Richard Holden MP needs his constituent's help to stop the carving up of their beloved North West Durham by splitting up our communities by the Labour party. In their submission to the boundary Commission, Labour wants to split Moorside from Delves, Lanchester and Muggleswick, and get rid of Crook, Tow Law and Weardale. All in order to increase their chance of winning a seat.
Labour’s plan includes:
1.) Putting the Consett area – from Moorside and Delves up – into a seat with Ryton and Blaydon, right up to the Tyne.
2.) They want to put Lanchester Division (including Muggleswick and Castleside) into the North Durham seat which will stretch beyond the A1 to Bournmoor.
3.) They want to chop off Crook, Tow Law, and Weardale and pop them into a new enlarged Bishop Auckland Seat.
4.) And they want to get rid of Satley, Cornsay Colliery, Langley Park, Willington and Hunwick and throw them in with City of Durham
The full boundary commission review to date can be seen here: https://www.bcereviews.org.uk/node/6486?postcode=DH85HE.
Richard Holden MP said:
“It shows just how little Keir Starmer’s London-centric Labour Party care about our towns and villages that they’re trying to smash up long-standing local ties in this way. I’m delighted to have the support of all the Co. Durham Conservative MPs in opposing their plan and really glad of the support of the excellent Conservative councillors from across North West Durham too. The towns and village of North West Durham have seen a transformation in their profile in Parliament and on the national stage since I became the MP with the new plans for the community hospital and a renewed energy on the ground. I won’t let Labour smash up our area for shallow self-interest.”
Councillors Angela Sterling & Michelle Walton for Delves Lane Division said:
“Labour trying to throw Delves Lane in with Tyneside is bonkers and shows not only just how little they care about local ties but how disinterested they are in what’s best for local people. We’ll continue to work closely with Richard Holden MP to fight their proposal every step of the way.”
Councillors Patricia Jopling and Mike Currah for Crook Division said:
“Splitting up the three towns area of Crook, Willington and Tow Law makes no sense. Labour’s proposal it totally daft and doesn’t reflect the strong bonds in education, employment, shopping and our charity and voluntary sector between the two towns. We’re shocked that Labour in Willington and Hunwick have signed up to these proposals which don’t respect local ties and would damage our communities and are backing our MP every step of the way in opposing them.”
And councillors Doug Oliver and Mike McGaun for Lanchester Division said:
“The idea of throwing Castleside, Muggleswick and Lanchester in with villages on the far side of the A1 and not with the Consett area is plain daft. We know Labour are desperate but these proposals show they’ll stop at nothing in their own self interest to the detriment of local people. As we have done since before we were elected, we’ll work with Richard to fight these mad Labour proposals.”