John nominated for constituency work award
John has been nominated for an award for campaigning on behalf of constituents.
The Wentworth & Dearne MP has been shortlisted for the ‘constituency campaigner of the year’ award in the Dods Parliamentary Awards.
The category recognises the MP who has shown the strongest commitment to campaigning on behalf of constituents, whether on a local or national issue.
John is one of three MPs on the shortlist, alongside Chris Heaton-Harris and Dr Julian Lewis.
He is also on the shortlist for ‘written contribution of the year’, which recognises the Parliamentarian who has written the most insightful and informative editorial in The House magazine or on PoliticsHome.com.
John has secured a number of recent wins on campaigns started in the constituency, including:
• Winning a change in the law to give leave and pay rights to mums who have babies through surrogates, after the loophole was raised by Rotherham cousins Jane Kassim and Amy Bellamy
• Stopping the government using high-charging 084 numbers
• Persuading ministers to abandon plans for a long delay in changes in regulation of nurses and midwives, after being alerted to the problem by the Duggan family who lived in Goldthorpe
He said: “I never forget who I work for. Helping people in the constituency who might otherwise not have a voice is the most important part of my job.
“I hope the successes I have had show people in Rotherham and Barnsley that they can get things done through their MP.
“These changes came about because local people recognised an injustice and were determined to see something done, so they deserve credit too.”
Anyone could nominate Parliamentarians for the awards, but only MPs and Peers are able to vote on the shortlists.
The winners will be announced in London on January 28.