Latest news with #DameAndreaJenkyns
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Lincolnshire mayor pushes transport plan at meeting with PM
Lincolnshire's mayor has spoken to the prime minister about a need for greater investment in transport and Andrea Jenkyns said it was one of several issues she raised during a meeting with Sir Keir Starmer and other mayors at Lancaster House, London, on prime minister urged regional leaders to drive growth in their Keir said trade deals with the EU and India, as well as a tariffs deal with the US, would have a "big impact" on Lincolnshire industries, including farming and steel. Dame Andrea made transport one of the key pillars of her election campaign by pledging to create "Transport for Greater Lincolnshire", with investment in major roads such as the A15, A52 and A17, along with "proper integration between buses, trains and cars".She said the "very conciliatory" meeting with Sir Keir also included discussions about the agri-foods sector, "upskilling" the economy and "often forgotten coastal communities"."I'll work with whoever possible to ensure we push the Reform agenda and we get money and investment into Lincolnshire," she added. Sir Keir told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he had asked the mayors about "how we can improve their regions, including Lincolnshire".When asked about local leaders' claims that the county is underfunded and ignored by Whitehall, he promised it would feel the benefit from agreements with other nations."Sometimes deals sound dry and won't be talked about in the pub or the high street, but they will have a big impact," Sir Keir said."Lincolnshire has 39,000 manufacturing jobs and 100,000 in the food sector so this is hugely important."The deals gets rid of red tape for those industries, making it cheaper and quicker to export."He said the UK-US tariff deal would be a lifeline for British Steel in Scunthorpe, after US tariffs on steel were reduced from 25% to prime minister rejected a claim by Martin Hill, the Conservative former leader of Lincolnshire County Council, that the government was "hostile" to rural Keir said the new deal with the EU would help farmers "hugely" by making it "easier and cheaper to sell to the EU". Meanwhile, Dame Andrea said she was planning to form a new trades college in Lincolnshire to train people in plumbing, building and other roles that she said were in demand, but in short supply. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Reform UK's new mayors take centre stage: Nigel Farage's troops join other regional leaders for talks with Angela Rayner... as Deputy PM warns 'you have to deliver'
Reform UK's newly-elected mayors joined other regional leaders in London today for talks with Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. Dame Andrea Jenkyns, the Greater Lincolnshire mayor, and Luke Campbell, the Hull and East Yorkshire mayor, both attended the meeting alongside 12 other mayors. It was the first time the Reform politicians had attended Ms Rayner's 'mayoral council' since their stunning election victories at the beginning of this month. Dame Andrea is a former Tory MP and ex-education minister who defected to Reform in November last year. She secured a return to frontline politics by beating her former party by more than 40,000 votes to win the Greater Lincolnshire mayoralty for Nigel Farage 's outfit. Hull-born Mr Campbell is a former professional boxer who won gold for Team GB at the 2012 London Olympics. He was elected Hull and East Yorkshire mayor with a majority of almost 11,000 votes on 1 May. At today's meeting at Lancaster House, Ms Rayner warned Dame Andrea, Mr Campbell and other regional mayors they had to 'deliver' for local voters in their roles. Both Greater Lincolnshire and Hull and East Yorkshire are newly-created combined authorities. According to the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government, the Deputy PM told local leaders they must be held to account as they take back control of decision-making. She urged them to deliver on matters closest to voters' hearts and play their part in the Labour Government's 'Plan for Change'. Ms Rayner also stressed that, with increased power and resources, there would be increased responsibility and expectations for all mayors to deliver real results. She said: 'We are ripping up the long-standing 'Whitehall knows best' rhetoric that has for too long stifled growth with a 'one size fits all' approach. 'That's why we are driving forward deeper, strategic devolution, so mayors can make decisions that will actually deliver for their communities. 'Deeper devolution isn't about empty headline-grabbing promises, but doing the hard yards to make meaningful improvements to the day to day lives of working people in line with our Plan for Change.'
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Immigration is out of control and nowhere is that more apparent than THIS shabby part of town where small boat migrants like Abdul are being moved out of hotels and onto ordinary streets - paid for by you: SUE REID
A triumphalist speech by Lincolnshire's new Reform Party mayor to her cheering supporters waving Union flags made headlines across Britain. At the town hall of the county's once thriving Grimsby fishing port, Dame Andrea Jenkyns pledged to tackle mass illegal immigration by throwing asylum seekers out of hotels or private houses to make them live under canvas. 'Tents, not rents,' she told the crowd the morning after Nigel Farage 's party romped to success in May's local elections, winning the majority of Greater Lincolnshire's council seats and elevating her to mayor.
BBC News
09-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Conservatives made 'catastrophic error' on immigration, MP says
The Conservatives must be as "robust" as Reform UK on immigration, a senior Tory MP has Edward Leigh, the long-serving MP for Gainsborough, described last week's local election results as "catastrophic" for his Dame Andrea Jenkyns became the first mayor of Greater Lincolnshire following the vote on 1 May, while the party also took control of Lincolnshire County Council from the when asked if he would consider joining Reform, Sir Edward said that although he agreed with "most, if not all" of their policies, he would not be swapping parties. In an appearance on The Hot Seat, on BBC Radio Lincolnshire, Sir Edward said he had spoken to Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch to ask for stronger policies on illegal immigration. He said his party had failed in its pledge to prevent migrants from crossing the Channel in small boats and described it as a "catastrophic error". Sir Edward said: "You've got to say that if you try and enter this country illegally, then you've got to be arrested and deported."We've got to have as tough a line as Reform."He also expressed concerns about the extent of legal migration allowed when the Conservatives were in government."We felt to keep the NHS going we had to allow all these quite low-paid care workers to come in from all over the world, so there was a reason for it," he said."But of course it got totally out of control." 'We're being punished' Figures from the Office for National Statistics showed net migration – the number of people coming to the UK, minus the number leaving – reached a record high of 906,000 in the 12 months to June 2023, then fell to 728,000 in the year to June to the figures, about 8% of migrants who were non-EU nationals claimed asylum in the 12 months to June 2024.. Sir Edward added: "We did it, we are now being blamed, we are being punished, quite rightly in my view." Following her election victory, Dame Andrea called for migrants to be housed in tents instead of while Sir Edward said his party needed to be tougher on immigration, he said: "I don't think the answer is putting them in tents."I've got nothing against any migrant. These are desperate people, poor people, impoverished people, suffering under horrible regimes."The Conservatives have proposed measures including the introduction of an annual cap on migration and doubling the residency requirement for indefinite leave to remain in the UK from five to 10 party also wants to "disapply" the Human Rights Act from immigration-related matters, to prevent people challenging deportations in court. 'Fear of change' Speaking about the NHS, Sir Edward said he favoured the French healthcare system of social insurance – a system that reimburses a significant portion of healthcare costs. He said leading politicians were "terrified" of changing the way the NHS was funded and called for an open debate. Reform has said it would boost private healthcare and insurance by bringing in 20% tax relief for the sector. It claimed this would relieve pressure on the NHS, provide competition and reduce on BBC Question Time in May last year, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the NHS was not working any more and required a fundamental rethink of funding and when asked by presenter Sean Dunderdale why he would not be joining Farage, Sir Edward – who holds the honorary title of father of the House of Commons – said he wanted to persuade the Conservatives to move in his direction."I believe that I should stay in the Conservative party, be loyal to the people who have voted for me in 11 general elections, and persuade the party to my point of view," he said."I am persuading them and we are moving the direction that people want to move on issues such as immigration, so I'm going to stay a Conservative."The government is due to release a white paper setting out its plans to reduce migration in the coming Conservative party has been contacted for comment. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
BBC News
09-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Humber renewables leaders urge Reform UK mayors to back industry
Representatives of the Humber's renewable energy industry have issued a plea to the region's new mayors to "come and talk to us and understand us". There is concern the political views of Dame Andrea Jenkyns and Luke Campbell could put jobs and the industry at risk. Both mayors, who represent Reform UK, have criticised the government's policies on renewable energy and its target of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Hannah Damary-Wilson from Specialist Wind Services in Grimsby said it would be a "travesty" if the town's "thriving industry" was not supported by its mayor, while David Laister of Humber Marine and Renewables said it was "vital" the mayors engaged with the sector. Ms Damary-Wilson said she was concerned local jobs and opportunities could be lost. "When our mayor Andrea Jenkyns bandies about slogans like 'net zero madness', it's important to remember that it isn't just about hitting net zero policies, it's about developing energy independence."Ms Damary-Wilson said the economic fortunes of the region were heavily dependent on renewable energy."It's about providing skilled opportunities to a community that has, by and large, been abandoned," she said. In the last 20 years, the renewable energy industry has seen significant expansion around the Humber estuary. The Siemens Gamesa wind turbine blade factory in Hull now employs more than 1,600 people. Grimsby specialises in support services for offshore industries and is the main port serving the world's largest offshore wind farm. The UK's offshore wind industries have benefited from government net zero funding as it tries to reduce carbon emissions and create green jobs, most recently £300m from Great British Energy. In a BBC debate prior to being elected, Campbell, the mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire, said he felt "half and half" when it came to supporting net zero and the renewable energy sector. "I don't think net zero is achievable but listen, forget party politics, if it's creating jobs in this region, I'll put our people first," he said. However, Campbell's Reform UK party takes a tougher stance and wants to scrap net zero policies and tax renewable energyDame Andrea, the Greater Lincolnshire mayor, has described the government's approach to renewable energy as "nut zero" and said she would drive forward plans for fracking in the county. She said she "absolutely" supported Reform UK's plans for a windfall tax on renewables and would be "shining a light of scrutiny" on the Humber's renewable industry. Industries connected to the government's net zero ambitions are continuing to see government funding and private sector Mr Laister called for the two new mayors to engage with the sector. "I would urge them to listen and to talk and to understand the various elements of the wider renewables industry," he said. "All that's been developed in the last 20 years, we don't want to see that lost or stalled."Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
