Chronicle column: Constituency Work

One of my favourite aspects of being an MP is being in the community. I love it. I really enjoy chatting to people – I want to hear about your lives, your hobbies, your families, your jobs, your experiences of using public services, your businesses. I’m not nosy. Well, maybe just a little. Politics, for me, is about making things better for people – primarily in our area, but hopefully on a national basis too. I use the information I gather, to try and help.  

So please, send me invitations (contact details at the end). My diary is packed for months ahead now, but I’ll always try to squeeze in some more. Our area is fully of talented people doing amazing things. I like the concerts, the choirs, the art exhibitions and craft fairs. The afternoon tea I was invited to by Elizabeth’s Group for International Women’s Day was a particular highlight, amongst many delightful events. I love a slice of cake!   

One of my major goals is to attend events and visit groups, schools, charities, health centres, allotments and businesses across the whole constituency. I try to be available to and informed about everyone, everywhere, as much as I possibly can be alongside representing you four days a week in Parliament. That wider constituency knowledge enables me to forge links between people and organisations, spot patterns in public sector service provision or lack of it, and think about what our economic future should look like. Achieving growth is the first mission of the Labour government and it’s important to me personally that you have more money in your pocket.  

I have been to some local schools now, both primary and secondary, and various local uniformed groups. Speaking to young people is so important to me. They typically ask very searching and well-informed questions. Their concerns are about the cost-of-living crisis, and their prospects in terms of housing and jobs. Our young people are incredibly thoughtful but deeply worried for their future. I think it’s a shame that we don’t hear more positive commentary on them in the wider media and society.    

Sarah Russell MP at Sandbach Library for a surgery.

I very deliberately rotate my surgery so in addition to going to Congleton, Sandbach, Holmes Chapel and Alsager repeatedly, I’ve also now had surgeries in Church Lawton, Scholar Green and Goostrey. I’m conscious that there are a lot of villages and I’m doing my best to make sure everyone is represented effectively. There have been totally baseless allegations online that I don’t hold surgeries. I do, but in common with most MPs nowadays, we don’t advertise the locations in advance. This is because two MPs have been murdered either at or outside their surgeries, so security is a very genuine concern.  

Please do get in touch if there is something you’d like to talk to me about.  I offer meetings both in person and online.  

As well as being physically across the patch, I try to make sure I talk to you about the issues that matter most. As you may recall, in the autumn, I ran a series of events specifically on pension credit. In February, we did a series of NHS consultation events.  

We are now starting to arrange surgeries and events on SEND issues specifically which will happen next term. If you would like to attend one, please email me with SEND in the subject line and we will put you on the list for when we get invitations out.  

Alongside your local Labour councillors, I’ve carried on door knocking since the election as well. Whilst I am unlikely to manage to get round 90,000 constituents, I don’t just wait for you to come to me. I try to speak to as many people as I can.  

I consider it a real privilege that so many people have written, emailed or met with me and entrusted me with the details of their lives – often on deeply personal matters. Many of the points I have raised in Parliament or written to ministers about, are matters that have been raised with me in surgeries.  

Please do keep in touch on sarah.russell.mp@parliament.uk or 01260 228263. My parliamentary address is: 

House of Commons 
London 
SW1A 0AA. 

Thank you, 

Sarah Russell.