MPs with a waterways interest

[adam1uk]

One of the losses I noticed on election night was Michael Fabricant, who had been chair of the All Party Waterways Group.  Whatever you think of him and his hair, he was always a great backer of the waterways and in that sense at least he’ll be missed.  The group was quite a good way of getting waterways issues put before ministers.

 

So then I had a look at the rest of the APWG, and found that of the seventeen MPs who were on it, only five remain.  All the others either stood down or lost their seats (mostly lost their seats, it has to be said).

 

And that led me to wondering whether any of the 335 new MPs had any interest in the waterways.  I’ve found one so far.  Lisa Smart, the new Lib Dem MP for Hazel Grove (which covers the Marple area) is a trustee for the New Horizons canal boat for disabled people and their carers, and is also a volunteer for the Woodley and Romiley towpath team.

 

Has anyone else spotted a new MP with a waterways interest?

[Alway Swilby]

Looking at the biog of our new Labour MP for Scarborough and Whitby she doesn't seem to have much previous interest in inland waterways. She's well into the arts though so that's a good thing. I intend to write to her about the Fund Britain's Waterways campaign once the dust has settled and her parliamentary email address has been set up. I did write to the previous (Tory) encumbent on this subject and got no response from him whatsoever.

[Grassman]

Fabricant had no interest in the waterways and had never been on a canal boat until the local IWA branch invited him and some of his constituents to go on a little cruise of the local canals (I presume the T&M or the Coventry). He loved it and was hooked. I'm not sure when this was but it was obviously a long time ago.

 

Perhaps that's the way to go with trying to get the support of the new MP's around the country 🙂

[Stroudwater1]

1 hour ago, Grassman said:

Fabricant had no interest in the waterways and had never been on a canal boat until the local IWA branch invited him and some of his constituents to go on a little cruise of the local canals (I presume the T&M or the Coventry). He loved it and was hooked. I'm not sure when this was but it was obviously a long time ago.

 

Perhaps that's the way to go with trying to get the support of the new MP's around the country 🙂

It’s how a lot of us get/got hooked. Two of the three other officers of the waterways group have also gone.
 

I think that’s a great point. I will speak with a friend who has his boat in the local MPs constituency and is very persuasive. It’s vital to get them onside.
 

Their cogs may whirl and realise for canals being restored especially photo shots of things happening is a golden opportunity.

It’s much more attractive to have an invite to go on a boat than a farmers invite to a chicken farm let’s face it. 
 

 

[nealeST]

Yes, politicians, the saviours of our waterways. 
Just discovered this brilliant artist, wefail.com

[Stroudwater1]

Locally if the politicians had not acted with funds at Stroud District Council, and don’t continue to act the Lottery funding would have gone elsewhere and the Stroudwater would continue to be the car park for the council offices. Don’t underestimate the influence they have, please with silly pictures. 
 

 

[nealeST]

Lest we forget Barbara Castle. No not all politicians are the same…some an awful lot more palatable than others…

[Stilllearning]

The late Candy Atherton was a good friend of the canals too.

[Stroudwater1]

So was the late David Trimble a boat owner for some years.

 https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/lord-trimble-paddles-his-own-er-narrowboat/28061221.html
 

The late Jo Cox alas murdered also owned a lovely barge moored up on mooring pontoon on the tidal Thames. 

[1st ade]

On 10/07/2024 at 13:28, adam1uk said:

Lisa Smart, the new Lib Dem MP for Hazel Grove (which covers the Marple area) is a trustee for the New Horizons canal boat for disabled people and their carers, and is also a volunteer for the Woodley and Romiley towpath team.

She also (I don't live in Marple anymore but still get her emails) appears to push with real world facts and figures and has done for many years - "Vote for me because I will..." not "vote for me because I'm not XXX {insert party of choice}"

[BilgePump]

59 minutes ago, 1st ade said:

She also (I don't live in Marple anymore but still get her emails) appears to push with real world facts and figures and has done for many years - "Vote for me because I will..." not "vote for me because I'm not XXX {insert party of choice}"

Not getting into politics but anyone involved with New Horizons would get double brownie points in my corner. It's been a fixture on the Macc and Peak for as long as I can remember, passed my mooring earlier this week when over there. They've been making life better on the water since long before CaRT started. Long may they continue.

[1st ade]

1 hour ago, BilgePump said:

Not getting into politics but anyone involved with New Horizons would get double brownie points in my corner. It's been a fixture on the Macc and Peak for as long as I can remember, passed my mooring earlier this week when over there. They've been making life better on the water since long before CaRT started. Long may they continue.

Many years ago I witnessed New Horizons being "launched" (OK - it was already afloat...) by a very juvenile Prince Charles - can't remember the year but ? 1980 as I'd just passed my driving test...

[magpie patrick]

4 hours ago, BilgePump said:

Not getting into politics but anyone involved with New Horizons would get double brownie points in my corner. It's been a fixture on the Macc and Peak for as long as I can remember, passed my mooring earlier this week when over there. They've been making life better on the water since long before CaRT started. Long may they continue.

 

2 hours ago, 1st ade said:

Many years ago I witnessed New Horizons being "launched" (OK - it was already afloat...) by a very juvenile Prince Charles - can't remember the year but ? 1980 as I'd just passed my driving test...

 It was Gordon Bailey's initiative when he was Mayor of Stockport so 1980 would be about right.  Back then (and possibly still now) each mayor had a "Mayor's project" - I do wonder how the others are fairing nearly half a century after inception. 

[BilgePump]

19 hours ago, 1st ade said:

Many years ago I witnessed New Horizons being "launched" (OK - it was already afloat...) by a very juvenile Prince Charles - can't remember the year but ? 1980 as I'd just passed my driving test...

 

17 hours ago, magpie patrick said:

 

 It was Gordon Bailey's initiative when he was Mayor of Stockport so 1980 would be about right.  Back then (and possibly still now) each mayor had a "Mayor's project" - I do wonder how the others are fairing nearly half a century after inception. 

That would definitely tally with what I remember. We just went there with a dayboat in the late 70s onwards but then took a permanent mooring at New Mills around 1984. New Horizons had already been operating for a while by that year.