Promises made, promises delivered – marking two years as your MP

Monthly news and updates from Chris Webb MP

Jun 04, 2026

May marked two years since the Blackpool South by-election and July marks two years since the general. Two years have flown by since that wild period where I ran two campaigns back-to-back and was elected twice in less than two months. But we’ve achieved so much in that time.

If year one was about laying the foundations, year two has been about getting on with the hard work of Building a Better Blackpool. We are starting to see and feel visible change.

I said I would be visible, accessible and deliver for our town on issues including crime, jobs and the cost of living. I’ve stuck to my word and delivered on the promises I made.

You should be able to reach your MP and know your voice is heard. I keep that in mind every time I am out in the constituency, at surgeries, in community meetings, or speaking directly with residents on the doorstep. But visibility alone is not enough. You want action and change you can see.

For me this happens on three levels – in Parliament, in the constituency and on an individual level.

Since my election my office has helped 14,500 individuals through casework – the busiest caseload in the country, assisting with housing, access to health care, benefits, the environment in our communities and thousands of unique circumstances beyond.

Meanwhile, over the last two years I have delivered real progress for Blackpool South as a whole. I secured Pride in Place funding worth £20 million for Layton and Grange Park – putting money into our communities and giving local people a direct say in how it is spent. It is about fixing what has been left to drift for years and backing local priorities instead of top-down decisions.

South Shore has been a constant focus for me. I have pushed it in every meeting with ministers. I have made the case for investment, regeneration and proper long-term planning. That pressure has helped unlock Pride in Place Impact funding and work is now starting that you will see in the months ahead.

Securing better jobs and more opportunities for local people was a key election pledge of mine. That’s why I’ve hosted Blackpool Jobs Fair annually – securing thousands of jobs for people out of work and career changes and progression for those looking for new challenges. And I’ve pushed hard to bring more skilled work into the Fylde Coast in areas like defence. It’s about retaining and nurturing our talent and stopping the brain drain to the cities. Proper jobs we can build a life on here in Blackpool.

I’ve raised housing, crime, health, the cost of living and much more besides, allowing me to secure meetings with ministers – including the Chancellor and the Prime Minister – and securing commitments to our town. I have no doubt that I have put Blackpool at the forefront of cabinet members’ minds with a clear message – Blackpool’s future is Britain’s test. If you can get things right here, you can get things right everywhere. Make an example of us by making Blackpool the poster child of this government’s success.

I have made the point again and again that Blackpool already has the solutions to its own problems, we just need to the backing to implement them.

I was a new dad when I became an MP and after realising the cost of infant formula I found a major campaign I wanted to work on. Parents in Blackpool were turning to unsafe feeding practices while a handful of manufacturers had monopolised the market and inflated prices. After sustained pressure, a huge campaign with partners and a nationwide petition delivered to Number 10, the government moved on it. Changing policy to directly put more money in parents’ pockets.

Blackpool still has a lot of problems we need to fix, but we are addressing them and I’m confident you will notice a real difference by the end of my first term as your MP. You can see things are already changing. Money is coming in and decisions are being made with Blackpool in mind. For the first time in a long time our voice is not being ignored.

I will keep turning up, pushing hard and making sure your voice is heard in Parliament and backed with action on the ground.

I am proud to be your MP. I will keep working every day to prove your trust was well placed.

Chat With Chris

As part of my promise to be the most visible and accessible MP you’ve ever had, I have hosted regular Chat With Chris events – open forum Q&As where constituents can come along, hear about the work I’ve been doing and ask me questions. To mark two years as your MP, I’ll be hosting a Chat With Chris event at Stanley Park Visitor Centre on 27th June.

Great British summer savings

Families and businesses in Blackpool are set to benefit from the government’s new Great British Summer Savings package. Between late June and early September, VAT will be reduced from 20% to 5% on children’s meals, attraction tickets and a range of entertainment activities.

Alongside free bus travel for five to 15-year-olds during August, the measures will make days out more affordable for local families while helping boost visitor numbers during the summer season. As a town built on tourism, Blackpool stands to benefit significantly. Lower costs for visitors mean more people coming through the doors of local attractions, restaurants and businesses. As Chair of the APPG for Hospitality and Tourism, I have been pushing for support for the sector and am pleased to see practical measures that will make a real difference.

Crackdown on dodgy shops

The government has announced £30 million of new funding to tackle criminal activity linked to rogue businesses operating on high streets across the country. The funding will support enforcement action against premises used as fronts for organised crime, including some barber shops, vape stores and mini marts. This is an issue residents regularly raise with me, particularly where legitimate businesses are being undercut and communities feel unsafe. The message is clear: our high streets should be places where honest businesses can thrive, not where criminal gangs can hide in plain sight. I welcome this investment and will continue working with local agencies to ensure Blackpool benefits from the tougher approach and that action is taken where there is evidence of wrongdoing.

£1m for South Shore

I’m delighted that £1 million has been secured to kick-start regeneration in South Shore, with the majority coming from the Pride in Place Impact Fund. The investment will support a range of projects including improvements to Waterloo Road, support for local businesses, youth provision, community facilities and environmental upgrades.

A £415,000 commercial improvement scheme will help revitalise shopfronts, while further investment will support public spaces, community hubs and arts projects. Residents are already seeing early improvements, including new planting, street cleaning and public art. South Shore has too often been overlooked despite facing some of the town’s biggest challenges. This funding is an important first step, but I will continue pressing for the larger £20 million Pride in Place programme to help deliver the long-term transformation local people deserve.

Taxi licensing – Promise made, promise delivered

After years of campaigning, the government is now moving forward with reforms to taxi licensing that I have consistently called for. The current system allows drivers licensed in one area to work extensively in another, creating concerns about standards, enforcement and public confidence. Residents, drivers and councils across the country have highlighted the need for change. The government’s decision to act is a significant step towards creating a fairer and more accountable system that better protects passengers while supporting responsible drivers who play by the rules. It is an example of how sustained campaigning can deliver results. I promised residents I would push for action on this issue and I am pleased to see that work now leading to meaningful progress.