Adam Jogee
MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme · Labour · United Kingdom
“In business questions earlier, the Leader of the House said that a new Administration may want to look at whether they want to proceed with any current proposals in other areas. I hope the next Administration will hear my call today to look again at that reorganisation.”
“That is one of the few things I do not have to bang on about quite as much as I did when I was first elected to this House. I have worked hard to represent our excellent local farmers, who produce—with their flock and animals —excellent British food, and I will continue to be a strong champion for them.”
“I will not stop banging on about this until we put it right. More generally, I welcome the £120 million support package for the ceramics industry in Staffordshire, and I am grateful to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Secretary of State for Business and Trade and the Minister for Industry, my hon. Friend the hon.”
“The announcement today and the proposals in it are completely unacceptable. I reject them in the strongest terms— [ Interruption. ] Don’t heckle me. I have been saying this all along, so let me finish; I speak for my constituents.”
“It is a pleasure to follow the Chairman of the Backbench Business Committee, the hon. Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman). I join him in paying tribute to Ann Widdecombe. We must be able to disagree without being disagreeable—or in this case, murderous—in our country.”
“I have a minute and a bit to go, so I will take the opportunity to add a few words. I thank my constituents for their commitment to our country and our community, and for holding me to account in no uncertain terms every single day.”
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“My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. Royal Stoke University hospital, which is across the road from my constituency border but is staffed by and serves the vast majority of my constituents, is ensuring that its patients and workers enjoy the highest standards and the best of British food. I feel sure that the Minister will agree that that is an excellent point when she sums up the debate. Constantly thinking about the impact and benefits of the highest British standards leads me to highlight how important it is to remember that the issues facing the agriculture sector and British farmers—who work day in, day out to deliver those highest standards—did not start in July 2024. The price of milk, trade deals that undercut our farmers and access to labour are just some of the long-standing challenges that, as the hon.”
“The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to push Staffordshire County Council to make the sections of the A525 near Meadows Primary School in Newcastle-under-Lyme fit for purpose by introducing traffic calming measures that would meaningfully improve safety such as traffic lights, speed bumps, speed cameras, a reduced speed zone, or roundabout modification. And the petitioners remain, etc.] [P003159]”
“Following is the full text of the petition: [The petition of residents of the constituency of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Declares that the A525 outside Meadows Primary School, and at the junction of Crewe Road, is inadequate, dangerous and putting the lives of the people of Newcastle-under-Lyme at risk; acknowledges that in recent weeks, a parent was knocked down dropping their child off to school, and there have been many more near misses in the weeks and months before us; notes that each and every parent should feel safe dropping their children off at school; and further notes that an online petition on this same issue has reached 289 signatures from people who live, learn and work in Newcastle-under-Lyme.”
“It notes that each and every parent should feel safe dropping their children off at every school in Newcastle-under-Lyme. It further notes that a corresponding petition online on the same issue has reached 289 signatures from the good people who live, learn and work in Newcastle-under-Lyme.”
“The petition of the residents of the constituency of Newcastle-under-Lyme declares that the A525 outside Meadows primary school and the A531 at the junction of Crewe Road are inadequate, dangerous and putting the lives of the people of Newcastle-under-Lyme at risk. The petition acknowledges that in December 2025 a parent was knocked down dropping their child off to school and that there have been many more near misses in the many weeks and months before. The petition calls on the police, fire and crime commissioner in Staffordshire and Staffordshire county council to act sooner rather than later to make the road fit for purpose. It further recognises that traffic-calming measures including traffic lights, speed bumps, speed cameras, a reduced-speed zone or a roundabout modification would meaningfully improve safety.”
“I thank the hon. Gentleman for letting me take the debate from Surrey to Staffordshire. There is concern in Newcastle-under-Lyme about what a potential new unitary may look like and about whether the debt of current councils will be carried over to it. I want to add my concerns to his. This is not a party political issue; it is about ensuring that people are not forced to pay off the debt accrued by others.”
“I shall add a Labour voice to the case for supply and production, but first I pay tribute to the Newcastle-Staffs Foodbank in Newcastle-under-Lyme, which does wonderful work, particularly at the Newcastle Congregational Church on King Street. The intervention by the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael) about supply and production speaks to the importance of the wonderful farmers in Newcastle-under-Lyme, such as the Jones family in Audley and the Williams family in Wrinehill. We can feed ourselves, but we can only do so if we support the farmers in my constituency, and those up and down our country.”
“I am grateful to my hon. Friend for giving way. It is not for me to touch on stereotypes, but being his mate and, at Christmas, his secret Santa recipient, I can confirm that he is very generous indeed. We are all enjoying his speech immensely, but I wonder whether he agrees that no farm in this United Kingdom is better than a Staffordshire farm—with Ulster farms running close, of course, as the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) knows. With that in mind, we should all have a “Buy British” approach. That is good for my people in Newcastle-under-Lyme and for producers, and it will be good for our economy, too.”
“I am grateful to the hon. Member for giving way; I will have to buy him a pint for making him wait. Newcastle-under-Lyme is home to many rural communities where horse riding is a much-loved and much-enjoyed way to spend time. My constituent Carol Whitehouse took me out recently on her horse, and Sarah, who runs Horsleys in Audley, lent me her boots because I was wearing trainers. Both spoke of the fear and concern they feel as they ride their horses, particularly as a result of big lorries, so the points that the hon. Member has raised about Berkshire and other places across the country are felt strongly in Staffordshire, too.”
“I am grateful to the Secretary of State for offering us a meeting with the Rail Minister, but we would benefit hugely from a meeting with the Secretary of State herself as soon as possible.”
“I welcome the Secretary of State’s commitment to improving connections to Manchester airport, and I hope she will support my calls for a direct line between Stoke-on-Trent railway station, which serves most of my constituents, and Manchester airport. As the Secretary of State has heard from my hon. Friends the Members for Stafford (Leigh Ingham) and for Lichfield (Dave Robertson), although we welcome the intent and ambition of this statement, a number of Staffordshire MPs have concerns and questions about the impact locally. I have heard from countless people in Newcastle-under-Lyme about their experience of the disgraceful and failed HS2 project; people in my constituency want clarity, to be heard and to know that there will be no repeat of the distress and destruction they were forced to live with.”
“I am grateful to my hon. Friend for securing this important debate. I should declare an interest, because Manchester airport is my local airport and is used by many of my constituents in Newcastle-under-Lyme. In fact, I was there on Sunday: my poor wife had to wait because the flight from Northern Ireland was delayed. The first thing she said to me was not “Hi, love,” but “Don’t forget to pay.” That speaks to the impact that these charges have on marital harmony. To be serious, this unfairness speaks to a lack of consistency across the United Kingdom. More importantly, it makes the case for a direct line between Stoke-on-Trent station and Manchester airport, which would benefit my constituents. I hope that my hon. Friend will support my calls.”
“On a point of order, Ms Vaz. In the interests of getting home safely, I should say that my wife quite often says “I love you,” and I am very grateful to her for doing so.”
“Further to the hon. Gentleman’s description of the situation at Belfast City airport, I found out on Sunday, when my mother-in-law dropped me off from the long-stay car park, that it is free for the first 10 minutes. The point that my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme (Lee Pitcher) made about accessibility is important, because the long-stay car park is further away and there is no canopy. We all know about the liquid sunshine for which Ulster is well known. [ Interruption. ] Liquid sunshine, not rain. If someone is not as able-bodied as others, or if they have children, bags and all the rest, it is more difficult for them to get into the terminal. The accessibility point extends not just to the east midlands, but right across the United Kingdom.”
“Storm Goretti had a big impact back home in Newcastle-under-Lyme, made all the worse by the disgraceful response of Staffordshire county council. I wrote to the council on 28 November, asking what plans were in place to ensure that it was prepared for bad weather. I was told on 18 December that it was prepared. It was not—rural communities cut off, schools closed, vulnerable people stuck at home, empty grit bins all over my constituency, and roads left ungritted. What pressure can the Minister apply to Staffordshire county council, and what guidance can it be given, to ensure that it gets a grip in keeping my community safe the next time we have such bad weather?”
“It is one of the largest private sector employers in Newcastle-under-Lyme—that was not in my hon. Friend’s notes. [Laughter.] Can the Minister touch a little bit on the engagement with some of these companies to ensure that the workers, many of whom live in my constituency and the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central, will not be adversely impacted?”
“[ Interruption. ] This is serious. How can I get Staffordshire county council and its leadership to do what my constituents pay for and want: to do their job and grit our roads, and to do so now?”
“On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. When I left home in Newcastle-under-Lyme on Monday to travel down to Parliament, the weather was already very bad after heavy snow on Sunday night. However, for the people of Newcastle-under-Lyme, the situation at home has got worse, thanks to both the weather and the complete and utter failure of Staffordshire county council to grit our roads and keep those who live, learn and work in Newcastle-under-Lyme safe. I have had reports of empty grit bins on Sterndale Drive in Westbury Park and on Plymouth Grove, of our town centre being an ice rink, of the A34 from Newcastle to Talke not being fit for purpose and of the roads through Chesterton, Audley and Madeley being cut off, just like roads in Wolstanton. Madam Deputy Speaker, can you advise me of the best way to raise this issue in the House?”
“I was about to be nice to my hon. Friend! I congratulate him on an excellent speech and on his dogged tenacity on behalf of his constituents in Buckingham and Bletchley. I saw that part of the world when he bought me a pint at his local in the summer, and I hope that he will extend an invitation to you before too long, Madam Deputy Speaker. As my hon. Friend knows, the west coast main line goes through his constituency, as it does through mine. To unlock in my area the potential to which he has referred, a direct line between Stoke-on-Trent railway station and Manchester airport would do much for jobs, opportunities and investment. Does he support my calls for such a connection?”
“We all look forward to seeing my hon. Friend the Member for Buckingham and Bletchley (Callum Anderson) cutting the ribbon with his very big scissors when the entrance is finally open. Before the Minister winds up, will he help me to secure a meeting with the relevant Minister to discuss the merits of a direct line between Stoke-on-Trent railway station and Manchester airport? He has touched on the importance of jobs, of opportunities and of unlocking investment, and that line would do wonders for my part of the world.”
“I did not realise that the A34 goes through the hon. Gentleman’s constituency, as it does mine—we will have to do a road trip some time. I congratulate him on his excellent speech. The Minister will not be surprised to see me here, because in Newcastle-under-Lyme we lived with the very worst example of waste crime and profit over people that was Walleys Quarry. We have just marked a year since the landfill site was closed and the cowboy operators driven out of town. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that we need a stand-alone strategy for waste crime and that we need it quickly?”
“I am grateful to the Minister for sharing with the House this important step forward. We are talking about these issues going back to 2018, and it just worries me that if this had been done before, some of the issues that I have hassled her about in relation to Walleys Quarry since I was elected to this place in July 2024 could have been dealt with a lot sooner. This raises many questions about the impact on my constituents back home in Newcastle-under-Lyme under the previous Government, who were clearly missing in action. We can discuss this further outside this House.”
“I am grateful to the Minister for setting out so clearly how seriously she is taking this issue, which will be of continued reassurance to people back home in Newcastle-under-Lyme. In many examples, waste crime is rural crime, such as in the example from the constituency of the hon. Member for Bicester and Woodstock (Calum Miller) and for me back home. The Minister talks about working together—can she touch a little bit more on the importance of co-operation and partnership work with the Home Office to make sure that we are getting that right? Clearly, in many communities up and down the country, people think that they can get away with doing whatever they want in rural communities, where there are fewer people around. We have to make sure that we tighten that up quickly.”
“For my constituents back home in Newcastle-under-Lyme, a crime is a crime wherever it takes place. Can the Minister set out what steps she will take to ensure that rural crime in my constituency and across Staffordshire is always treated with the same urgency as crime that takes place in our town and city centres?”
“Merry Christmas to you, Mr Speaker, and all colleagues across the House. Before my election to this place, I spent five years in the shadow DEFRA team, working with my old boss, my hon. Friend the Member for Newport West and Islwyn (Ruth Jones). We had the animal welfare brief and spent many months and years on these issues, so I welcome the strategy almost finally arriving. In Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire, we have wonderful farmers who work to the highest standards—British standards. While it would have been helpful to read the strategy today, can my right hon. Friend assure me and farmers back home that our strategy will support rather than hinder, be rooted in the highest of standards, and be rolled out properly, speedily and proactively?”
“In Newcastle-under-Lyme and in Staffordshire, there is real discussion about what the future may look like. It is clear that some things have to change, because councils are not operating as effectively as they might. That said, can the Minister assure me that the views of local people, and the history, traditions and identity of communities, will be the driving force behind any discussion about what the future may look like?”
“I am grateful to the Chairman for the statement. A number of colleagues have found it quite frustrating when putting in debate applications that they have to get 15 Government Back Benchers, eight Opposition Members and the rest of it. I wonder whether any thought could be given to making it a little easier, as the result of the general election last year means there are fewer Opposition Members to add up for those applications.”
“I will simply say, as it is the festive season, that it is an honour to represent them and everyone who lives, learns and works in Newcastle-under-Lyme, and I thank them for their support for my work. In the year ahead we must focus on delivery, on providing practical outcomes for families in my community and on ensuring that the promises we make in this place are felt by people in Newcastle-under-Lyme, like Janet and Eric, who visited from Wolstanton just yesterday. As I prepare to head for my train shortly, I thank my staff for the help they give me here in this place and back home in Newcastle-under-Lyme; I thank my family for sharing me with my constituents and everyone here, and for making this life work; and most importantly, I thank the people of Newcastle-under-Lyme for giving me the chance to serve in this place.”
“It must improve road safety—I heard from residents in Madeley Heath yesterday about a collision that took place outside a local primary school—and sort the A500 slip road at Audley. That is not to mention the ongoing crisis in special educational needs and disabilities provision. I thank our farmers in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire for all they do to feed us and tend to the land, and for their contribution to our economy. I have put on record my thoughts about the proposed changes, and they have not changed. On occasion, it feels like I live rent free in the heads of some Conservative members of Newcastle-under-Lyme borough council—I feel sorry for them if I do; nobody deserves that.”
“We have seen a real improvement and a tangible difference to the lives of local people, but there is more to do. Our world faces crises in every corner, and my thoughts at this time of year are with the people of Sudan, Ukraine, Gaza and all parts of the world where there is pain and suffering, not least the good people of Australia as they deal with the disgusting, disgraceful antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi last week. I welcome the action on the British Coal staff superannuation scheme in the Budget, which was mentioned earlier. I urge Staffordshire county council—the less said about its former leader, the better—to ensure that it steps up and gives Newcastle-under-Lyme the focus we deserve. It must work quickly and effectively to fix the potholes on our roads, as I heard from my constituent Mark this week.”
“Madam Deputy Speaker, I wish you and yours and all colleagues a very happy Christmas. Christmas is a time for family and friends, merriment and relaxing, but it can also be a difficult time for many: for those who are mourning—it will be the first Christmas for my wife and her family since her dad died in June, so we will be feeling that particularly; for those who work in our emergency services and are on call over the coming days, including the clergy, who are busy doing the Lord’s work at this time of year; and for those serving in our armed forces, to whom we owe a real debt of gratitude. I thank all of them for what they do, both back home in Newcastle-under-Lyme and across our United Kingdom. Three weeks ago, we celebrated the first anniversary since the closure notice was issued to the cowboy operators at Walleys Quarry.”
“It is always important for Northern Ireland to be discussed on the Floor of the House—we are, after all, one United Kingdom—so I thank the shadow Secretary of State for securing the urgent question. We must never forget the people of Northern Ireland. Can my right hon. Friend say what recent engagement he has had with victims, survivors and the organisations representing them as part of his work to address the legacy of the past?”
“All planning permissions for landfills should require separate stable non-reactive hazardous material cells to be constructed, because this will help to deter the mixing and misclassifying of such waste. What happened at Walley’s quarry must never be allowed to happen again.”
“Local planning authorities must require far more vigorous assessments of the long-term environmental and public health risks associated with converting quarries into waste sites. Before any waste site is granted permission, operators must provide fully protected bonds or trust funds that are capable of covering decades of aftercare. When companies collapse, the public must not inherit their liabilities. I have two specific requests of the Minister. First, no quarry with the potential to become a landfill site should be opened within 500 metres of any homes, and no planning application should be approved. Secondly, I urge Ministers to create an excess of supply for the responsible disposal of gypsum.”
“Between 2021 and 2024 the Environment Agency undertook more than 180 inspections—far more than would be considered normal for a landfill site—and still the problems persisted. The problem is not simply a bad operator or political leaders at all levels of government who fail to act when needed; it is a system that allows a badly managed site to continue operating for years, even as the harm grows and enforcement escalates. Planning permissions granted decades ago no longer reflect modern environmental standards, population densities or public health evidence, and the law does not make it easy to intervene when things go wrong. Two weeks ago we celebrated a year since Walley’s quarry was closed down, and I am grateful to all those who campaigned so hard to help to make that happen.”
“We cannot be in a situation where people who know what happened, who can provide answers and who must be held accountable avoid justice for whatever reason. I hope that the criminal investigation reaches its conclusion sooner rather than later. I have received reports, which I have raised with His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, that the former operators at Walley’s quarry owe in the region of £80 million. I urge all relevant authorities to go after every single penny, because the people of Newcastle-under-Lyme deserve no less. The Environment Agency has been clear in its assessments. It recorded repeated breaches by the operator, identified poor management, and concluded that Walleys Quarry Ltd had failed to demonstrate that it could control fugitive landfill emissions.”
“Walley’s quarry reveals a fundamental gap in the UK’s planning system. Even when technically compliant, planning permission does not guarantee that a waste site in a former quarry will remain safe or tolerable for those who live around it. Too much trust was placed in conditions that lacked enforceability and, in our case, an operator who consistently failed to do the right thing. In my working life I have never seen cowboy operators as irresponsible, as greedy, as reckless and—to put it bluntly—as criminal as those in the details I shall share with the House today. I have received news that Nigel Bowen, who was once responsible for the operations at Walley’s quarry, died last month. I of course acknowledge the impact on his family, but I am also concerned about what this means for the criminal investigation.”
“The experiences of my constituents were beyond comprehension: respiratory irritation, headaches, disrupted sleep and mental health strain, with children unable to play outside, elderly residents housebound and families unable to open their windows. That is not to mention the disgraceful experience of my young constituent Matthew. I pay tribute to him, his mother Becky Currie and their family for all they have done to shine a light on the disgraceful situation at Walley’s quarry. It is clear that the impact of the hydrogen sulphide emitting from Walley’s quarry was not just a nuisance; it was a public health crisis that the people of Newcastle-under-Lyme were forced to live with. Although we cannot go back in time, we must ensure that our experiences are not repeated anywhere else in the United Kingdom.”
“Thank you very much, Dr Murrison. I am grateful to the hon. Member for South Leicestershire (Alberto Costa) for securing the debate and giving me the opportunity to speak about the impact of quarries once permission for them has been granted. Newcastle-under-Lyme has regrettably been tarnished in this place for far too long by the events at Walley’s quarry landfill site. I look forward to the day, as do my neighbours back home, when we can finally put this disgraceful situation behind us. When Walley’s quarry was granted a licence to operate as a landfill site, the assumption was that the site would be managed safely, responsibly and with the local community in mind. But we know all too painfully that that did not happen. Odour complaints began many years ago, but from 2020 onwards they surged to intolerable levels.”
“The bonds of history and people bind together our United Kingdom and many independent nations on the African continent; we have common languages, common legal systems, common but difficult histories and a common purpose. This new approach has the potential to help to grow our economy here at home, neutralise the influence of hostile states and move forward together. If it does that, it will have my full support.”
“How will the approach ensure that the Commonwealth gets meaningful support and is properly fit for purpose? I am concerned that one word that was not mentioned in the statement was “Commonwealth”. How much money will be put behind this new approach? What steps will be taken to ensure that new, meaningful trade deals are established between African nations and the United Kingdom? Fair, balanced and decent trade has a hugely important role to play in this relationship, and it must be taken seriously. What will be expected of our heads of missions at high commissions and embassies across Africa to advance this approach? Finally, what will our new approach mean for British engagement with the African Union?”
“Each region will have different characteristics, and our approach needs to reflect that with respect, understanding and action. The United Kingdom has been found seriously wanting in relation to its former colonies over the past 30 years under successive Governments, and this must be a turning point based on respect, friendship, equality and our shared histories, bonds, systems and experiences. I have the following questions for the Minister. How will the Government’s approach protect the United Kingdom against the geopolitical threats we face from Russia, China and other hostile states and their corrosive impact on nations across the African continent? Many African nations are members of the Commonwealth—a hugely important but totally underutilised post-war creation.”
“I am grateful to you for granting this urgent question, Mr Speaker. I declare an interest as chair of the all-party parliamentary group for foreign affairs and co-chair of the APPG for the Commonwealth. The geopolitical challenges we face as a nation are acute and mounting and have real impacts on people back home in Newcastle-under-Lyme and across our United Kingdom. For too long, our relationship with countries on the African continent has been viewed through the prism of colonial guilt, which has harmed our ability to engage, left relationships to suffer and let generations down. We must think about what we can do with, not to, nations on the African continent. The African continent is a big and diverse place and cannot be put in one basket.”
“People in Newcastle-under-Lyme are watching this crisis unfold with horror, and I congratulate the hon. Member for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East (Seamus Logan) on securing this urgent question. I welcome the Minister to the Dispatch Box—it is the first time I have seen him—but I must say that an oral ministerial statement would have been welcomed. What specific engagement has taken place with the African Union not just on securing a much-needed peace, but on the distribution of aid? What co-ordinating role is the United Kingdom playing with our European counterparts, because the world cannot sit by and watch this any longer?”
“On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Further to the question from my constituency neighbour, my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent North (David Williams), Staffordshire has been in the news this week not for the skills, smarts and successes of our wonderful people from Newcastle-under-Lyme to Tamworth and from Stafford to Stoke, but for the disgusting, disgraceful and deeply sickening social media posts of the now former Reform UK party leader of Staffordshire county council. Madam Deputy Speaker, what advice can you provide to me and my Staffordshire colleagues on how we can ensure our people and our county are not tarnished by the disgusting views of a fringe minority?”
“I believe that they should be made by the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission, rather than by any Secretary of State, because Operation Kenova demonstrates that independence is key if we are to effectively address the legacy of the past.”
“I thank the right hon. Member for Belfast East (Gavin Robinson) for securing his urgent question. Like him and others across the House, I think today about the victims of terrorism who lost their lives, and their families. I want to acknowledge and commend Sir Iain Livingstone and Chief Constable Boutcher for their work, which is a demonstration of how important independence is. The reports for families that Operation Kenova has produced demonstrate the value of independent and effective legacy investigations. With that in mind, I acknowledge the Secretary of State’s reference to his openness and urge him to think about appointments to the judicial panel of the new Legacy Commission.”
“I thank my hon. Friend for her excellent statement on our important report on the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland. I want to acknowledge the Committee staff, Chloe and Joe, who are sitting in the Gallery, who helped put our report together. The clear message from the families, the representatives and the victims, to whom I pay tribute, who we met across the Province was that they want answers, justice and to finally move on. With that in mind, will my hon. Friend set out how she thinks Members of this House can engage more properly and effectively with colleagues in the Oireachtas and the Northern Ireland Assembly to ensure that we give full voice to all those affected by the troubles?”
“I am grateful to my hon. Friend and constituency neighbour for securing this debate. I want to add my voice, and those of thousands of people back home in Newcastle-under-Lyme, in support of the excellent case she made that there is no better place to invest than our part of the world. The Minister knows this because I put it to him earlier today, but when the Government look to ensure that we are competitive and seizing the opportunities before us, north Staffordshire must be at the forefront of everything they do.”
“I want to add my voice to that of my constituency neighbour, my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central (Gareth Snell). A bespoke ceramics strategy would do wonders for our part of the world—in Newcastle-under-Lyme, in neighbouring Stoke-on-Trent and further afield into the east midlands. I want to reassure the Minister that a number of us would make that case, and make it strongly.”