£10 million government funding is coming to the North East and people in North Durham will benefit! The 'Inactivity Trailblazers' programme has been extended and will help people to get people back into work by providing mental health support and peer support networks.

I recently joined the Long Covid All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) following contact from a constituent whose life has been changed by the condition. Being on the APPG means I can be a part of discussions on supporting people living with Long Covid, hear from medical experts on the matter.

Did you know every day 240 people wake up to the impact of stroke? I pledge to make stroke a priority in North Durham and Parliament @thestrokeassoc

People in North Durham will get help into work as part of Labour’s Connect to Work programme. The North East is getting £49.7 million to provide employment support to 13,800 sick and disabled people. Find out more www.lukeakehurstmp.co.uk/welcoming-49...

It’s vital that workers of all ages understand their rights at work and know what support is available to them. Your exact rights and responsibilities will depend on your employment status. Learn more about your rights at work by visiting @age_uk ‘s webpage: www.ageuk.org.uk/information-...

Great to join Councillor Joan Nicholson, Chair of Stanley Town Council, in Craghead on Friday to celebrate the funding I have secured for the area via the government’s Pride in Place programme. This unprecedented funding, £2m per year for ten years, will be transformational for Stanley.

Earlier today I popped in to the Job Centre Plus in Chester-le-Street; the staff team are all so dedicated with long careers at DWP and a wealth of knowledge. The JCP does so much more than focus on employment, there are training courses, and a focus on life skills.

Thanks to @epilepsysociety for having me at their stand at #labourconference this week. I support the people in my constituency living with seizures.

Franchising in the UK is broken. “They sign them up on one set of terms […] and then change the goalposts, and then, when people dissent and complain, they find their franchises withdrawn and lose their investment.”

Enjoyed meeting with Alzheimer's Society at conference - this is a cause close to the heart of many constituents and I continue to support @alzheimerssoc in their work to improve access to care, support and treatment.

Great to catch up with @coalfieldsregen at #labourconference this week. I will continue to work with them to support former coalfield communities like those in North Durham.

@luke-akehurstmp.bsky.social thanks so much for visiting @thestrokeassoc.bsky.social stand at #Lab25 and supporting stroke. The UK's 1.4 million stroke survivors need as many parliamentary champions as possible👃

The 2026 UK Parliament Teacher Ambassador Programme is now open for applications. The successful 65 applicants will have their travel, accommodation, and meal costs covered. The closing date for applications is Sunday 26 October: learning.parliament.uk/en/teacher-a...

It was a pleasure to meet with the Chester-le-Street Heritage Group who very kindly presented me with a copy of Harold William Harbottle’s Chester-le-Street: History and guide, thank you all again!

hardly anyone will watch Starmer's appearance at Labour conference today but it was probably the best speech he's ever given he clearly signposted what he stands for - a diverse, tolerant, decent Britain - and how be believes progressives are in an existential fight with the populist right

Thanks to Luke Akehurst for visiting us at #Lab25, and thanks for your interest in #HeatPumps and #ElectricityPricing. It was a pleasure to meet you and we hope to continue the conversation!

Last week I went along to Krazy Kingdom in Stanley which is a fantastic local business with thriving soft play and bowling areas. I enjoyed chatting through the highs and lows of running a small business and how I can support as MP and look forward to visiting again in the future.

“We have to go out and win this on our social democratic values. The word democracy is in there because we have to fight for the best democracy we can get.” 💬 @luke-akehurstmp.bsky.social 🌹 #Labour4PR #Lab25

I'm backing mandatory suicide prevention training for our emergency service workers. Find out more about @Samaritans #UnitedWithTheFrontLine campaign - and how you can support it, and help save lives lost to suicide: samaritans.org/uwtf

Since being elected, I’ve been fighting hard in Parliament for Stanley. Now, that work is paying off. We’ve secured £20 million of long-term funding for South Stanley - £2 million every year for a decade. This is the difference a Labour Government makes. No more empty promises. Real change

Extra-care facilities are becoming increasingly popular due to the reassuring 24/7 presence of responder staff and the strong sense of community. I had the pleasure of visiting The Elms in Chester-le-Street last week – the staff and residents were very welcoming.

Reform’s proposed changes to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme would impact tens of thousands of residents across County Durham. You have a chance to have your say on the proposed changes – and there are only four days left to do so. letstalkcountydurham.co.uk/en-GB/folder...

Grandpa's Fish Bar in Lanchester has been named in the top 40 takeaways of the year at the upcoming National Fish and Chip Awards 2026! This is a significant achievement. I popped in this lunchtime to sample the award winning food and meet the owners - I can safely say they deserve the accolades!

I recently visited Bloemfontein Primary and Nursery School to meet staff and pupils at the formal opening of their brand new school based nursery. I’m proud that Bloemfontein was one of the first schools in County Durham to benefit from the Labour Government’s school-based nurseries funding scheme.

Good to have support from @lukeakehurstmp for a railway that works for passengers, not profit. Our recent rail drop-in brought 41 MPs and rail experts together to discuss the upcoming railways bill. Ask your MP to read our rail vision report and back full public ownership. Email them today 👇

In July I had the privilege of meeting a group of pupils from Chester-le-Street’s Roseberry Primary School in Westminster for a tour of Parliament. We had a chance to get a picture together in Westminster Hall, and it was a real pleasure to show them around.

Thank you to everyone who attended last week’s joint advice surgery with me and Durham Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen. We started the morning with a chat with local Police, a stroll around Sacriston and had time to drop into some local businesses for a chat followed by our surgery.

Lots of parliamentary votes coming up tonight defending the vital Employment Rights Bill from Tory amendments

As a supporter of proportional representation since 1990, I attended the launch of the Fair Elections APPG Terms of Reference for a National Commission on Electoral Reform today.

Map of Nominations:

Labour Deputy Leadership Nominations From MPs [Final]: 🟢 Phillipson: 175 🟡 Powell: 117 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 🔴 Ribeiro-Addy: 24 83 Undeclared.

More reshuffle

The cabinet reshuffle in full

It was great to welcome the Government's additional investment in Early Years education in the Commons today!

Crossings of small boats to UK in August fall to lowest since 2019 on.ft.com/4p2jkfO

North-east of England is best region in Great Britain for allotments, report finds

Home Office promises ‘big surge’ in asylum hotel closures in new year

Why Reform in Durham is hitting the poorest first www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/2541097...

Reform UK leader Andrew Husband finds out that offering tax cuts as a campaign slogan is easy, promising them in real life is hard. That should be the headline: Warning as County Durham faces 'stark' choice between tax rises or cuts www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/2540755...

UK government borrowed less than expected in July in lift for Rachel Reeves

Surprise good news as government borrowing less than half forecast

Interesting from Paul Mason on the Your Party open.substack.com/pub/htsf/p/c...

The Government has already taken positive action on the Mineworkers Pension Scheme (MWP), I have joined fellow Coalfield MPs to flag that there is more work to do to make further progress on the MWP, the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme and support for the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

Bank of England poised to cut interest rates on Thursday

In September I will be holding a joint advice surgery with Durham Police and Crime Commissioner, Joy Allen. To book an appointment, please email [email protected] or call 0191 371 8834.

Say no to Reform's Council Tax Rises Durham Labour Group are calling on Reform to protect the Council Tax Reduction Scheme and dismiss any plans to scrap it. Add your voice to the campaign: survey.labour.org.uk/reformtaxrise

This afternoon I met with Stanley Police to discuss issues across the area and to express my concerns around recent local incidents. We spoke at length about individual incidents, HMOs, off-road bikes, drug related crime, antisocial behaviour and speeding across the constituency.