My Personally Speaking column in The Sentinel (15 January 2026) If you want to understand how people really feel about the state of our roads, you don’t need a technical report – you just need to listen. In emails, at advice surgeries and in conversations around Newcastle-under-Lyme, the same frustrations come up time and again: potholes left unaddressed, uneven surfaces, and repairs that don’t seem to last very long if they happen at all. That everyday experience now has an

Raising the Issue in Parliament With snowy and icy conditions continuing across Newcastle-under-Lyme, and further severe weather forecast as Storm Goretti approaches, I raised concerns on the floor of the House of Commons last night about the failure to grit roads and keep residents safe. Point of Order in the House of Commons (7 January 2026) When I travelled from Newcastle-under-Lyme to Parliament earlier this week, the weather was already very bad following heavy snowfall

Visiting Specsavers on Castle Walk (19 December 2025) Just before the festive break, I was pleased to visit Specsavers on Castle Walk to congratulate the team on winning the Professional Services Award at the LoveNUL Business Awards. The LoveNUL awards celebrate the people and businesses that power our local economy – and this recognition is a real testament to the professionalism, care and dedication shown by the Specsavers team here in Newcastle-under-Lyme every day. During