MP’s ten years in ‘unique role’

Ms Champion won a by-election in 2012 after the resignation of previous incumbent Denis MacShane, who had been caught up in the MP expenses scandal after filing 19 false invoices.

The then-chief executive of the Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice in North Anston won a majority of 5,318 over UKIP’s Jane Collins.

Roll forward a decade and Ms Champion is still MP for the constituency where she has campaigned on issues such as child sexual abuse, youth unemployment, Brexit, women in parliament and the workplace and public sector cuts.

“I can’t easily express what the last ten years representing Rotherham have been like as it is a complex, challenging and relatively unique role,” the MP said.

“It truly is an honour to serve and I am very grateful for the trust people put in me, but it is also overwhelming, 24/7 and all-encompassing as I take my duty to constituents very seriously.

“I have always tried to give a platform to things people raise on the doorstep, so my biggest parliamentary achievements have to be raising child protection issues locally and nationally and getting the government to commit considerable resources to address the failings. a

“I have also made multiple changes to the law around child abuse and made it mandatory that all children receive relationship education from primary school age.”

Ms Champion identified a need to fight for a brighter future in Rotherham which has suffered from a lack of investment and political choices in regards to prosperity levels in the town.

“Looking forward, I want towns like Rotherham to get the support they deserve so people and businesses can flourish,” she added.

“On any prosperity index, Rotherham comes out around the bottom.

“That is not inevitable, it’s due to political choices and lack of investment — and that is not fair.

“We pay our taxes and deserve the same support the rest of the country secures.

“I intend to keep fighting for Rotherham so that our potential becomes a reality.”

TIMELINE

November 2012: Wins Rotherham by-election to become MP by 5,318

August 2013: Calls for cross-party inquiry into allegations of child sex abuse and exploitation

September 2013: Welcomes RMBC’s independent inquiry into CSE

May 2014: Says removing the term “child prostitute” from law is a great victory for vulnerable children

July 2014: Appointed the chair of the all-party parliamentary group for victims and witnesses of crime

November 2014: Challenges then-home secretary Theresa May on the government’s refusal to put an offence of child exploitation into law

March 2015: Revealed to have claimed £17 for a remembrance wreath — admits claim “should never have been made” and she planned to repay the cost

July 2015: Her Ten Minute Rule-Bill on equal pay for women is passed overwhelmingly in Parliament

September 2015: Appointed as shadow minister for preventing abuse by then-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn

November 2015: Heads hate crime conference at New York Stadium

June 2016: Resigns from shadow home office role after Labour MPs pass a motion of no confidence in Jeremy Corbyn but returns to position a month later

October 2016: Appointed shadow minister for women and equalities

June 2017: Retains seat with increased majority of more than 10,000

August 2017: Resigns from shadow cabinet following controversial article in the Sun newspaper regarding child sexual abuse and link to British Pakistani men

July 2019: Says she would back a no deal Brexit “if it came to it” — for the sake of democracy.

December 2019: Wins Rotherham seat again in general election seat after defeating Conservative Gerri Hickton with reduced majority of 3,121

July 2020: Condemns continued lack of support for child sexual abuse survivors and calls for fresh funding from government

October 2021: Backs campaign by parents of tragic Rotherham teenage drowning victim Sam Haycock by calling in parliament for stronger sentences for those vandalising life-saving equipment

June 2022: Calls for more joined-up approach to tackling CSE after police watchdog report finds major failings but calls no individual officers to account