My work in Parliament

A quick update on my work in parliament:

Guy Opperman:
Has spoken in 51 debates in the last year — above average amongst MPs.

Has received answers to 36 written questions in the last year — average amongst MPs.

Has voted in 68.78% of votes in this Parliament with this affiliation — below average amongst MPs. (From Public Whip)

You can find out more about my work in Parliament by clicking on the 'speeches' section above or clicking here

Elected Mayors make a difference in London, New York and Paris - why can't we have one in Newcastle?

I was in Newcastle yesterday urging local people to back a city mayor. The alternative is continued failure on major regeneration projects.
The launch of our Yes campaign to the Mayor vote in May sees voters being asked if they want to replace city leadership with a directly elected, and potentially very powerful, city mayor. The photo is taken with Jon Jo MacNamara, spokesman for the Yes Campaign and Newcastle Conservatives chairman Will Holloway, as we did a tour of some of the City's failed projects such as Newcastle’s East Pilgrim Street scheme, a regeneration effort which has repeatedly failed to get off the ground. Clearly what the city needs is new businesses and jobs - which is not helped by a semi-derelict entry to the city centre.
My view is that an elected mayor would be a really strong voice not just locally but directly to Government. If the Prime Minister wants to make a decision which affects Newcastle right now who does he call? An elected mayor would provide real leadership for this city which is the flagship of our region.

After campaigning in newcastle I also got the chance to go to North Tyneside to help in the local election campaigns there

Kielder News - fuel for thought in the west

The issue of how we sustain rural communities is one of the most fascinating aspects both of my job, but also the many people who work on a local level to assist communities like Kielder and the rural area around Bellingham, Wark and the far west of the County. Sustainability is an oversued word but without a key range of vital community services, one of which is the provision of fuel, these communities struggle. I would dearly have liked a cut in the fuel duty in the budget but know that access to a petrol pump is ever more important.
Thus, the formal re-opening of the petrol station in Kielder Village, which takes place this Friday is a great team effort by so many who should be applauded: it means that the 180 local residents, hundreds of thousands of tourists and large rural businesses based there, such as Northumbrian Water and the Forestry Commission, no longer need to complete a 35 mile round trip to get fuel.

The project has cost £90,000 and a lot of long hours of effort. It is clearly a resounding success and the newly opened un-staffed station, run by a local community group, is thought to be the only one of its kind in England.

The previous station closed in 2008 and it has been an amazing community effort to ensure it reopens. On the announcement, Steve Webb, the owner of Kielder Village Store and Post Office said: “The positive impact this will have on the whole area must not be underestimated. We are now able to offer the local resident, business or visitor as seven day a week fuel supply. The saved time, mileage and confidence to travel around the area knowing Kielder has fuel again is very comforting. Well done to all who made it happen.”

The petrol station will not be staffed so customers pay by credit or debit card prior to filling up. It is open for fuel from 7am to 7pm (with longer opening hours during the summer) seven days a week. There will also be an electric hook up point later in the year.

Funding for the ground breaking project has come from Northumberland Uplands Local Action Group (NULAG) – LEADER, Kielder Limited, Kielder Water & Forest Park Development Trust and Northumberland County Council through its social enterprise and regeneration services. Forecourt Solutions from County Durham carried out the building work to get the petrol station up and running again and Lloyds TSB invested in the project.

There is now even more reason to visit Kielder Water & Forest Park: it is the largest forest in England and the largest man-made lake in northern Europe. It has accomodation and food for every taste and wallet, and is a truly tranquil landscape -rightly recognised by the Campaign to Protect Rural England as our most tranquil spot in this land.
For more information go to www.visitkielder.com, but more importantly Book Now!