LETTER: MPs have to perform for Rotherham

Both Sarah Campion and Jon Healey each secured 40 per cent of the vote cast, so 60pc was cast elsewhere and with much reduced majorities — they were very lucky to survive!

But it made me think — what have either of these MPs done for Rotherham? Denis MacShane and his successor Sarah Champion since 2012 and John Healey since 1997?

Sarah Champion has her pet projects, CSE victim support, wage equality and John Healey housing but looking at the website “they work for you” I found it difficult to find anything proactive or achieved for the town of Rotherham and surrounding area.

No campaign for increased funding for education — a great way to escape poverty and contribute to society — no working together as a team for the area, no campaign for better infrastructure, only comments about the danger of M1 lane changes, no campaign for better policing particularly for the town centre and finally no outcry that the councillors and police who knew but failed to react to the CSE scandal will not be prosecuted. No pressure on the Labour council to perform to deliver services to the area to make conditions for all better.

This area needs so much support, constructive effort as well as money and there has been a Labour government whilst Kevin Barron and John Healey have been MPs so they have had a responsibility and power in those years to make the area better — that’s the job!

Sarah Champion in her speech mentioned it being her watch and now following the years of austerity these newly elected MPs have to shout the loudest for our area, highlight the problems, solve the issues not just talk about it. This is your watch and we are all watching for significant improvement.

There is an underlying electorate campaign for change, for improvement in policing, for improvement in housing, education, social care and an improved standard of living for all.

On a final note, John Healey did not vote on the recent Brexit Bill — has this man learnt nothing from the doorstep of his constituents?

Pat Collins, Swinton