It continues to be a very interesting time in the world of politics nationally and many of you are contacting me with your views and comments on recent events with regard to BREXIT.
I have said all along that Parliament has a responsibility to respect the outcome of last year’s referendum and that is exactly what it is doing.
While I know there is a lot of debate about the form of our departure, in Wyre my constituents voted to leave by 63.7% on a high turnout, Britain must now negotiate to obtain the best deal possible.
Recently, I was delighted to welcome the Nateby Rose Queen, Hannah Procter and her family for tea in Westminster. It was a delight to meet them and I hope their visit to London was enjoyable.
Locally I continue to travel around the Constituency holding advice surgeries and visiting schools and various organisations.
I look on these visits as information gathering exercises and often as a result of them I have many questions and issues to highlight with Ministers, like Schools Minister Nick Gibb who I met recently.
I recently met with Network Rail at Poulton-le-Fylde Station to see first-hand how work to deliver Network Rail’s Great North Rail Project is on track to deliver rail improvements between Preston and Blackpool.
Work started in January to prepare the tracks through and near Poulton-le-Fylde station which aims to deliver a more reliable electric train service from May 2018. The major upgrade work is being delivered over ten weekend closures on the railway between Preston and Blackpool and forms part of Network Rail’s Great North Rail Project and is part of a wider £1bn+ investment in the north of England.
Quite often in my role as a Member of Parliament I have the honour to meet very special people, many of whom have shown great bravery.
Recently I was privileged to present France’s highest distinction, the Legion d’Honneur to Wyre resident Mr Henry Townsley, who took part in the D-Day landings as a Flight Engineer on a Lancaster Bomber.
The presentation took place at the veteran’s home in Poulton-le-Fylde in the presence of Mr Townsley’s close family.
Mr Townsley, who served on Lancaster and Halifax bombers during WW2, took part in operations connected with the D-Day landings as well as serving two tours as a Flight Engineer which consisted of over 50 bombing missions.
It was amazing to read Mr Townsley’s Flight Book which gave details of his distinguished service noting each mission and its outcome.
I was honoured to present Mr Townsley with the Legion d’Honneur. The courage of Mr Townsley and his fellow crew members must never be forgotten. Their actions were vital to the liberation of France and the defeat of the Nazis.
If I can be of any assistance to you please email me at [email protected] or write to me at: House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA. Alternatively you can contact my office at the House of Commons on 0207 219 5804 or my Constituency Office on (01995) 672977.
Ben Wallace MP