THE newly-elected MP for Durham City has used her maiden speech in the House of Commons to invite her new colleagues to see for themselves the progress being made in her constituency.
Quoting Bill Bryson, the new chancellor of Durham University, Roberta Blackman- Woods invited her fellow MPs to visit the city, discover its heritage and see for themselves what she said were the huge improvements brought to Durham over the past eight years by the Labour Government.
The university academic, who won the seat at the General Election with a majority of 3,300, said that Durham had seen rising exam pass rates among pupils, falling burglary rates and falling death rates from circulatory diseases and cancer.
She said: "One has only to look around my constituency to see how investment in public services is making a difference.
She added: "My job as an MP will be to ensure that progress continues.
"I will, of course, be there to represent all my constituents and I will bring hard work and commitment to that task."
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