Work and Economy

I want to make sure the government does the right things to encourage the creation of more and better jobs in Newcastle – and to make sure that people are paid well, treated fairly and that work is family friendly.

Developing our Economy and creating jobs

The Labour government has really helped Newcastle’s economy to diversify and improve over the last 13 years.

Labour saved Northern Rock, protecting many of the jobs there, and giving it the chance to start again.

Labour improved schools, giving young people the qualifications they need to make their way in the future. Labour has also backed apprenticeships and advanced apprenticeships, and with our Future Jobs Fund we’re giving young people affected by the recession a chance to show what they can do, so that they can get into long term employment as the economy picks up.

Labour is investing in the low carbon economy of the future – making sure that this region leads the development of new industries such as electric car manufacture and renewable energy.

Labour introduced the minimum wage and tax credits, to make sure that everyone gets a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. By introducing the right to ask for family-friendly working patterns, we’ve helped support people who want to work, and look after their children. Labour understands this is about fathers as well as mothers – that’s why this government brought in Paternity Leave as well as extending Maternity Leave.

I will fight for more investment for our region in the industries of the future. I will make sure we keep investing in training for young people, and for older people already in the workforce. I will push for the right balance between workplace learning and college or university based courses. I’ll make the case in Westminster and Whitehall for more high quality civil service jobs to be moved to our area.

I’ll be a passionate advocate of moving to a lower carbon, green economy and putting the North East at the forefront of the opportunities arising from that. That means making sure that we help people invest in making their own homes and transport greener, and I want our own plumbers, roofers, glaziers and central heating engineers to have the chance to benefit from this work. I’ll put pressure onto Newcastle Council too to make sure that the new Science City development benefits local companies and local workers, and provides opportunities for entrepreneurs and innovation. I’ll also work with Tyneside’s other MPs to make sure the whole Tyne riverside from Walker to North Shields develops as a major manufacturing site for wind turbines and other renewable energy projects – and I’ll campaign for good public transport to get Newcastle North’s workers to these new job opportunities. I’ll also back High Speed Rail, and campaign for this to come to Newcastle as early as possible so that we can connect to London, Birmingham, Manchester and the world in a sustainable way.

A Fair Workplace

Labour has done a lot to make sure that people are treated fairly at work.

I’ll support further measures to give people the right to belong to a trade union if they want to, without being victimised at work.

I support the new Equalities Bill which means that you have the right to be treated as an individual and employed, paid or promoted according to your abilities regardless of your gender, ethnicity or a disability

I’ll support more openness on pay – if companies or organisations are paying men more than women, or vice versa, we should know about it and be able to challenge it.

I also support openness on fat cat salaries, and I welcome this government’s new rules that will make councils and government bodies disclose the salaries of high-earning public sector workers.

And I want our tax system to be fair. Work should always pay more than being on benefits, and I support our Prime Minister’s pledge to make that happen. I will support plans to clamp down on tax avoidance by the rich and by companies who benefit from our country’s transport, police and justice system but who seek to avoid their obligations to pay for their share.

A family friendly workplace

This country and this city need to make the most of everyone’s talents. Flexibility at work is good for both employees and employers.

I know that some companies worry about whether they can afford family friendly policies, so I’ll make sure that government legislation creates a level playing field so that good employers are not undercut by bad ones.

As a working mum myself, I know that children need lots of contact with their parents, but also that work is vital to bring in the wages that buy the things that children need.

So I’ll support moves to encourage flexible working that will help parents who have taking time out of work to care for babies and toddlers to get back into work as their children get older. I’ll call for an extension of Sure Start and Extended Schools that provide care for the whole of the working day. I’ll fight to protect tax credits that provide vital support for parents and that help make work financially worthwhile. This is the kind of front-line, people focussed public spending that I will fight to protect, even as savings are made from public sector bureaucracy and waste.

For those facing the challenges of depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses, I support moves to give people easy and quick access to new and practical therapies. I want people to be able to get help quickly and get back to their normal work and family life as quickly as possible.