Letter from Parliament - Simon Danczuk MP

Simon Danczuk, Rochdale MP

I’d like to start by congratulating all the young people in Rochdale who achieved great A level results this week. There is a huge amount of potential in our Borough and it’s great to see talented youngsters achieving and getting on. For those who didn’t get the results they wanted, it’s important not to lose heart. Hard work will pull you through in the end. University is not the only option for young people, though. Apprenticeships and alternative paths are equally valid choices to help you achieve your career goals.

The important thing I always tell young people is to have a goal or a dream. Aim high.

I’m sure lots of people in Rochdale will be able to draw inspiration from Rickie Lambert this week. As a teenager Rickie worked in a beetroot factory before his football career took off. Rickie joined Rochdale as a 22-year-old and through hard work and dedication has gone on to achieve great things. This week he made his England debut and scored the winner against Scotland with his first touch. His story is like something out of Roy of the Rovers.

There is currently a lot being said about a newfound economic confidence rippling through Britain. There certainly is a sense of economic optimism in London – and I’m not surprised after £10billion was pumped in to the Olympics and another £15billion for Crossrail. But that optimism has yet to reach many of the regions, including the North West. In fact, while commentators wax lyrical about a recovery, unemployment actually went up by 7,000 in the North West for the last quarter. This is not good enough.

The Government’s Funding for Lending scheme has not done what it was supposed to do and lending fell for small businesses last year by £4.5billion compared to the previous year. This is not how you kick start a proper non-London-based recovery. Until we get credit flowing again to small businesses and entrepreneurs then local economies will struggle to achieve real growth.

It’s also not helping that commuters are bracing themselves for another inflation busting rail fare increase. This is a result of the appalling deal David Cameron got when negotiating rail franchise extensions.

If any readers would like to spend Friday afternoons debating local or national politics with me then email shah.ali@parliament.uk to join me at my regular cake and debate session at my office in Rochdale.