Happy New Year! 🎉 I’m back in Parliament and looking forward to the year ahead. If you need my support or have a question or comment, please do get in touch: Email: [email protected] Phone: 01744 21336 Write: Suite 2 Westway House, 42-44 Bridge Street, Newton-Le-Willows WA12 9QT 🌹

2025 is coming to an end. If you want to know some of what I’ve been up to in St Helens North (and some a little bit beyond!) this past year then check out this interactive map on my website!📍 👉 davidbaines.co.uk/2025 I’m looking forward to plenty more meetings, visits and events in 2026!

Everyone needs chances and choices in life. Homelessness is a dreadful risk to that, and the Tories looked the other way whilst this crisis grew. We won't. www.bigissue.com/opinion/alis...

So good to catch up with St Helens North MP @davidbainesmp.bsky.social I always appreciate his passion to change children’s lives and his support for our work @childrenssociety.bsky.social David know the issues children face and he’s determined to use his voice for change

Hi Bluesky! Read my latest newsletter here 👉 davidbaines.co.uk/newsletters 🌹

An honour to visit the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire today to pay tribute to the Royal Air Force Police and in particular Corporal Ashley Coates from St Helens who sadly died in 2023. For Ash and all those who served - we will remember them. 🇬🇧

It’s #ThankATeacherDay, an opportunity to recognise all our teachers do to give children growing up in our country the best start in life. Through our Plan for Change, we’re getting more teachers into our classrooms. Every lesson shapes a life, so go to getintoteaching.education.gov.uk.

This knighthood represents more than individual achievement. It acknowledges an entire sport that has been undervalued despite producing countless heroes who have inspired generations. Why rugby league deserves top honours too, writes @davidbainesmp.bsky.social

🚨 NEW: Labour is lifting 100,000 children out of poverty by expanding access to free school meals. Alongside free breakfast clubs, cheaper uniform costs and government-funded childcare, Labour is putting money in parents’ pockets and giving children the best start in life.

An absolute pleasure to welcome Hospital Doctors’ Union General Secretary @gensechcsa.bsky.social to Parliament today to discuss whistleblowing in the NHS. Martin is an outstanding champion for working people and I’m proud to support him.

Huge investment in our local transport announced today. This is the difference a Labour government makes.

We know good practice that properly supports children with SEND exists, but for far too many families that’s not their experience. We must spread the best practice and build excellence for every child, everywhere. A better system is possible. Great to speak with @dcpcampaign.bsky.social

Thrilled about today’s announcement 🇬🇧🇪🇺

Statement regarding tomorrow’s debate on assisted dying:

Today, on the 80th anniversary of VE Day, I had the absolute honour of meeting Gerald Anders. Gerald served during the Second World War, and at the age of 102 he is still going strong. I’m not able to say ‘thank you’ to my own grandparents today, but I am so pleased I got to say it to Gerald. 🇬🇧

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My column for this week’s St Helens Star 👉 www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/2512333... It’s only been a day and Farage has already threatened workers in Reform-controlled councils with the sack. We need to oppose him and his toxic politics with everything we’ve got.

Genuinely surprised that Nigel Farage has handed Labour an open goal like this on the day of the local elections. Health secretary Wes Streeting: "Nigel Farage has said the quiet part out loud: he doesn’t want a publicly funded NHS." www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/hes-sa...

He doesn’t know anything about mental health either judging from this. Which might come as a surprise to the voter I was talking to this week who’s hoping he’ll sort CAMHS access for her kids.

Farage talking arrant and nasty shit here. You can't get an autism/SEND diagnosis from a GP. People are having to wait years for one. This is just Trump/Kennedy stuff, with a flavour of Badenoch & the right wing UK media

Farage is typical of the new know it all breed of social media experts. He knows nothing about SEND. But rather than learn he mouths off and proclaims his own ill informed opinions as fact. He is wrong about SEND just like he’s wrong about most things. www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

The US is going to a very dark place, very quickly. This is not normal.

It is with sadness I read the news this morning that Pope Francis has passed away. His life was dedicated to service and to the pursuit of peace. I am grateful for his life and join millions of Catholics, Christians and people of all faiths and none in mourning his loss. May he rest in peace.

Congratulations to the Champions @sthelenstownafc.bsky.social 🙌 Today’s win over Wigan has secured the title. What a journey for the club under Chairman Ste Lingard and a small army of dedicated volunteers. It was a pleasure to say well done to them this afternoon. Enjoy your celebrations! 🍾👏🏆

It was a pleasure to recently welcome to Parliament @sthelenscouncil Leader Cllr Anthony Burns in his capacity as Chair of the North West Regional Leaders Board and leaders from across the region to meet with Local Growth Minister Alex Norris and MPs 🌹

The end of a long and unexpected day! The Bill has just received Royal Assent. I’m proud to be a part of our efforts to protect British industry, British jobs, and British interests 🇬🇧 This is the difference a Labour government makes. 🌹

This afternoon all MPs have been recalled to Parliament for an extraordinary Saturday meeting to urgently discuss the future of the British steel industry. I’m on my way down to London now and looking forward to supporting our steelworkers and Britain’s interests.

My latest newsletter is out now! Read it here, and sign up to join my mailing list and get it sent direct to your inbox every month 👉 davidbaines.co.uk/newsletters

We're joined by @davidbainesmp.bsky.social on a bonus episode to talk #RugbyLeague, politics and St. Helens... www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect...

Pupils’ enthusiasm 'inspiring' as MP commits to improving education system

Great news!

This is not normal.

We took over the giant screen at Farage’s big rally in Birmingham

Terrific reporting by @nytimes.com. Shame the British media can’t expose this for themselves. Will only fuel suspicion that Farage and his Brexit gang are - and have always been - a Putinist front

This is not normal.

Even if you accept the premise and decision, which I absolutely do not, it is the simplest thing to phone the visa holder, tell them their visa is revoked and say they have a month to leave the country. Accosting someone on the street like a kidnapping is just a spectacle of terror.

They revoked a Fulbright Scholar's visa because she wrote an op-ed they didn't like. I studied abroad as a graduate student and it never occurred to me that my legal status might depend on not criticizing government policy.

People in St Helens North deserve and demand to feel safe. There’s nothing ‘low level’ about antisocial behaviour and it’s right we take it seriously. My latest column for @sthelensstar.bsky.social 👉 www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/2503569...

The evidence of today’s forecasts is clear: Government’s ambitious planning reforms will drive growth into the economy. £3.4bn by the end of this parliament. Now we need to go further and faster on building, clean energy, cutting edge defence, the AI revolution & more.

Today Martyn's Law completed its final Parliamentary step ahead of Royal Assent. Figen Murray has been inspirational in driving forward this important legislation.

🚨🚨 THIS is a MAJOR story: Amidst civil unrest in the country and Erdogan's despicable jailing of his main political rival, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu Elon Musk's social media platform X has suspended several accounts belonging to opposition figures in Turkey.🧵 www.politico.eu/article/musk...

This week is Neurodiversity Celebration Week. 15-20% of people have a neurological difference. Dyslexia is one of the most common, & as vice chair of the Dyslexia APPG, & I’m determined to raise awareness & see changes to our education system to better support those with neurological differences.

I was recently appointed to this committee and if you want to know more about it, our excellent chair Cat Smith has written this great article about the work we’re doing 👇

1. Today the Tories unveil their new policy: ripping up the commitment to net zero by 2050. Kemi Badenoch, with no evidence, claims "it can’t be achieved without a serious drop in our living standards or by bankrupting us." What the evidence shows is the opposite. We can't prosper without it. 🧵

Extremely sad news today. Doug Laughton was a legend of the game. A Man of Steel, multiple cup winner as a player and a coach, and craftsman of the great Widnes team of the late 80s. My deepest condolences go to his family and all who knew him.

A tribute to legendary Chemics captain and coach Doug Laughton www.runcornandwidnesworld.co.uk/news/2501216...

How to deliver, by Michael Barber, from 10 years ago www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

☘️ It was an honour to take part in today’s St Patrick’s Day Mass and parade in Ashton organised by the Brian Boru Club, the oldest Irish club in the UK and a focal point for the Catholic community near and far. As a member of that community, I was proud to represent St Helens North in today’s event.

I defeated Jack in Welwyn Hatfield last July. Now we all need to redouble our efforts to defeat the politics of Reform, who continue to run candidates who have been apologists for extremism. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...