York Central MP Rachael Maskell's monthly Press column

IT is with enormous gratitude that I was re-elected to serve our city, and with such a strong mandate to deliver the change you voted for.

There is much to do. Work on our priorities to stabilise the economy, rebuild public services and provide leadership on the national and international stage has already begun.

It was therefore with great shock that when the books were opened and a forensic examination took place on the nation’s finances, that we learnt that the reserves had been spent three times over and we were left with a £21.9bn black hole.

With road and rail projects not funded, a hospital development programme not properly costed and no money allocated to social care, Labour has had to stop and review practically everything.

The first King’s Speech set out an ambitious programme for the first session of this Parliament.

With no less than 40 bills and draft bills, we are going to be working long hours in Westminster. We have already voted to nationalise the railways, strengthen accountability for our finances and ban second jobs for MPs.

Great British Energy will be established on our return from the summer recess, as we decarbonise our energy system, making it more secure and resulting in lower cost energy bills. We have begun work on recruiting the 6,500 more teachers, on addressing the dental crisis and settling the pay dispute within the public sector, including ending the strikes in the NHS.

We have an ambitious programme to reform the planning system and build the homes we need, I have also been raising the need to license ‘short term holiday lets’, something the last Government promised and never delivered.

Internationally, Labour immediately called for a ceasefire in the Middle East and restored aid to Gaza while putting its full support behind the international courts in assessing the Israeli’s Government’s actions.

In cementing our relationship with Ukraine, we have pledged to further our support to protect this country from Putin’s war. We have also started talking to the EU again. I know these are preliminary steps, but we are talking, and from talking we will be able to start to build bridges and collaborate, as we work with pragmatism, in the national interest.

However the first few weeks of this new era has not been without its challenges. Tragically three little girls who were laughing and dancing and so full of life were so cruelly stolen from their families. We cannot imagine their heart-rendering pain over their loss, which left a community in bewilderment. Tragically as we prayed for their peace, the far right rampaged through the streets with more acts of violence.

Let us be clear, these riots are highly orchestrated and have been planned to cause criminal damage, terrorise communities and perpetrate violence. With over 400 arrests so far and the full force of the law used to end these racially-motivated attacks, Labour has shown that we will act swiftly.

While a safe city, I have not been complacent about York. I have met with the police to learn about the comprehensive plans in place to protect us all. I have reached out to faith and minoritised communities to ensure their safety, and have ensured that those staying in hotels as asylum seekers are kept safe too. But I know from talking to constituents that many are nervous.

York is a welcoming city, a human rights city, a city of sanctuary, and we value each and every one for who they are, and we will not tolerate hate crimes in person or online. Nothing happens within a vacuum, and we are determined to build a society which is safe for all.

I am also building on my work on child poverty. As Labour has established a ministerial taskforce, I am working with city partners to ensure we make a full contribution to its work, while having launched a campaign to end the two-child benefit cap among other measures (www.change.org/p/two-child-benefit-cap).

Finally, I know that many will be concerned about the proposal to target the Winter Fuel Allowance. I have met with the Secretary of State and Chief Secretary to the Treasury and sought assurance that no one will go cold this winter. Further I am working with other MPs to make the case that if we invest in keeping older people warm, it will reduce pressures on the NHS too.

It is early days, but I am back campaigning for you, taking up the issues that matter to you and want you to be part of the change we promised.

Thank you for the chance to serve, I will do all I can to repay the trust you placed in me.