Mail Column  

There is a fine line between highlighting the problems in your area and making such a problem worse by drawing wider attention of the problem to a broader audience. The issue of youth unemployment is a case in point. I want to highlight the fact that Hartlepool has one of the highest levels of unemployment for young people anywhere in the country, and that something has to be done about it. I am determined to challenge the Government, both in Parliament and in the media, that the economy policy it is pursuing is not helping the town, particularly in terms of getting young people into work. At the same time, I don’t want to give the impression that the town is a lost cause, because I firmly believe that it isn’t. Hartlepool educates our children and young people to a higher standard than ever before, and young people have fantastic learning opportunities in a wide range of...