Chris Webb MP: speeches

Speeches

• 18 Mar 2026 · Royal Mail: Performance · Hansard source

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  As the proud son of a Blackpool postie, I declare my interest in this debate and refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. I start by thanking all our posties in Blackpool and across the country for their vital service. Despite the privatisation of Royal Mail, they maintain a sense of pride as public servants, knowing better than anyone their role in our communities as a recognisable face, a trusted person and a point of contact. It is vital that we protect them and the service they deliver. Posties in Blackpool South have told me they are forced to prioritise parcels over letters—allegations that are echoed across the country and in Westminster Hall today—but every undelivered letter abandoned at a sorting office until tomorrow represents a real-world consequence: a missed medical appointment for an elderly constituent, a missed benefit notification for a single parent or an important notice for local business. Those communications are a national priority for local residents—something no other courier can compete with. That is why we need to ensure that Royal Mail delivers its national service. Rather than setting itself apart, Royal Mail appears to be intent on joining the race and becoming just another parcel courier with gig economy terms and conditions for its workforce. We have a responsibility to ensure that that is not allowed to happen. Improvements to service quality are impossible unless the company agrees to an urgent pathway to equalising workers’ terms and conditions. We must ensure that the new owners stick to their agreements with the CWU and the Government, and for the sake of preserving this 500-year-old institution—

• 17 Mar 2026 · Youth Unemployment · Hansard source

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  I start by thanking my right hon. Friend for joining me at my jobs fair a few weeks ago, where more than 1,100 people secured work on the day. Some 900 are already in those jobs, working in our economy. That is Labour in action. I have spoken many times in this House about the need to support the hospitality and tourism industries, especially in coastal communities such as Blackpool, so that they can hire more young people and give them that opportunity. I got my first job at age 14, on Blackpool seafront. It was a great job that helped me get countless more jobs in hospitality. We need more young people to have access to those jobs. Does my right hon. Friend agree with me, Blackpool businesses and the Federation of Small Businesses that this plan is a game changer in tackling youth unemployment in Blackpool and other coastal communities across the country?

• 12 Mar 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Five thousand people walked through the door of the Blackpool Winter Gardens the other week for my second annual jobs fair, which I was delighted to open with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. More than 1,000 roles were secured on the spot, 853 of which have already started, and thousands more people were handing out CVs and have interviews on the way. Will the Leader of the House join me in thanking my constituency team, the jobcentre staff, Blackpool Tourism Ltd, and every employer and resident who attended, for making it such a huge success?

• 12 Mar 2026 · Defending Democracy Taskforce · Hansard source

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  I put on record my sincere thanks to the Minister for reaching out after the incident involving me that occurred in Blackpool a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, since becoming a Member of this House I have received a barrage of constant threats, including death threats, from the far-right in my constituency, and that seems to be growing, which is a real concern. I know from my discussions with the Minister how seriously he takes the security of Members of this House and the councillors who serve in our town halls. Will he outline how we can support him in defending our democracy in the right way, which unfortunately is in stark contrast to what we heard in the Opposition’s response to the statement?

• 11 Mar 2026 · Royal Mail: Universal Service Obligation · Hansard source

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  I declare an interest as a proud son of a local postie. We know that this is not the fault of the workers; they work day in, day out to get letters out, but are being told to prioritise parcels. Like many Members, I tried to go to my local mail centre just before Christmas—I know that you do the same, Mr Speaker—but I was denied access. An excuse was given, and the visit was never rearranged. Workers in that centre said to me, “They are trying to hide how bad the mail centre is from you, the local MP.” Will the Minister tell the House and my constituents how we can turn this situation around? I fundamentally disagree with the shadow Minister, the hon. Member for West Worcestershire (Dame Harriett Baldwin), who said that this started with the new owners. It started with privatisation—end of. How can we get the service back on track? Will the Government consider nationalising it so that our residents can get the letters that they desperately need for their appointments?

• 10 Mar 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  Two weeks ago, I held an emergency cost of living summit in Blackpool, after record numbers of families, particularly single mums, contacted us in food crisis. They could not access the council’s discretionary fund. Will the Minister outline how the new crisis and resilience fund will ensure that families in my constituency can get the support that they need, especially over the weekend?

• 10 Feb 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  In Blackpool, around 75% of privately rented homes have damp or mould. It is a huge problem in our town, so I was delighted when the Chancellor announced £30 million in the warm homes plan. Can the Secretary of State outline for my residents when Blackpool will receive that money and when this plan will finally get under way?

• 29 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Last year I hosted Blackpool’s biggest ever jobs fair. It showed just how strong the appetite is in our town for work, skills and opportunity. On 26 February, I am bringing it back, bigger than ever, in conjunction with the jobcentre and Blackpool Tourism Ltd, with 120 businesses offering around 2,000 jobs for local residents. The event will include entry-level roles, opportunities for career change and wraparound support, with employers ranging from the NHS emergency services to major local and national firms. Will the Leader of the House join me in encouraging Blackpool residents to sign up through my website to take part in the event, which aims to connect people with good jobs, skills and training? Will he also give a nudge to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, who is sat next to him on the Government Front Bench, to whom an invitation has been extended to open the event?

• 29 Jan 2026 · Hospitality Sector · Hansard source

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  Hospitality in Blackpool is struggling. The cuts under the previous Government made Blackpool the most deprived coastal community and town in the country, but it has a solution: a new Blackpool tourism enterprise zone that expands our current enterprise zone along the promenade into the hospitality and tourism businesses. Will the Minister meet me and the managing director of Blackpool Tourism Ltd, Kate Shane, to discuss her idea to create jobs and unlock growth and investment in Blackpool?

• 27 Jan 2026 · Business Rates · Hansard source

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  As chair of the all-party parliamentary group on hospitality and tourism, I thank the Minister for his constant engagement with me since the Budget, because I have been able to raise concerns directly with him from the industry, UKHospitality and others. This statement will be welcome for many pubs in Blackpool, including our small music venues, such as the Bootleg. You may want to visit it sometime, Mr Speaker, and I hope you get well soon. We know that the hospitality sector has been struggling. It is on life support after a decade of neglect from the previous Government, and it needs more support. Will the Minister continue to engage with me, the APPG and UKHospitality on what the high street strategy can do, so that we get it right this time?

• 27 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  Southshore in my constituency has the highest concentration of deprived communities and the most deprived ward in the country. We have developed a local people’s plan for work to regenerate the area. Will my right hon. Friend the Chancellor meet me to discuss this plan, so that we can regenerate the most deprived area in this country?

• 19 Jan 2026 · Business Rates: Retail, Hospitality and Leisure · Hansard source

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  I find it a bit rich that the Conservatives are raising this issue, given that around 7,000 pubs and bars closed on their watch, which is felt in Blackpool and across the country. Will the Minister continue to engage with the hospitality sector, UKHospitality and small businesses to ensure that we get this right? Many are struggling after 14 years of Conservative government, and especially after covid. We need to support our high streets, which have been forgotten about for far too long.

• 12 Jan 2026 · New Homes · Hansard source

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  In Blackpool, we have a waiting list of around 12,000 for social and council housing. Given the deprivation throughout Blackpool, we know that the quality of housing is below where it needs to be, and so many people are struggling with their health and other conditions. Will the Secretary of State outline for me and Blackpool council what more can be done so that we can build the social housing we desperately need and meet the 1.5 million target?

• 8 Jan 2026 · Economic Growth: Transport System · Hansard source

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  Reliable transport links are vital to the prosperity of Blackpool. Although it is the most deprived town in the UK, we rely heavily on tourism, yet because of the Office of Rail and Road’s restrictions, Avanti announced before Christmas that it has slashed our direct routes to and from London by over 50%. There is now a direct service from Blackpool to London only at 7 in the morning, and then a return at half-past 6 and half-past 8 in the evening. This is not good enough, and it will damage our local economy. Will the Secretary of State please arrange for me to meet the Rail Minister to see how we can solve this issue? It will dramatically damage our local economy, and we need to get it sorted.

• 8 Jan 2026 · Road Safety Strategy · Hansard source

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  In Blackpool we have seen year-on-year increases in the number of uninsured drivers, skyrocketing our premiums and the cost of insurance. Can the Minister outline to my constituents what her Department is doing to clamp down on this problem, and has it done any assessment of what this will mean for the pockets of my constituents?

• 8 Jan 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Blackpool experiences homelessness rates that are higher than the national average, with a record number of rough sleepers recorded last year, so I was delighted to secure over £3 million to tackle that. With the current spell of extreme cold weather, conditions are especially dangerous for those sleeping rough in my constituency on the sea coast. I pay tribute to the council’s outreach team and local charities, including Helping Hearts, Street Angels and Streetlife, for the work they do. Will the Leader of the House join me in thanking all those who support our most vulnerable, and will he assure my constituents that the Government are committed to delivering long-term solutions so that Blackpool residents have a safe, secure and affordable place to live?

• 6 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  Blackpool and The Fylde college has excellent courses that are training young people in the area in use of the vital renewable energy equipment that we need to go forward, but there are no jobs for those young people locally. Will the Secretary of State meet me to discuss how we can create those jobs? He is welcome any time to come to a sunny and slightly chilly Blackpool to see those students and the excellent work that they are doing.

• 18 Dec 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  My constituent, a senior NHS nurse and single mother of three, faces severe hardship because her ex-partner deliberately withholds financial support. She is solely responsible for her children’s care, yet the Child Maintenance Service has rejected her claim and failed to enforce the payment of arrears. With no payments coming in, she is forced to rely on food banks and to borrow from family just to get by this Christmas. This demonstrates systematic failings that leave vulnerable families unsupported. Will the Leader of the House allow time for a debate on the CMS system and its enforcement?

• 18 Dec 2025 · Indices of Deprivation: England · Hansard source

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  I absolutely agree, and that is why my hon. Friend and I, along with many others, have been pushing for a coastal communities Minister to address that need and bring in all corners of Government to tackle the problems we face in those communities. Put simply, when Blackpool succeeds, Britain succeeds. The IoD’s income deprivation domain measures the proportion of people reliant on means-tested benefits. It captures not just poverty but how close people are to crisis. In Blackpool, income deprivation is deeply entrenched and a daily reality for many, such as Leanne, who contacted me after having her benefits sanctioned. Despite keeping in touch with her work coach about her father’s illness, she missed an appointment when he passed away and was dealt a second blow. It took two months and intervention from me and my office to get her benefits reinstated. In the interim, she was denied a hardship payment and had no food or heating. That is what income deprivation looks like in the real world—not poor budgeting, but families with no safety net when life throws them a shock. Of course, income deprivation overlaps with employment deprivation, and Blackpool is one of nine local authorities in England ranked among the most deprived on both measures. The IoD’s employment domain measures people who want to work but cannot, due to a lack of opportunities, caring responsibilities, disability or ill health. Employment deprivation is more pronounced in Blackpool, where our labour market is seasonal, insecure, tourism-reliant, low paid and low skilled. Blackpool council, alongside our tourism industry, has worked hard to extend our offer beyond the summer months, as is visible on our promenade today, with our fantastic Christmas By The Sea festival. But more must be done for people like Noreen, whose autistic son regularly reaches interviews but never secures work, and Rob, who was self-employed when he had a serious accident and faced a 13-week wait for financial support. These are the real lives behind our employment deprivation scores.

• 18 Dec 2025 · Indices of Deprivation: England · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for his kind words; I think we all know it across the parties in this House. We see it in our mailbags every week, in our casework and from the thousands and thousands of individuals who reach out to us for help when they have nowhere else to turn. Aspiration is not the problem. In February, I hosted Blackpool’s biggest ever jobs fair, welcoming 4,000 jobseekers and over 100 employers, with more than 1,500 roles on offer. Five hundred positions were filled on the day and another 500 positions were filled later on. The indices highlight a lack of good jobs, not a lack of work ethic. Meanwhile, the IoD’s education domain captures how disadvantage reproduces itself in Blackpool. Residents are concerned about access to quality education, SEND support, post-16 pathways, adult literacy, mental health in schools and workplaces, and the impact of deprivation on learning. These are the mechanisms by which neighbourhoods remain at the bottom of indices for generations. This February, I will host my jobs fair again, with a sharper focus on career pathways and quality employment, showing what local employers, community partners and political will can achieve. But even with the greatest opportunities on our doorstep, residents are on the back foot from childhood, with disadvantaged school pupils falling furthest behind. Just over half of Blackpool pupils achieve expected standards at key stage 2. At GCSE, Blackpool’s average Attainment 8 score is among the lowest in the country. Fewer than half our young people achieve a strong pass in English and maths, compared with nearly two thirds nationally. The indices’ health deprivation and disability domain measures premature deaths, hospital admissions, disability and mental ill health. Some 58.5% of neighbourhoods in Blackpool fall within the 10% most deprived nationally on this measure. Men in Blackpool have the lowest life expectancy in England, with our current toddlers, my son included, not expected to reach the age of 74—a decade less than their peers in Hampshire. I am not going to let that stand. Severe mental illness rates are shockingly high: in 2018-19, more than 500 people were admitted to hospital for intentional self-harm, and suicide rates among men were the second highest in the country. By 2022-23, Blackpool had the highest prevalence of GP-diagnosed depression in England, and 6,300 people are now claiming personal independence payment for psychiatric disorders—the highest level in Lancashire and in the top 10 nationally. Health services are at breaking point, and there is a clear human impact—like there was for Jamie Pearson, who tragically took his own life in Blackpool hospital, after waiting nearly 24 hours in A&E during a mental health crisis. Every day I deal with constituents battling to access not only mental health support but a dentist, a GP or hospital care. People turn to me when there is nowhere left to turn to—people like Steven, himself a mental health nurse, who contacted me after developing serious neurological symptoms. Despite repeated warnings, his first neurology appointment is scheduled for October 2026. This case of a frontline worker who wants to work and support our NHS, but is being failed by it, demonstrates how poor health, economic inactivity and deprivation reinforce one another. The indices of deprivation crime domain shows that crime and antisocial behaviour are concentrated in areas of multiple deprivation. Similarly, a recent report by the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods notes that crime persists in areas facing persistent poverty, under-investment and neglect. In such places, residents report concerns about antisocial behaviour, illegal drugs and safety, and feel less connected and optimistic—people like Chantelle, who endured two years of threats and antisocial behaviour in Bloomfield, a neighbourhood ranked 12th out of 33,755 neighbourhoods of the indices of deprivation. Despite repeated police involvement, she and her neighbours felt unsafe, but could not move because of financial barriers. We also know what works. In Brunswick ward, which is within the ninth most deprived neighbourhood nationally, Blackpool’s multi-agency youth antisocial behaviour working group reduced youth-related incidents by 45% through targeted interventions, alongside the work of the brilliant PACT—police and communities together—meetings led by Brian Robinson. Scaling up that approach, with co-ordinated, cross-Government strategies and devolved funding, can make deprived neighbourhoods safer, stronger and more connected. Perhaps the biggest problem that this Government could tackle to improve life for my constituents is housing, which directly impacts poverty, health, education, employment and so much more. The IOD’s barriers to housing and services domain captures affordability and access, while the living environment domain measures housing quality, air quality and road safety. More than one in four cases that my office handles relates to housing or the living environment, because poor housing and unhealthy environments reinforce disadvantage at every turn. Blackpool council has done some good work building new council houses in areas such as Grange Park, where my grandparents, Dougie and Maggie, were some of the first to collect their keys when the post-war estate was built. Now, new generations of families have the same opportunity to have quality, secure homes, but we still have a huge shortage: a stock of only 5,000 social homes and 12,000 people on the waiting list. More than 20,000 households privately rent, many in properties well below standard, and thousands live in damp and unsafe conditions. Chelsea was seven months pregnant when she was served with a section 21 notice. She could not raise a deposit for other private rentals, and her bid for social housing was unsuccessful. Saleem lost a leg and was forced into a care home, separated from his family for almost a year because there were no adapted homes available. Meanwhile, Tia and her two young children were placed in a B&B with no cooking facilities, where her baby’s health deteriorated. I see these situations every day. Investment in homes and streets is not a luxury; it is the foundation for better lives, safer communities and opportunities. Recent Pride in Place funding offers hope but, as I told the Secretary of State just the other week, one scheme is not enough. Blackpool is suited to multiple, targeted, place-based interventions to address housing, the environment and opportunities. It is also exactly the kind of place that should have benefited from the Government’s new fair funding formula. Instead, the local government finance settlement will potentially harm some of the most deprived communities further. My council also informs me that the new formula disproportionately penalises deprived northern and coastal towns. We need a fair, progressive new system if we are to radically change lives. I will work with the Department further in the run-up to February to see what more can be done. Overall, 82% of neighbourhoods in the most deprived decile in 2025 were also there in 2019. Only a handful of constituencies have shifted position at either end of the scale. It is clear from these statistics that we must do something different to tackle entrenched deprivation. We must put our money where our mouth is with targeted, long-term, place-based investment, guided by the indices. Moving beyond short-term pots to multi-year investment, tied to measurable outcomes like better jobs, improved health, higher educational attainment and a narrowing of the life expectancy gap, is essential, and that must be done on a scale that meets the extent of the problem. Blackpool has enormous pride and potential. Despite the challenges captured in the statistics, people in our town will not be defined by them. Our communities are strong, our young people are ambitious, and our organisations drive change every day. This spirit of resilience and determination is the foundation on which renewal can be built. With the right support, investment and political will, that local energy can be harnessed to transform opportunity, improve lives and rewrite the story of our town. The people of Blackpool are doing their bit and, by showing us where the need is greatest, the indices have done theirs; now the Government must do their bit, too. With enough political will, Blackpool does not have to be a poster child for deprivation; it can be the poster child for renewal. If the Government can turn around Blackpool, they can turn around the country, and if Blackpool succeeds, Britain succeeds. I take this opportunity to thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, as well as Mr Speaker and the other Deputy Speakers, alongside all the staff in this place, but especially the staff in my office—Wendy, Holly, Antonia, Kate, Luke, Grace and Amber—for all their work. I wish all staff and all Members across this House a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

• 18 Dec 2025 · Indices of Deprivation: England · Hansard source

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  I am grateful for the opportunity to hold the final Adjournment debate of 2025. I thank everyone for staying behind to join me, and I thank the Minister as well. From what I have seen in the headlines, I believe she had a busy morning. People in Blackpool often feel forgotten by national politics, so it matters that their experience is the last issue debated in this Chamber before Christmas. Whereas colleagues in the House will be returning home to spend time with their families, this time of year is a period of struggle, rather than celebration, for many in my constituency. Throughout 2025, this Government have begun to show Blackpool that they understand the scale of our challenges, but belief takes time when a place has for so long been held up as a symbol of decline, a poster child for deprivation and a stark reflection of the pressures facing our country as a whole. I hope the Minister will join me in demonstrating to my home town that it is not forgotten, and it is no accident that we have saved this issue till last. In October, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government updated the English indices of deprivation for the first time since 2019, marking a rare and important moment to reassess Government action. The indices rank small areas in England according to deprivation across multiple domains. They look beyond income alone, taking account of housing, access to services, education, employment, health, crime and the living environment. Although it may feel like it for local people when their town is splashed across newspaper headlines, the indices are not a league table for shame; they are a tool for targeting Government action. If the 2025 indices do just one thing, they should convince the Government that action must focus on Blackpool.

• 18 Dec 2025 · Indices of Deprivation: England · Hansard source

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  I completely agree, and the Pride in Place scheme is a great start. I will come on to that later, but I want to see it expanded to many more of our communities, based on the new indices. If we can turn around a town that contains seven of the 10 most deprived areas of the country, and 10 in the top 20, we can turn around the fortunes of the country. Rather than being a poster child for deprivation, Blackpool, where 38% of adults live in the top 10% of the most deprived areas in England, can be a poster child for renewal.

• 18 Dec 2025 · Christmas Adjournment · Hansard source

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  There are many issues affecting Blackpool South, but my work this year has often returned to a few key areas. I have met hundreds of business owners, community groups and young people in Blackpool who have told me the same thing: they want pride back in our town, job security and opportunity. My constituency is home to an iconic tower, three piers, the pleasure beach and countless attractions in between. It is a place where tradition meets reinvention and has been welcoming visitors for generations. Alongside our permanent attractions, our seasonal and annual events, including the illuminations, are the key reasons why 21.5 million people visit Blackpool every year. I congratulate Kate Shane on receiving her MBE and thank her and all the Blackpool tourism team for the outstanding work they do on behalf of our town and the countless independent businesses I have visited across my patch. They keep Blackpool going. Tourism and hospitality are the beating heart of Blackpool’s economy and, as chair of the all-party parliamentary group for hospitality and tourism, I have been pushing to give this sector the recognition it deserves nationally. The sector employs more than 3.5 million people, contributes £93 billion to the economy and generates £54 billion in tax revenue each year, but right now it is under real pressure. The current business rates discount for hospitality is 5p—far below the 20p permitted. I will keep pressing the Government to increase the discount to the full 20p. Businesses tell me that they want to invest but that the system is holding them back. Nearly 3,000 people have backed my call for a world-class arena on the empty Blackpool Central site, where every previous proposal has failed. It would bring in visitors year round, support local businesses and secure Blackpool’s future as a leading destination for entertainment. Sticks of rock and fish and chips are part of the seaside’s identity, but I also want to address dietary health in my constituency. Blackpool faces some of the highest levels of food-related ill health and deprivation in the country. We have one of the highest densities of fast food outlets alongside high levels of poverty and limited access to nutritious food. Among children of reception age, 27% are affected by obesity, rising to a shocking 42% by year 6. We need to limit unhealthy food outlets, support healthier businesses and make education a priority. Good work is already happening through organisations such as Grow Blackpool, LeftCoast and Blackpool Learning Rooms. In 2026, I want to see those projects grow. Crime and antisocial behaviour has had a real impact in my constituency. This year, I have supported grassroots boxing and rugby league as a tool for focusing young people’s minds. I have seen how boxing and rugby league give young people structure and purpose: they build discipline and confidence, teach respect and turn people’s lives around. Clubs like Brian Rose boxing academy and Blackpool Scorpions provide support, create belonging and improve physical and mental health. I am pleased that Ministers are listening, and I look forward to working with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to drive that forward.

• 18 Dec 2025 · Violence against Women and Girls Strategy · Hansard source

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  From my time as a deputy police and crime commissioner, I know that there has been a growing pattern of violence relating to younger people, especially young boys, in Blackpool and beyond. Will the Minister set out plans to engage with young people, particularly young boys and men, to tackle that?

• 15 Dec 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  The recent Typhoon deal is welcome news in my constituency of Blackpool South, an area in the country where we see high levels of deprivation, but also high demand for jobs and apprentices. Can the Minister outline what more can be done? Could there be a domestic order? What other deals are we looking at internationally to create more of the jobs and apprenticeships that we need on the Fylde coast?