Achievements
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Mike measures his success as Batley and Spen MP through his ability to help constituents. The way he has developed his role as a constituency focused MP has attracted wide praise - from colleagues in Parliament, including the Prime Minister, to those locally whom he has helped directly.
This is done predominantly through work for individuals or groups. There are of course many wider campaigns and issues with which Mike has been involved and which have improved or safeguarded people's quality of life. Included among them are:
- Organising the national petition which led to legislation for restricting the sale and use of fireworks.
- The successful campaign to stop what would have been Britain's largest ever opencast mine between Hanging Heaton and Soothill.
- Changes to the working practices and rules of the Benefits Agency following the death of a constituent from Batley.
- The protection of the former Spen rail line and the subsequent development of the Spen Valley Greenway - a leisure and transport route for walking, cycling and riding horses.
- The campaign to save Woodlands Primary School in Oakenshaw from closure, in which Mike's office played a key role.
- Protecting trade and vitality in the centre of Cleckheaton by leading the campaign to stop development of an out of town supermarket site.
- The development of a support network for those who run local Post Office branches.
- Key involvement in local and national campaigns to ban fox hunting.
- Rejuvenation of the Gomersal pensioner's annual tea and trip.
- Helped secure a new school for Whitcliffe Road First and Nursery at Howard Park in Cleckheaton.
- Continuing to play an active role in protecting the area from overbearing new housing development by submitting alternative options to the Local Development Framework.
- Creating the country's first Fairtrade constituency.
