It was a long time coming, but last Monday night after a six-hour debate parliament voted decisively to maintain our nuclear deterrent by building four new Successor submarines at the shipyard here in Barrow.
There was a crushing majority of 166 in favour with three quarters of voting Labour MPs helping push the project past the point of no return.
On a personal level it was a hugely proud day for me as your MP. I was able to honour the pledge I made to the community last year in the election and play my part in delivering this vital result. But although I may have been the one who got to cast a vote, this was a campaign fought by the whole community who have rallied together through the Keep Our Future Afloat Campaign to stick up for our town and its heritage.
There are now hugely exciting times ahead for Furness. The Successor programme will bring jobs and investment to our area for decades to come, creating prosperity and opportunity for local people and local businesses.
This certainty will allow BAE to continue investing in the upgrade of the yard and will encourage other firms to take on staff or to relocate to the area.
With the vote secured, my focus will now shift to how we can make the most of these opportunities over the coming years. I am particularly keen to ensure that young local people see the benefit of this investment and use it as a springboard for a better future.
When we gathered outside the shipyard on the Tuesday after the vote it was great to be joined by schoolchildren from across Furness and to be able to tell them that this vote was for them and for their future as much as anything else.
Getting the right skills will be essential for these young people which is why I set up the Furness Future Leaders Academy last year. We’ve been working with local schools to build up confidence, teach new abilities and broaden horizons.
I’m delighted that it is up and running again this year, with 90 children from 21 different schools taking part in the course and the follow-up mentoring scheme.
None of this would be possible without the support from local businesses and it is great news that Centrica is on board this year as a sponsor.
There may be uncertainty in the country at the moment after the Brexit vote, but here in Furness our best days are ahead of us. We cast rest easy knowing that Barrow will continue to be a proud shipbuilding town, continuing a tradition which has shaped the history of this community for generation to generation.
The baton is about to be passed onto the next cohort of young Barrovians, eager to make their own mark on history and play their part on the defence of our nation. They have the talent and the desire, now it’s up to us to equip them with the skills they will need in the future. Do right by them now, and I know they will do us proud in the years to come.
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