Antonia Bance MP

World Book Day isn’t just for kids! What are you reading?

I have three books on the go - The Night of the Miraj on Kindle, and (sorry to be painfully on brand!) Labour’s Churchill (rereading) in hard copy, and Gordon Brown’s 2018 autobiography on audio

Antonia in black dress / red jacket in a library leaning on a bookshelf with WBD posters

Today is World Book Day! Was lovely to bump into Knit and Natter and the brilliant Years 2s from Albert Pritchard School at Wednesbury library

Antonia in black dress with coffee cup in Morrisons cafe

Breakfast in Morrisons cafe in Wednesbury = loads of chats and loads of casework

YouTube video by Enginuity Ep 25: Interview with Industry Minister Chris McDonald | Steph on Skills: Powered by Enginuity

Really enjoyed my friend Chris McDonald, the industry minister, talking to Steph McGovern on Steph on Skills about manufacturing, his journey and getting more young people into apprenticeships youtu.be/CFnP3NJ9WxY?...

Obvs we need closer links - get the SPS deal over the line, join Safe, action on chemicals regs and obvs steel tariffs and made in Europe.

Obvs manifesto ruled out SM and CU, and CU would jeopardise the US trade deal

Not on automotive. Right now the US is a big market and we cannot replace that short-term. Stepping away from the US trade deal would be an overnight jobs disaster in the West Midlands

And energy costs are crippling - we need the 25% reduction in energy costs for manufacturing from the BICS as soon as humanly possible

Steel producers are dreading the end of trade remedies this summer - we can’t be just dumping ground for subsidised Chinese steel

Automotive volumes are down a million since 2016. If we want high value automotive manufacturing in the UK we need to act to preserve it - as the EU has done

Glad to speak in the debate on DBT estimates - in support of manufacturing and the Industrial Strategy, calling for action on steel tariffs, for help with industrial energy costs in the BICS to be brought forward, and for the review of the ZEV mandate to be this year not next

I agree on bread and butter issues - but immigration is a bread and butter issue. We can’t be heard without dealing with the ongoing issues of hotels and boats, and demonstrating that we have control of our border.

Thank you for clarifying on “death cult”. I hope you understand why I am sensitive to aspersions on the towns and voters who so many on here (I hope not you) seem content to abandon.

Morgan did what we asked him to do - transform the party and win the election. For that I will always be grateful. No one thinks planning for government was good enough but that isn’t about more experts nor was it the fault of any one person

I think you’re totally wrong about that. Morgan woke up every morning and thought about places like mine - very low income and low opportunity, and yes, that we won back in 2024 - and what we needed to do to help people locally. “Death cult” is a shameful thing to say.

If I had worked in the Number 10 that had cut childcare bills in half or more for nearly all families, I might not add “the cost of childcare” onto the list of things hitting middle earners.

Letter from Ashley Dalton MP to Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister

I have taken the decision to step down from my ministerial responsibilities to allow me to focus on my job representing you, the people of West Lancashire, while I continue to receive oral chemotherapy treatment.

My letter to the PM below 👇

Worth a read (EU focussed, doesn’t touch on other key issues for automotive like energy costs, the challenge of Chinese EVs and the pace of transition…)

CONVENORS. Honestly.

Antonia and Jenny

Out and about in the renamed Hilltop and Ocker Hill ward with my friend Cllr Jenny Chidley - big issues roads, housing, Send (as always!)

Rachel Reeves ‘to give go-ahead’ for £1bn military helicopter deal Reports say chancellor to sign contract with Italy’s Leonardo, saving 3,000 manufacturing jobs at Yeovil factory

This is great. Lots of good UK unionised jobs protected into the future. I was so pleased to meet the @unitetheunion.bsky.social conveyors before Christmas and have asked questions and written to ministers on this - phew!

Not a bad shout!

Antonia Liz and Simon in front of Pim Lally St George’s Cross shop

Great session out in Friar Park talking to local residents with Cllr Hackett and Cllr Giles - but OMG the speeding on Carrington Road as we were chatting - picking this up AGAIN with the police and council

Workers in high vis on the rails of the new tramline

The tram stopped at the works just outside Wednesbury so I took the chance to snap some pics of the new extension to Tipton and Dudley rather than zooming past - shaping up beautifully 😍

Alex Ballinger and Beccy Cooper are very vocal on gambling

You wouldn’t have to work hard to persuade me my friend

I don’t want my high streets - already full of vape shops and barbers - to add ganja shops and legal shooting galleries. I don’t want incontinent kids on ketamine in every school. If you find that patronising and paternalistic, fine. Politics thrives on disagreement.

To tax it to fund public services and help end child poverty

I assumed she was asking what Labour was doing on VAWG, and answered in good faith

You misunderstand the Labour Party. We represent many of the areas where people live with the scourges of dealing and addiction and their consequences. You think I am ever going to support the wider availability of drugs that killed my friend and blight lives and communities?! Nah.

Genuinely - loads and loads. There’s a whole funded strategy on VAWG, and it’s great!