Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Labour candidate urges more mental health funding in impassioned losing speech

Labour candidate urges more mental health funding in impassioned losing speech

By Alex Metcalfe

LABOUR’S Jessie Joe Jacobs has urged leaders to invest in mental health services after losing what she called a “David versus Goliath” battle.


Conservative Ben Houchen romped home claiming 72.8 per cent of the vote versus the 27.2 per cent Labour share of Jessie Joe Jacobs as the results were announced on Friday afternoon (7).

But Jacobs gave an impassioned losing speech at Thornaby Pavilion – saying others hadn’t wanted to take on the battle against the incumbent mayor, and later pointing to how Teesside was a “suicide capital” in a plea for mental health funding.

The former charity leader said she worked with some of the most disadvantaged people “without food in their fridges, or carpets on their floors”.

She added she’d worked with children who’d left school without occupations or skills and “ended up on the unemployment line”, as well as those who’d worked zero hours contracts.

“I stood for them because I believed there was a better way,” said Ms Jacobs.

The Labour candidate said she’d hoped to create green jobs, improve public transport and “hold the Government to account” for the things they hadn’t done.

“The challenge of renewing hope in our communities was too great,” she added.

“Most of the people who would have benefited from a Labour mayor didn’t even vote.”

Turnout across the Tees Valley was just under 34 per cent – meaning almost two thirds of those eligible didn’t vote.

Ms Jacobs said her party had a job to do to renew hope in communities and to hold the Conservatives to account.

She added: “It is now all on you – and I want you to succeed. Because if you succeed, then children won’t go hungry and we’ll get transport and rail sorted.

“It’s great to have an airport but I want to get to Manchester and Newcastle quicker as that would improve the condition of life for our people.

“I want you to invest in mental health services because we’re the suicide capital of the UK – children are walking to the cliffs and want to jump over the edge.

“I don’t want empty promises, I want delivery.”

The Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) doesn’t have control over health and social care at the moment.

Mr Houchen has called for more powers in the past and confirmed he wanted a “conversation” on the subject with Government chiefs.

“I do think we should have more control over health,” he added.

“If the Government devolved the funding to the combined authority and the mayor, rather than the CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group), which I think is largely unaccountable and people aren’t aware of it, then that’s a sensible thing.”

(Local Democracy Reporting Service)

More For You

Air India

The Amritsar-Birmingham and Amritsar-London Gatwick routes will each increase from three to four weekly flights, while Ahmedabad-London Gatwick will go from three to five weekly flights.

Air India to increase flights between UK and India from March 30

AIR INDIA will increase flight frequencies on key routes as part of its Northern Summer schedule, effective 30 March 2025.

In the UK, the airline will add three more flights on the Delhi-London Heathrow route, increasing from 21 to 24 weekly flights using a mix of A350-900 and upgraded B787-9 aircraft.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pablo-Escobar-merchandise-Getty

Escobar, killed by security forces in 1993, remains a figure of global interest, with his image appearing on souvenirs like T-shirts, mugs, and keychains. (Photo: Getty Images)

Colombia considers ban on Pablo Escobar merchandise

COLOMBIA’s Congress is considering a bill that would ban the sale of merchandise featuring drug lord Pablo Escobar and other convicted criminals.

The proposed law aims to curb the glorification of Escobar, who was responsible for thousands of deaths during his time leading the Medellín cartel, reported BBC.

Keep ReadingShow less
Assisted dying bill: Judge approval scrapped for expert panel safeguard

Polls show most Britons back assisted dying, with supporters calling for the law to reflect public opinion.

Assisted dying bill: Judge approval scrapped for expert panel safeguard

Eastern Eye

THE proposed new assisted dying law for terminally ill people will be amended to remove the requirement that a high court judge sign off on each case, Labour MP Kim Leadbeater said on Tuesday (11).

Opponents of assisted dying said the change would weaken the safeguards around protecting vulnerable people from being coerced or pressured into taking their own lives.

Keep ReadingShow less
Andrew Malkinson

Malkinson, 59, has been struggling financially since his release and has been on universal credit for 19 months. (Photo: X/@NotThatBigIan)

Wrongful rape conviction: Andrew Malkinson to get 'significant' compensation

ANDREW MALKINSON, who spent 17 years in prison for a rape he did not commit, will receive a six-figure interim compensation payment from the Ministry of Justice.

The payment comes more than a year after his conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal in July 2023.

Keep ReadingShow less
IMF team visits Pakistan to assess governance and corruption reforms

The assessment will shape structural reforms and examine protections for property rights and foreign investments

IMF team visits Pakistan to assess governance and corruption reforms

Eastern Eye

A TECHNICAL team from the International Monetary Fund met Pakistan’s chief justice Yahya Afridi on Tuesday (11) to conduct a Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Assessment under the 2024 Extended Fund Facility programme.

The IMF team is in the country for a week-long trip to scrutinise the judicial and regulatory framework tackling governance and corruption as part of a £5.6 billion loan agreed last year.

Keep ReadingShow less