Jon Pearce MP for High Peak

11 hours ago

“Events, dear boy, events.” Harold Macmillan’s famous observation feels particularly relevant as we look ahead to the Budget.

The conflict in the Middle East and disruption to global energy markets have created enormous uncertainty. But for that we would have significant optimism about the resilience of our economy and its prospects for the future. The recent annualised growth figures of 2.7% from Jan-August is the strongest start to a year since 2017 (excluding the pandemic bounce back).

Indeed, there is evidence that the economy is returning towards the sort of performance we saw before Brexit and the financial crisis.

That matters. For too long, Britain accepted weak growth as inevitable. Brexit made our economy worse, not better, while a decade of Tory austerity held back investment and damaged our public services.

We are in a better position than we have been for years, but we have a great deal of lost ground to make up.

Here in High Peak, there are encouraging signs, too. My Careers, Skills and Jobs Fair gets bigger and better each time. At the latest event in Glossop, more than 40 exhibitors joined hundreds of local residents, from school pupils exploring their options to people looking for a new career or a chance to retrain. The range of employers, apprenticeships and opportunities on offer was a real reminder of the strength of our local economy and the benefits of our links with Greater Manchester, one of the UK’s strongest economic regions.

But growth must translate into better living standards. The crisis around the Strait of Hormuz threatens another squeeze on household budgets, particularly through energy bills. The Prime Minister has acted to provide some breathing space, including cutting tax on household electricity bills; committing to cap single bus fares at £2 from January; and business-rates relief for pubs and other local venues.

We must do everything we can to protect families from immediate pressures. But we cannot permanently insulate ourselves from global shocks unless we change the way our economy works. That means generating more of our own renewable energy to bring the costs down and becoming less dependent on dictators and volatile international markets.

Ultimately, the only lasting answer to the cost-of-living crisis is an economy that grows and delivers rising wages, better opportunities and greater security. That must be our overriding priority. We need to seize every opportunity: rebuilding our economic relationship with Europe, removing unnecessary barriers that hold businesses back, and harnessing AI to improve productivity while ensuring it is properly regulated and works in the public interest.

Our new Chancellor has an opportunity to build on the foundations already laid. Difficult decisions have been necessary to fix the foundations of our economy. We must continue to bring debt down and maintain sound public finances. But growth is not a distraction from that task; it is essential to achieving it. That is the only way to limit the impact of events we cannot predict or control. ... See MoreSee Less

Jon Pearce MP for High Peak

18 hours ago

🚗 𝗔𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝟱𝟬𝟬𝟰

The first average speed cameras between Buxton and Whaley Bridge will be switched on from Monday 26 October, as part of a £3.1 million Government-funded package of road safety improvements.

The cameras are being introduced to help reduce collisions and keep drivers, cyclists and pedestrians safer along the 7.5-mile route.

Between 2012 and 2014, there were 35 collisions on this stretch of road, leaving 50 people injured, including eight seriously.

The first two cameras will cover the 40mph zone at Fernilee, with five more planned for later this year.

Other improvements include upgraded safety barriers, reflective road markings, improved signage and new walking and cycling links.

📸: Peaks & Puddles ... See MoreSee Less

Jon Pearce MP for High Peak

23 hours ago

📢𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐘 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐏 📢

Get the latest updates on local issues, campaigns, and my work in Parliament to help make High Peak better for everyone - straight to your inbox! ✉️

📍 Sign up now: www.jon4highpeak.com/newsletter ... See MoreSee Less

Jon Pearce MP for High Peak

1 day ago

Today I met with the Prime Minister alongside other MPs in preparation for the UK Wildfire Summit that the PM called for earlier last month.

I had the opportunity to raise the devastating impact of wildfires in our area this summer and the need to do more in terms of prevention and tackling wildfires.

I look forward to attending the Summit on behalf of High Peak to continue to raise these issues. ... See MoreSee Less

Jon Pearce MP for High Peak

2 days ago

📮 Applications to restore Post Office services in Gamesley and Simmondley are still progressing. We’re hoping for a further update by late November or early December, and I’ll keep pushing for these vital local services to return. ... See MoreSee Less

Jon Pearce MP for High Peak

2 days ago

💻 𝗜 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗸, 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲.

If there’s something you need support with, you can book an appointment via email or through the contact page on my website: www.jon4highpeak.com/contact
📧 [email protected]
📞 01298 918189 ... See MoreSee Less

Jon Pearce MP for High Peak

2 days ago

🚜 It was great to meet with local farmers from High Peak and the rest of Derbyshire this morning.

Thank you as always to the NFU - National Farmers' Union for hosting.

At the top of the agenda from a High Peak point of view was the work we’ve done together on preventing and tackling wildfires, and how we can be better prepared for the impact a changing climate will have on farming.

This was a great opportunity to discuss our priorities ahead of the Prime Minister’s upcoming Wildfire Summit, which I will be attending alongside the NFU.

We also discussed our concerns over the management of the latest round of Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) applications, as well as the potential impacts of the carbon border mechanism adjustment on fertilizer.

It was also good to talk about opportunities to promote growth and investment in farming by looking at things like expanding the scope of Annual Investment Allowance.

I will keep working with the NFU and local farmers to make sure our voices are heard on all of these issues. ... See MoreSee Less

Jon Pearce MP for High Peak

3 days ago

The Beatles performing at the Pavilion Gardens Ballroom in Buxton, 1963 🎤Beatlemania in full cry at the Pavilion Gardens Ballroom in Buxton, Derbyshire, today in 1963.

Photo: David Porter. ... See MoreSee Less