’ experiences to help create a future free from hatred and...
- MPs back sunbed ban for under 18s 13.01.10
 Sharon Hodgson MP has backed calls to protect children from sunbeds at a Cancer Research UK event in Parliament. Yesterday (January 13th) the Gateshead and Washington MP gave her support to a Private Member’s Bill to prevent under 18s from using sunbeds. Sharon was among dozens of MPs who heard how children raise their risk of skin cancer in later life by using sunbeds – recently upgraded to a top class carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Cancer Research UK’s recently commissioned survey found that in Liverpool and Sunderland half of all 15-17 year old...
- Labours leading women unite to condemn Tory Councillors shocking rape comments
Labour’s Parliamentary Candidates for Sunderland have written to the Leader of the Conservatives in Sunderland, Lee Martin, calling on him to condemn comments which were reported to have been made by Washington Councillor Eddie Wake. MP Sharon Hodgson along with Julie Elliott and Bridget Phillipson have signed a joint letter which states their belief in upholding key values in public life and calls Councillor Wakes reported comments ‘totally abhorrent’. Julie Elliott, who will contest Sunderland Central against Mr Martin said: “I was appalled when I heard these comments and I expect Lee Martin to take action to distance himself and...
- 'Stay Warm' - Labour MP's message as 150,000 people paid extra support during cold snap
Gateshead and Washington MP Sharon Hodgson today told vulnerable families in her constituency not to panic about the cost of keeping warm as the Government pays out millions in Cold Weather Payments. Around £200 million in payments has been racked up so far this winter, with just over £70 million of this over the cold New Year’s weekend. Sharon Hodgson MP said, "As the cold weather continues, I don’t want vulnerable people to feel left in the cold. I especially want the elderly to know that extra help is on the way. "There are two ways we are helping this...
- North East MP and MEP join forces to tackle rogue trader rip off 05.01.10
 North East MP and MEP join forces to tackle rogue trader rip off Sharon Hodgson MP has joined forces with her European counterpart Stephen Hughes MEP to warn local businesses of the thousand pound threat posed by foreign fraudsters after they targeted a local club. The Parliamentarians are concerned that business across the North East could fall foul of attempts to get hold of thousands of pounds in false ‘advertising fees’ from fake listings brochures such as the European City Guide and the European Directory. Targeted businesses are offered a ‘free’ entry into the brochure, only to find...
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