I’d like to confirm that I have resigned as Labour’s Shadow Minister for Fire and Emergency Services.
I’ve taken this decision to bring me closer to the membership of our party and to allow me to work on a broader range of issues, from environmental policy, to animal rights and local government.
Leaving my role as Shadow Minister for Fire and Emergency Services was not an easy decision to reach. However, I have every confidence that Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party is going in the right direction. My experience on the frontbench has shown me how the Tories have lied about the amount of available reserves held by Fire Authorities. They have attempted to distract the public from the government’s dangerous cuts to the Service by pointing to misleading figures on the falling number of fire related deaths, rather than the large increase in the total number of rescues.
I intend to continue to champion the membership, fight for my constituents and make Derby North a shining example of how Labour can win broad support in marginal constituencies whilst maintaining socialist principles at our core.