THIS has been an amazing week for our home.
But before I get on to York City’s promotion, I want to start this column a little differently.
Can I be honest?
One of the things you learn quickly in this job is that you can’t please everyone.
When I was elected to represent York Outer, I said I’d give it my all. It made the front page of The York Press, but for me it was a commitment to the place I’m proud to call home.
Since then, I believe I have done exactly that. There’s more to come.
I’ve secured funding for Haxby Station, worked closely with the Town Council to save the Post Office, and helped secure flood alleviation investment across York, including Fulford. I worked to introduce the Number 15 bus service for Bishopthorpe and Woodthorpe, and much more besides.
I’ve welcomed brilliant people from York to Parliament and introduced them to the Prime Minister and Chancellor, including representatives from the York City Football Club Foundation and Ladies, Piglets Adventure Farm and Menfulness. I’m always speaking up for constituents, tabling issues and attending debates.
This is the bread and butter of the job. It’s what I’m here to do.
What I’ve found harder to reconcile is that, for a small but vocal number of people, nothing I do will ever be the right thing.
I’m sometimes criticised when I visit local organisations or businesses, dismissed as “another photo op”. In reality, those visits are about listening, building relationships and being there when people need help.
In just the last month, those visits included Lakeside Primary Academy, the Wilberforce Trust, Goddard’s, an anti social behaviour community event at Derwenthorpe, the newly reopened Haxby Post Office, the Easter Egg Trail, Osbaldwick Primary School, Enterprise Car Club, a World Down Syndrome Day coffee morning, Askham Bryan College for lambing season, and York City Rowing Club. And yes, there’s even a video of me and Askham Bryan students bottle feeding the lambs!
I take a very public approach to the role, yet strangely, I’ve effectively been accused of being too visible.
I suppose that is a 180 from my predecessor!
Alongside what people see, my office and team run a day in, day out operation helping residents with complex issues, from NHS appointments to housing problems and immigration cases. Since being elected, we’ve handled more than 10,000 pieces of casework.
I worry sometimes that we’re losing nuance in politics, and our ability to see politicians as human beings. One of my friends, Joe Morris, the MP for Hexham, was recently criticised for ordering a starter as a main course in a local pub, a totally reasonable thing to do. We say we want MPs to be normal and then criticise them for being exactly that.
But now I want to turn to the thing we’ve all been talking about: York City’s promotion.
What happened at the weekend was one of the greatest promotion achievements in English football. To amass 108 points and still need to go through that drama to get promoted is extraordinary.
Like many others, I was one of the 4,500 supporters at the stadium screening, sharing the journey from devastation to absolute euphoria. Those moments are why football matters, and why this promotion will do the world of good for our city.
Here’s another example of clashing expectations. I’m a York City fan. I try to get to as many home games as I can, and the occasional away match when possible. Like many parents, I juggle that with family life, and missing time with my three year old and ten month old on a Saturday isn’t easy. I can’t wait for them to come to their first game.
This season has been an absolute rollercoaster, especially after last year’s heartbreak against Oldham. I was there at Boreham Wood at the end of the 24 game unbeaten run, stood in Barnsley for the heartbreak of the last-minute cup defeat, and have spent countless Saturdays at the LNER Community Stadium. To be back in the EFL is simply amazing for both our club, and city.
More recently, when I supported efforts to organise an open top bus trophy parade, a couple of people commented online that I wasn’t focused on “the right things”. I disagree. This is the club’s first promotion in a decade, and hopefully it won’t be the last either. Meanwhile, I’m of course continuing to crack on with everything else besides.
I have to admit, though, I’m really disappointed by the decision not to hold an open top bus trophy parade this week. I’m doing everything I can to help ensure a proper celebration takes place in the city, including speaking with City Cruises about options such as an open top boat parade.
These celebrations are not about politics. They’re about bringing our city together. They allow families, lifelong supporters and the wider community to share a moment of collective joy, and they can also provide a real boost to hospitality.
Finally, once again, congratulations to everyone connected to the club. This promotion reflects the hard work of Stuart Maynard, Ollie Pearce, the squad, the backroom staff, Julie Anne and Matt Uggla, and, above all, the fans, volunteers and supporters who have stuck with the club through thick and thin over the past decade.
Bring on 25 June, when the League Two fixtures come out!
You must be logged in to post a comment Login