James Wharton MP

This morning I did a short interview for BBC Tees looking at the year ahead and some key issues in Stockton South.  Whatever happens the next 6 months is certainly going to be a busy time!

I hope all readers have a good night tonight and wish you the best for the New Year.

For the first time in a long while I did not do much campaigning this weekend.  With the snow and given the time of year I dealt with emails and some forward planning issues but did not venture out very far.  I did however walk up into Egglescliffe Village to see the view over Yarm and around the river bank to the shops.    I will be taking some time off over Christmas, and although there is work that still needs to be done ,and I will be dealing with correspondence, the website wil be updated rather less often.   I hope all readers have an enjoyable break and look forward to some exciting events we have planned in the New Year!

Yesterday after work I went to a meeting of a new working group we are establishing on Teesside.  The Local Enterprise Partnership brings together local business people from across the Tees Valley to map out what a future Conservative government can do regional development.  Labour are fond of claiming that “the tories want to scrape One North East” when in reality our policy is to replace it, possibly with more locally responsive bodies, but with the final decision as to what each region received to be determined in accordance with local needs.  This meeting was to help the Party better understand those needs and we will be taking it out to further consultation before any decisions are made.

This morning I was in Darlington filming for a Tyne Tees programme on Parliamentary Candidates which will go out sometime in the New Year.

I attended the last Stockton Conservatives Executive Council meeting of the year.  It was rather nice to have a few social drinks and mince pies afterwards!