Adam Jogee MP: speeches 2026

Speeches

• 5 Feb 2026 · Sudan · Hansard source

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  The Sudanese diaspora in Staffordshire and Newcastle-under-Lyme will welcome the statement today, and I thank the Foreign Secretary for her leadership in travelling to the region—we have to be seen to be believed. I welcome the programme of sanctions that has been announced, because we must do whatever we can to end the murders, the evil and the bloodshed. I am pleased that the Foreign Secretary met the African Union and regional Foreign Ministers, which is something for which I have pushed for several months, alongside other colleagues, when discussing these issues, and I thank her for unpicking those conversations. She has mentioned Germany and Norway, but can she further unpick what our European allies—France, Italy, Spain, Ireland and the rest—are doing to help us end this war?

• 5 Feb 2026 · Road Safety · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to my hon. Friend for setting out the danger to our county in not taking this issue seriously. I know that he shares my horror about the case of my constituent, who was knocked down as he took his daughter to school in December 2025. Luckily, he pushed his daughter away, and he was not killed, but it was very close indeed. Will my hon. Friend join me in urging Staffordshire county council finally to get a grip and ensure that roads in our constituencies are made safe?

• 5 Feb 2026 · Road Safety · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to my other constituency neighbour for giving way—there is a theme about the quality and condition of our roads in Staffordshire. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for setting out the situation in her constituency, and I just want to make it clear that the same situation is also happening in Newcastle- under-Lyme and other parts of north Staffordshire.

• 3 Feb 2026 · British-made Bricks (Proposals) · Hansard source

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  I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to require the Secretary of State to publish proposals for measures to increase the use of British-made bricks in construction projects in the United Kingdom, including specific measures relating to the building of new homes; and for connected purposes. This Bill is a big deal for my community back home in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Our people are smart and skilled; for generations, they powered our nation, they made, they designed and they thrived. My Bill is about ensuring that communities in our industrial heartlands are not forgotten or left behind and are given the opportunity once again to show what they are made of. We all know that there is a housing crisis in our country, so I welcome the commitment to build 1.5 million new homes by the end of this Parliament. That means that we build in the right places, with respect for our green spaces and our natural world, and do it with our people, not to them. As we do that, we must remain resolutely focused on building good-quality homes and building communities. That is how we end overcrowding, stop the struggle facing families across the United Kingdom in finding affordable, long-term and secure housing, and—importantly—give young people and first-time buyers a place to call their own. I have only ever owned one home, and it is in Newcastle-under-Lyme. I want all families to have the security that their own home can and will provide, but this is not just about homes; it is about new schools and the community centres that bring people together. It is about the new hospitals. It is about the restoration of this place. It is about buying British, building with British, and backing British workers. The manufacturing base for bricks here in the United Kingdom is ready to meet the demand for our building needs of all types. With that readiness, we would and should expect to see a thriving building material industry in our country, but we do not. Instead, we see manufacturers up and down the country on the brink, thanks to a lack of domestic demand. Our United Kingdom can produce around 2 billion bricks a year, yet most manufacturers are currently operating at around 70% utilisation. That is because in recent years, this country has started to rely on second-rate imports, often of a lower quality than the bricks made to the highest of British standards. We must start giving the British brick industry the backing it deserves, and we will do that with this Bill. The British brick industry started to decline when brick kilns were shut across the country following the economic crash of the late noughties, and brick imports to the United Kingdom began to make up for that decrease in domestic production. Around 20% of the brick market is now made up of imported bricks. That impacts our workers and hits British manufacturing, and it needs to change. Imported bricks are being shipped over longer distances, including from far across the seas, with each brick used resulting in a greater carbon release. British-made bricks, from Newcastle-under-Lyme and across the country, will typically travel shorter distances to building sites, helping to lower transport-related emissions and keeping their value in our local communities. It is bonkers that we are relying on second-rate imports when British-made bricks are of the highest quality and build resilient, long-lasting homes and buildings. That is important in the context of the building safety reforms required after the disgraceful Grenfell disaster, the costs of energy, and how we preserve our planet and protect our environment. A typical clay-brick building has a lifespan of around 150 years; at the end of that life, the bricks can be refurbished, recycled and reused. They are strong, weather-resistant and fire-resistant. They provide longevity, durability and adaptability, and they sit a cut above the rest. The lack of domestic demand for British-made bricks hits our economy and damages local businesses. Newcastle-under-Lyme—as I have said before, the centre of our collective universe—is home to one of 15 Ibstock factories. Ibstock is a leading British brickmaker, with a proud history of supplying bricks to British businesses, builders and the wider construction industry for more than 200 years. At its factory in Chesterton in Newcastle-under-Lyme, it employs local people, boosts our local economy and rightly makes the case that we must do whatever we can to reduce the risks of undermining the competitiveness of British-made bricks, and I agree. North Staffordshire is the ceramics centre of not just our country, but our world, and the industry is hurting. My constituency neighbours over the A500—I see a couple of them here today—and colleagues on the Government Benches will continue standing up for the ceramics industry and keep pushing the Government to go further and to do more in standing up for and protecting the industry in our communities and this country. This Bill is part of doing just that. Despite being best known for producing tableware, the ceramics industry plays a crucial role in our ability to build anything in Britain. We cannot manufacture steel, glass or—as my Bill draws attention to—bricks without it. The sector and its supply chain are concentrated in our part of the world, but over the last few years, the industry has suffered huge losses due to rising energy costs, trade disruptions and the ongoing impact of the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine. Let us get real about it: the ceramics industry is hard to decarbonise, but let us not forget that our businesses are willing to engage and to make their contribution to that effort. Progress can be and is being made. Recent initiatives, such as pilot hydrogen-fired kilns, demonstrate that the industry is committed to modernising itself with low-carbon manufacturing. Hydrogen production is vital to manufacturers having the confidence to move away from natural gas kilns to modern electric and hydrogen-fired manufacturing processes that will future-proof the industry. The ceramics industry cannot deliver this transition without sustained support, and my Bill is one part of the jigsaw. Another key part is skills, and I am so proud that Newcastle college, based on Knutton Lane in Newcastle-under-Lyme, offers a full-time level 1 diploma in brickwork. We are upskilling our people in Newcastle-under-Lyme, but we cannot do so without sustaining our British brick industry in future to ensure that those young people have something to do with their smarts, skills and qualifications. The potential cost to the livelihoods of people in my community, and to the strength of our local economy and businesses, is too great for us not to get this right. My Bill sets out a local-first approach that will help support our ceramics industry, and I look forward to working with His Majesty’s Government to do more in the weeks and months ahead. As I present my Bill today, I think of the many men and women over generations who have worked in the ceramics industry in Newcastle-under-Lyme and north Staffordshire. I think of the potential untapped, the opportunities yet to be taken and the future that we can build together. I am grateful to colleagues from all four nations of our United Kingdom, and from both sides of the House, for putting their names to my Bill. The Government must invest in further support so that we can safeguard jobs in communities like mine in our industrial heartlands, support our local economies and ensure that the British brick industry is fighting fit. My Bill is simple and common-sense, and its time is now. Our workers deserve it and our economy needs it. My Bill will help shape and build the future of our United Kingdom, so let us get on with it. Question put and agreed to. Ordered, That Adam Jogee, Henry Tufnell, Elaine Stewart, Dr Allison Gardner, Gareth Snell, Jacob Collier, Leigh Ingham, Samantha Niblett, Amanda Hack, Martin Vickers, Rachel Gilmour and Robin Swann present the Bill. Adam Jogee accordingly presented the Bill. Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 27 February , and to be printed (Bill 378 ).

• 22 Jan 2026 · Local Government Finances: Surrey · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Gentleman for letting me take the debate from Surrey to Staffordshire. There is concern in Newcastle-under-Lyme about what a potential new unitary may look like and about whether the debt of current councils will be carried over to it. I want to add my concerns to his. This is not a party political issue; it is about ensuring that people are not forced to pay off the debt accrued by others.

• 22 Jan 2026 · Transport Connectivity: Midlands and North Wales · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to my hon. Friend and county neighbour for giving way. I just want to give voice to the people in his constituency who he has just referred to, as well as people in Newcastle-under-Lyme and north Staffordshire. On that urgent need, I join him in urging the county council to get its act together and do so quickly.

• 22 Jan 2026 · Transport Connectivity: Midlands and North Wales · Hansard source

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  The right hon. Lady represents one part of the west midlands; I represent another part—the last seat in Staffordshire, which is on the Cheshire border. Many of the challenges that my constituents in Madeley, Audley, Wolstanton and Clayton have raised with me are related to the role that private companies, like D&G Bus and First Bus, play in delivering the bad or unreliable services to which she refers. Is it not the case that, as well as political will, we need those bus companies to step up and deliver?

• 22 Jan 2026 · Agricultural Sector: Import Standards · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. Royal Stoke University hospital, which is across the road from my constituency border but is staffed by and serves the vast majority of my constituents, is ensuring that its patients and workers enjoy the highest standards and the best of British food. I feel sure that the Minister will agree that that is an excellent point when she sums up the debate. Constantly thinking about the impact and benefits of the highest British standards leads me to highlight how important it is to remember that the issues facing the agriculture sector and British farmers—who work day in, day out to deliver those highest standards—did not start in July 2024. The price of milk, trade deals that undercut our farmers and access to labour are just some of the long-standing challenges that, as the hon. Member for Caerfyrddin pointed out, farmers like her, and many in Newcastle-under-Lyme who are working to the highest of British standards, have been forced to endure for far too long. Across the last three years of the previous Government there was a £358 million underspend in the agricultural budget. I hope the Minister will confirm that under this Labour Government, farmers will always receive the support they need not just to maintain the highest of British standards, but to ensure that food production is more sustainable and profitable. While the Conservatives sold out and undercut farmers in trade deals—we must not forget that—I urge my colleagues in the Government to continue with their principled approach. As my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme pointed out, we must always back British standards, we must always back British food and we should never bargain either away. We must never sign trade deals that leave our farmers, including those in Newcastle-under-Lyme, exposed or allow lower quality imports to undercut what British producers deliver day in, day out and to the best of standards. There is big and serious export potential for British food. I want people from across the world to buy British, to eat British and to benefit from the highest of British standards. I am co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group for the Commonwealth. I know that the Minister and the Secretary of State are planning targeted overseas missions, so I urge them and other colleagues to look at the Commonwealth, with which we already have age-hold historical ties, as the default partner of choice. As we look to ensure that we export British goods that have been produced to the highest of standards, we will benefit greatly from that partnership. I suggest that the Minister speaks to colleagues in the Department for Business and Trade to ensure that all our trade envoys are banging the drum for British food, because we know that it is produced to the highest of standards—standards that the rest of the world can only look to for inspiration. While Scottish salmon is the kingdom’s leading food export, I hope that the Minister will also do whatever she can to help me to increase exports of Staffordshire oatcakes, because the world deserves nothing less. To put it simply, we must protect our farmers, uphold our standards, and back British food at home and abroad. Notwithstanding the challenges over agricultural property relief, I welcome the steps being taken by the Government to give British farmers the tools, investment and confidence that they need to thrive. We are creating a new farming and food partnership board, chaired by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, that will bring together farmers, processors, retailers and the Government, so that those working on our land have a real voice in how policy is made to ensure that we always maintain the highest of British standards. We rely on trade to complement what we grow here, to give families year-round choice, to help stabilise prices, to protect our supply chains when global shocks hit and—I know the Minister will agree—to ensure that the highest of British standards are maintained and supported. We will not always get everything right and nor will we always make everyone happy, but we do need to listen to our farmers and our food producers. They are the ones flying the flag for the highest of standards, so we need to ensure that they are not undercut when food with lower standards comes from elsewhere. My message to farmers and producers in Newcastle-under-Lyme is that this Government hear them loud and clear, and they have our full support.

• 22 Jan 2026 · Agricultural Sector: Import Standards · Hansard source

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  Madam Deputy Speaker, isn’t it wonderful to get to Thursday and find that business has run fast, so there is no time limit on speeches and some time to go? Rejoice! [ Interruption. ] I shall rejoice; whether others do is a different matter. This has been an excellent debate, and I particularly enjoyed the speech from the hon. Member for Caerfyrddin (Ann Davies). I went through her constituency last summer on the way to go and see my hon. Friend the Member for Mid and South Pembrokeshire (Henry Tufnell). Next time, I shall stop off for a cuppa and see her in action. Like my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme (Lee Pitcher), I married a woman from a family of farmers, so I share his experience and interest in these issues. My hon. Friend the Member for North West Cambridgeshire (Sam Carling) gave an excellent speech to open the debate, but I want to focus my remarks on the farming industry and the brilliant farmers in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Like my hon. Friend the Member for North West Leicestershire (Amanda Hack), I am on the National Farmers’ Union fellowship scheme this year. I am also the vice-chair of the international trade and investment all-party parliamentary group. Madam Deputy Speaker, as you have heard me say before, Newcastle-under-Lyme is an age-old market town in north Staffordshire, surrounded by the green, rolling hills for which England—and Wales, of course—is known and of which we are all proud. I promised every single farmer I met in the months and years before the general election, and in the time since, that I will do whatever I can to support farmers in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire and across our country. That means defending our standards every single day. That is why this debate is important, so I thank my hon. Friend the Member for North West Cambridgeshire for securing it. That is also why I am pleased that we got to the right place on agricultural property relief and the inheritance tax threshold for farmers and farming families. There has been much commentary on this issue and much genuine concern felt by farmers in my constituency and up and down the United Kingdom. A number of us raised it loudly, repeatedly and, thankfully, effectively. I thank the NFU and all the farmers in my patch who spoke out, and I am grateful to colleagues in government for ensuring we are now in the right place. It is also why I set up my farmers’ forum soon after the general election, because after years of being let down and forgotten, I wanted my farmers back home in Newcastle-under-Lyme to get the hearing they deserve, the support they need and the opportunities to thrive, to keep us fed and to keep going. There is so much in our United Kingdom that we should be proud of, and Britain’s farmers are just one example. I feel sure that our farmers in Staffordshire, and particularly those in Newcastle-under-Lyme, are leading the way. They are the backbone of our food system. They tend to our land, they produce the clear majority of what ends up on our dinner tables, and they allow us all to feel a sense of pride. Their contribution underpins our food security and strengthens rural economies. The Speeds at Betley Court farm are responsible for a brilliant fireworks display in November each year, and the Betley show each August, and all colleagues—including you, Madam Deputy Speaker—would be welcome to join the festivities this year. At the Kennerley’s Plum Tree Park farm, grass-fed lamb boxes are supplied seasonally, and there is a dog playground; they have diversified their offer to consumers, their neighbours and our community, and helped to put our part of the world on the map. I hope the Minister will come to see those success stories in Newcastle-under-Lyme for herself before too long. I am firmly of the view that we should always buy British, as that is smart and necessary for our farmers and for the future of British farming. It is also good for our pubs, shops and restaurants, and I hope that Front-Bench colleagues—not this Minister as there is plenty for her to do, but others—will do what the previous Conservative Government did not do: get a hold of the challenges facing the hospitality sector in Newcastle-under-Lyme and across the nation, and ensure that support for our town centres and local businesses is delivered speedily. As I make that call to support those businesses, which are in turn supported by our farmers and local farming sector, I also think about brilliant local businesses that stand with our farmers every day. Plant and Wilton in Newcastle-under-Lyme town centre is a wonderful family butchers, which of course gets meat from farms both locally and up and down the kingdom. Pubs like the Swan in Betley and the Albert in town are moments away from farms that are tended to by brilliant farmers, some of whom, I suspect, enjoy a pint or two from time to time. At the Butchers Arms in Audley, Mark the landlord is known for his excellent cooking prowess—again using British food from British farms, many of which are located in Staffordshire. It is similar at the Archer in Wolstanton. When we think about the standards required for the meat and other food that we eat in the pubs I have referred to, and that people enjoy up and down the country, it is important that we make the case for the highest and strongest British standards every step of the way.

• 22 Jan 2026 · Safety of the A525 near Meadows Primary School · Hansard source

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  The petition of the residents of the constituency of Newcastle-under-Lyme declares that the A525 outside Meadows primary school and the A531 at the junction of Crewe Road are inadequate, dangerous and putting the lives of the people of Newcastle-under-Lyme at risk. The petition acknowledges that in December 2025 a parent was knocked down dropping their child off to school and that there have been many more near misses in the many weeks and months before. The petition calls on the police, fire and crime commissioner in Staffordshire and Staffordshire county council to act sooner rather than later to make the road fit for purpose. It further recognises that traffic-calming measures including traffic lights, speed bumps, speed cameras, a reduced-speed zone or a roundabout modification would meaningfully improve safety. It notes that each and every parent should feel safe dropping their children off at every school in Newcastle-under-Lyme. It further notes that a corresponding petition online on the same issue has reached 289 signatures from the good people who live, learn and work in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Following is the full text of the petition: [The petition of residents of the constituency of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Declares that the A525 outside Meadows Primary School, and at the junction of Crewe Road, is inadequate, dangerous and putting the lives of the people of Newcastle-under-Lyme at risk; acknowledges that in recent weeks, a parent was knocked down dropping their child off to school, and there have been many more near misses in the weeks and months before us; notes that each and every parent should feel safe dropping their children off at school; and further notes that an online petition on this same issue has reached 289 signatures from people who live, learn and work in Newcastle-under-Lyme. The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to push Staffordshire County Council to make the sections of the A525 near Meadows Primary School in Newcastle-under-Lyme fit for purpose by introducing traffic calming measures that would meaningfully improve safety such as traffic lights, speed bumps, speed cameras, a reduced speed zone, or roundabout modification. And the petitioners remain, etc.] [P003159]

• 15 Jan 2026 · Food Inflation · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to my hon. Friend for giving way. It is not for me to touch on stereotypes, but being his mate and, at Christmas, his secret Santa recipient, I can confirm that he is very generous indeed. We are all enjoying his speech immensely, but I wonder whether he agrees that no farm in this United Kingdom is better than a Staffordshire farm—with Ulster farms running close, of course, as the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) knows. With that in mind, we should all have a “Buy British” approach. That is good for my people in Newcastle-under-Lyme and for producers, and it will be good for our economy, too.

• 15 Jan 2026 · Food Inflation · Hansard source

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  I shall add a Labour voice to the case for supply and production, but first I pay tribute to the Newcastle-Staffs Foodbank in Newcastle-under-Lyme, which does wonderful work, particularly at the Newcastle Congregational Church on King Street. The intervention by the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael) about supply and production speaks to the importance of the wonderful farmers in Newcastle-under-Lyme, such as the Jones family in Audley and the Williams family in Wrinehill. We can feed ourselves, but we can only do so if we support the farmers in my constituency, and those up and down our country.

• 14 Jan 2026 · Northern Powerhouse Rail · Hansard source

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  I welcome the Secretary of State’s commitment to improving connections to Manchester airport, and I hope she will support my calls for a direct line between Stoke-on-Trent railway station, which serves most of my constituents, and Manchester airport. As the Secretary of State has heard from my hon. Friends the Members for Stafford (Leigh Ingham) and for Lichfield (Dave Robertson), although we welcome the intent and ambition of this statement, a number of Staffordshire MPs have concerns and questions about the impact locally. I have heard from countless people in Newcastle-under-Lyme about their experience of the disgraceful and failed HS2 project; people in my constituency want clarity, to be heard and to know that there will be no repeat of the distress and destruction they were forced to live with. I am grateful to the Secretary of State for offering us a meeting with the Rail Minister, but we would benefit hugely from a meeting with the Secretary of State herself as soon as possible.

• 14 Jan 2026 · Horse and Rider Road Safety · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to the hon. Member for giving way; I will have to buy him a pint for making him wait. Newcastle-under-Lyme is home to many rural communities where horse riding is a much-loved and much-enjoyed way to spend time. My constituent Carol Whitehouse took me out recently on her horse, and Sarah, who runs Horsleys in Audley, lent me her boots because I was wearing trainers. Both spoke of the fear and concern they feel as they ride their horses, particularly as a result of big lorries, so the points that the hon. Member has raised about Berkshire and other places across the country are felt strongly in Staffordshire, too.

• 13 Jan 2026 · Storm Goretti · Hansard source

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  Storm Goretti had a big impact back home in Newcastle-under-Lyme, made all the worse by the disgraceful response of Staffordshire county council. I wrote to the council on 28 November, asking what plans were in place to ensure that it was prepared for bad weather. I was told on 18 December that it was prepared. It was not—rural communities cut off, schools closed, vulnerable people stuck at home, empty grit bins all over my constituency, and roads left ungritted. What pressure can the Minister apply to Staffordshire county council, and what guidance can it be given, to ensure that it gets a grip in keeping my community safe the next time we have such bad weather?

• 13 Jan 2026 · Airport Drop-off Charges · Hansard source

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  On a point of order, Ms Vaz. In the interests of getting home safely, I should say that my wife quite often says “I love you,” and I am very grateful to her for doing so.

• 13 Jan 2026 · Airport Drop-off Charges · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to my hon. Friend for securing this important debate. I should declare an interest, because Manchester airport is my local airport and is used by many of my constituents in Newcastle-under-Lyme. In fact, I was there on Sunday: my poor wife had to wait because the flight from Northern Ireland was delayed. The first thing she said to me was not “Hi, love,” but “Don’t forget to pay.” That speaks to the impact that these charges have on marital harmony. To be serious, this unfairness speaks to a lack of consistency across the United Kingdom. More importantly, it makes the case for a direct line between Stoke-on-Trent station and Manchester airport, which would benefit my constituents. I hope that my hon. Friend will support my calls.

• 13 Jan 2026 · Airport Drop-off Charges · Hansard source

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  Further to the hon. Gentleman’s description of the situation at Belfast City airport, I found out on Sunday, when my mother-in-law dropped me off from the long-stay car park, that it is free for the first 10 minutes. The point that my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme (Lee Pitcher) made about accessibility is important, because the long-stay car park is further away and there is no canopy. We all know about the liquid sunshine for which Ulster is well known. [ Interruption. ] Liquid sunshine, not rain. If someone is not as able-bodied as others, or if they have children, bags and all the rest, it is more difficult for them to get into the terminal. The accessibility point extends not just to the east midlands, but right across the United Kingdom.

• 13 Jan 2026 · Finance (No. 2) Bill · Hansard source

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  It is one of the largest private sector employers in Newcastle-under-Lyme—that was not in my hon. Friend’s notes. [Laughter.] Can the Minister touch a little bit on the engagement with some of these companies to ensure that the workers, many of whom live in my constituency and the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central, will not be adversely impacted?

• 13 Jan 2026 · Finance (No. 2) Bill · Hansard source

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  For clarity, bet365 is based in the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central (Gareth Snell), but—

• 7 Jan 2026 · Ukraine and Wider Operational Update · Hansard source

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  On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. When I left home in Newcastle-under-Lyme on Monday to travel down to Parliament, the weather was already very bad after heavy snow on Sunday night. However, for the people of Newcastle-under-Lyme, the situation at home has got worse, thanks to both the weather and the complete and utter failure of Staffordshire county council to grit our roads and keep those who live, learn and work in Newcastle-under-Lyme safe. I have had reports of empty grit bins on Sterndale Drive in Westbury Park and on Plymouth Grove, of our town centre being an ice rink, of the A34 from Newcastle to Talke not being fit for purpose and of the roads through Chesterton, Audley and Madeley being cut off, just like roads in Wolstanton. Madam Deputy Speaker, can you advise me of the best way to raise this issue in the House? [ Interruption. ] This is serious. How can I get Staffordshire county council and its leadership to do what my constituents pay for and want: to do their job and grit our roads, and to do so now?

• 7 Jan 2026 · Bletchley Railway Station: Eastern Entrance · Hansard source

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  We all look forward to seeing my hon. Friend the Member for Buckingham and Bletchley (Callum Anderson) cutting the ribbon with his very big scissors when the entrance is finally open. Before the Minister winds up, will he help me to secure a meeting with the relevant Minister to discuss the merits of a direct line between Stoke-on-Trent railway station and Manchester airport? He has touched on the importance of jobs, of opportunities and of unlocking investment, and that line would do wonders for my part of the world.

• 7 Jan 2026 · Bletchley Railway Station: Eastern Entrance · Hansard source

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  I was about to be nice to my hon. Friend! I congratulate him on an excellent speech and on his dogged tenacity on behalf of his constituents in Buckingham and Bletchley. I saw that part of the world when he bought me a pint at his local in the summer, and I hope that he will extend an invitation to you before too long, Madam Deputy Speaker. As my hon. Friend knows, the west coast main line goes through his constituency, as it does through mine. To unlock in my area the potential to which he has referred, a direct line between Stoke-on-Trent railway station and Manchester airport would do much for jobs, opportunities and investment. Does he support my calls for such a connection?

• 7 Jan 2026 · Bletchley Railway Station: Eastern Entrance · Hansard source

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  Will my hon. Friend give way?

• 7 Jan 2026 · Student Finance (Review of Payment Schedules) · Hansard source

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  Surely not!