Sharon Hodgson MP's report - Oct-Nov 2020 number 133

Click on the picture above to read Sharon Hodgson MP's report - Oct-Nov 2020 number 133

You can read Sharon's latest Sunderland Echo column below or on the Sunderland Echo website.

As the Government places Northern regions under experimental lockdown measures, without the financial backing to help them through, the North-South divide has never been so apparent.

But as people in our region know all too well, Tory neglect of the North predates Covid-19.

Local Authority budgets in our region have been savaged since 2010, exacerbating long-term regional inequalities between the North and South.

Shocking statistics from the End Child Poverty Coalition show that some of the largest increases in child poverty have come from Northern towns and cities, with the North East seeing the largest jump of any region in England.

In my constituency, 35% of children are growing up in poverty, an almost 9% increase since 2014/15.

This is before we even take into consideration the consequences of Covid-19, which has left the North East facing economic turmoil not seen since the days of Thatcher.

Families face significant economic uncertainty, and need reassurance that support will be there to help them care for their children and stop them from slipping into poverty.

However, the Government is threatening to slash the safety net even further, by scrapping the £20 uplift to Universal Credit in April, which will only make it harder to make ends meet and plunge our children into further hardship.

Tackling poverty and addressing its root causes needs to be at the heart of any Covid recovery plan, to ensure this pandemic does not commit a future generation to a life of deprivation.

The Government must urgently reform the social security net, and retain the £20 uplift in Universal Credit (UC) and apply this to other legacy benefits.

In the face of already unacceptable levels of child poverty, our country’s children are now at severe risk of being swept even deeper into deprivation.  Reforming UC and maintaining the £20 uplift would put much-needed cash into the pockets of Britain’s poorest families, helping them through this crisis, and would put us back on path to a fairer, more just society in the aftermath of this pandemic.

Sunderland Echo website >

Sharon Hodgson MP's report - Sep-Oct 2020 number 132

Click on the picture above to read Sharon Hodgson MP's report - Sep-Oct 2020 number 132

You can read Sharon's recent Echo Column below or on the Sunderland Echo website.

Many families in our area have already been hit hard financially by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Yet, as they have done so often during this crisis, the Government recently overlooked the needs of working families in our region. Local lockdown measures were implemented at short notice, which effectively put an end to informal childcare arrangements.

This left parents who rely on support from grandparents, friends and family facing a choice between staying at home to care for their children and potentially losing their job, or finding formal childcare with no notice and no budget to pay for it.

Many constituents wrote to me to share their worries and anxieties. Families who were already often on low pay, particularly women and single parents, were left facing severe hardship. I wrote to Matt Hancock to raise their concerns, and asked the Government to reconsider.

Thankfully, Ministers relented, and have now said that informal childcare arrangements for those aged under 14 can continue, ensuring those who rely on them are not left under even more financial strain as we adjust to new local restrictions.

But whilst this decision has provided some relief to working parents, I know that for many of us the next few weeks will continue to be challenging. Local lockdown will keep friends and families apart, and businesses face renewed financial pressures.

Nobody wants to see any more restrictions on our daily life, but the concerning growth of this virus cannot be ignored.

I would therefore urge everyone to continue to follow local lockdown measures, which remain in place alongside the additional measures announced by Government. Please avoid visiting other people, only socialise with members of your own household, and only take essential journeys.

As ever, if any of my constituents have any concerns about these measures, please do email [email protected] and I will do all I can to help you.

Our region has felt the impact of Covid-19 more severely than many others. We must now do everything we can to slow the rate of infection, and protect the NHS, our most vulnerable, and the health of those around us.

Sunderland Echo website >

Update on Coronavirus – September 2020

 - As at 24 Sept 2020.



New measures have been introduced across the North East, including in our constituency, to try and bring down the rising number of Coronavirus cases.  New nationwide guidance has also been introduced, but please note the local measures override those.

Sharon Hodgson, Member of Parliament for Washington & and Sunderland West and Shadow Minister for Veterans has welcomed the new measures in Washington and Sunderland West and across the North East, aimed at curbing the rising cases of Coronavirus.

(Clicking on the above image will take you to guidance provided by the Government on the new restrictions)

Sharon is calling on all constituents to follow the measures, in order to keep everyone safe and ensure that our NHS is not overwhelmed.

Full guidance from the Government can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/north-east-of-england-local-restrictions

Information from Sunderland City Council, including FAQs, can be found here:

https://www.sunderland.gov.uk/article/17375/New-Covid-19-restrictions-for-our-region-17-September

Sharon said:

‘’I welcome the new measures being introduced, as the rise in cases of coronavirus in recent days has been concerning. The Government must now provide any additional support that our Local Authority needs for improved testing and to support people where necessary.

‘’It is vitally important that everyone follows the new measures, in order to keep us all safe, and protect our NHS.

‘’This will be a challenging time for many people, but I know that we can work together and bring the cases down in the coming days and weeks.’’

Sharon Hodgson MP's report - Aug-Sep 2020 number 131

Click on the picture above to read Sharon Hodgson MP's report - Aug-Sep 2020 number 131

Sharon Hodgson MP's report - Jul-Aug 2020 number 130

Click on the picture above to read Sharon Hodgson MP's report - Jul-Aug 2020 number 130

You can read Sharon's latest Sunderland Echo column below

There is almost no part of the economy that has not been badly affected by the impact of Coronavirus and the necessary measures taken to limit its spread.

It seems like every day brings further announcements of job losses. Behind every new tranche of numbers are individuals and families who now face a worrying and uncertain future.

Alongside manufacturing more widely, one area which is being particularly damaged is the aerospace industry. The near total suspension in air travel and continued low passenger numbers are having a significant knock on effect on companies such as Rolls-Royce.

As the MP for a constituency home to a Rolls-Royce site, I am acutely aware of the scale of the problems facing the company and its workers.

That’s why I convened an urgent meeting last week for MPs with sites in their constituencies and Unite representatives to discuss what is needed from the Government to prevent further job losses and safeguard the high level of skills in the workforce.

Whilst some aspects of Government financial assistance measures have been a lifeline, there have also been significant shortfalls.

As Unite have pointed out, steps taken by our Government pale in comparison to those taken by France and Germany. The seemingly indifferent attitude taken by this Conservative Government was summed up in the absence of any mention of the aviation or aerospace sectors in the Chancellor’s recent summer statement.

It is becoming increasingly clear that further, sector specific, support will be needed in the coming weeks and months.

As the Labour Party has made clear, we need a targeted strategy that acknowledges that workers in struggling sectors cannot and should not be treated the same way as workers in sectors that are already back to full capacity.

Growing up in the North East during the Thatcher Governments, I know how much long-term damage can be done to our communities when industries are abandoned.

If Boris Johnson wants to make good on his ‘levelling up’ rhetoric, he needs to step in and provide a comprehensive strategy to stop continued and widespread job losses in aerospace and manufacturing.

Sharon Hodgson MP's report - Jun-Jul 2020 number 129



Click on the picture above to read Sharon Hodgson MP's report - Jun-Jul 2020 number 129