My Views

From Yorkshire Bylines, August 1st, 2020
Written by John Grogan & Lord Kirkhope

In September 2015 ahead of a speech in Leeds, Prime Minister David Cameron was asked about devolution. Thinking himself off mike he said, “We just thought people in Yorkshire hated everyone else, we didn’t realise they hated each other so much”.

From Yorkshire Post, June 24th, 2020
Written by John Grogan

Television, radio and newspapers all face an uncertain few months. Commercial and funding pressures, which have been intensifying for decades, are coming to a head at the same time.

This matters to us all because a strong Yorkshire media holds power accountable and gives us more responsive institutions.

From Yorkshire Post, January 3rd, 2020
Written by John Grogan

FOR me Labour, battered and bruised, remains the best hope for social change in our nation. In 2020 we have a duty to pick ourselves up off the floor, not least for the sake of those we aspire to represent.

In truth it was only the votes diverted to the Brexit Party in Yorkshire at the election which prevented a dreadful result for Labour in the county becoming a near death experience. Many voters stuck with us despite severe reservations.

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Oral Contribution: 29th October, 2019

It is a great pleasure to follow Andrew Jones, a fellow Member of Parliament from Yorkshire. He made a very knowledgeable speech. Indeed, it was a statesmanlike speech, following the statesmanlike speech by my hon. Friend Graham P. Jones, whom I congratulate on securing the debate.

I am a relative newcomer to this issue, on the basis that I was not re-elected to Parliament until 2017, but I have asked a number of questions on the issue, and I notice that every time I or someone else asks a question from the Labour side, there is quite rightly somewhere in the answer the line, “I am sure the hon. Member will recognise the contributions of the hon. Members for Pendle (Andrew Stephenson) and for Shipley (Philip Davies) and Julian Smith.” I do indeed recognise that. This is an all-party campaign. We even had Northern Ireland backing us earlier in the debate. The campaign certainly unites the great counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire like nothing else...
 
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Oral Contribution: 29th October, 2019

Why, under a Conservative Government, was Airedale Hospital’s £22 million bid for renewal of the ward block turned down? Is it not time that the Government adopted the suggestion of NHS Providers of a far larger multi-year capital programme for the NHS, with decisions based on need?
 
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Oral Contribution: 24th October, 2019

I have always thought that the operation of democracy in a marginal seat is rather like the operation of capitalism: red in tooth and claw. Defending a majority of, say, 249 is rather like trying to run a company in a market that is very competitive; I have done both and what it teaches me is that we must concentrate on what is important in life. Therefore, following the passionate speech about Scotland made by Luke Graham, I intend to speak about a region that has just a slightly larger population: Yorkshire and the Humber.

I welcome in the Queen’s Speech the reference to a White Paper on English devolution; this is unfinished business for us all. Some 18 councils from all parties in Yorkshire have come up with a scheme for One Yorkshire devolution. Economic analysis of that suggests it could add £30 billion to the Yorkshire economy, using the Yorkshire identity and the Yorkshire brand to promote and get inward investment to improve transport and skills...