Darwen Labour Party

03/11/2026

It’s Budget Eve.

We’ve a grown up Government that listens, pays attention to detail, understands the global challenges.



https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18X3R4nG5E/?mibextid=wwXIfr

In his first 100 days as Prime Minister, Andy Burnham has been tackling the long term problems that have been ignored for far too long and giving people vital breathing space on the cost of living.

03/11/2026

Great to see Andy MacNae MP with Cllr Katrina Fielding,
Martin Mccaughran - Darwen Town Councillor and Darwen Town Cllr Mark Westall are StJames' Church consulting with local residents.

On Thursday, people living around Olive Lane Park came together at St James Church in Darwen to talk about the park’s future.

The council, the police, the fire service, Together Housing and local councillors all joined us as well, alongside Proffitts CIC, who are working with the council on this. Many thanks to St James Church for having us.

We want a fresh start for Olive Lane Park. But this isn’t just about new play equipment or a new field. It’s about working together to deliver the changes which residents have been asking for across Darwen East. With Pride in Place, we have the opportunity to start doing that.

Local residents are the people who know what needs to be done to improve Olive Lane Park. Proffitts CIC’s survey is open now, so I encourage everyone who lives nearby to take this opportunity and respond through the link in the comments.

26/10/2026

Love where you live 😊 Come along to the community clean up at Olive Lane Park this Tuesday from 10am 🧹🗑️

24/10/2026

🌹The difference a Labour council makes.

🌹Labour history is firmly rooted in adult education

The Adult Learning team delivers.

We wonder what other parties commitment to Adult Learning is? 🤔

See below the link to all current courses.
Get sharing with your family and friends.

24/10/2026

Cllr Liz Johnson, Cllr Brian Taylor, BwD Mayor Cllr Mahfooz Hussain, Town Cllr Dave Smith, Councillor Anthony Shaw and Town Cllr Mark Westall supporting the Darwen Poppy Appeal launch in the Market Hall yesterday.

21/10/2026

I recently opened Royal Mail’s new delivery office on Sough Road in Darwen.

The old site had parking for just four vehicles. The new one has proper space for the delivery fleet, including a growing number of electric vans, along with bike storage, customer parking and better facilities for staff.

I met posties who have worked out of Darwen’s delivery office for more than 30 years. They’ve kept the post moving in cramped conditions for a long time, and they deserve a safer, cleaner place to work.

Royal Mail’s delivery problems came up at Prime Minister’s Questions this week, and plenty of people in Darwen will recognise them. A new building won’t fix the wider issues with deliveries across the country. But this one gives Royal Mail its best chance to improve things in Darwen, and I’ve told Royal Mail’s leaders I want them to take it: reset relationships with staff, and do things properly for residents. I’ll be keeping a close eye on whether they do.

20/10/2026

A woman in Darwen has finally received the State Pension she was owed after more than a year of waiting.

She applied for her deferred State Pension in February 2025. A year later she still hadn’t been paid anything, and a formal complaint to the Pension Service had got nowhere.

We raised the case with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and kept pressing them on how urgent it was. DWP apologised for the delay and paid out, but the payment should have been backdated further, and DWP closed the complaint anyway.

We advised her to take it to the Independent Case Examiner. This is a free, independent service that looks at complaints about DWP once the department’s own complaints process has run out.

After she raised it with the ICE, the DWP has now paid a further lump sum covering her deferred pension plus interest.

If you’re stuck dealing with an issue you just can't seem to get resolved, email me at [email protected] or phone me on 01254 476410 for Darwen, 01706 489387 for Rossendale.

20/10/2026

Crown Paints celebrates its 250th anniversary next year, and it’s still here in Darwen.

Thanks to Ellis Mudd and Peter Waites for showing me round.

We might think of Crown as a traditional manufacturer. But its research team takes chemistry graduates into full-time research roles, and it runs degree apprenticeships with the University of Salford.

That’s what good jobs close to home look like.

We talked about Crown’s plans to modernise its research facilities, and how colleges, universities and government can help firms like Crown keep investing here.

I’ll keep working with the team on that, and I’m looking forward to marking the 250th with them next year.

16/10/2026

https://theshuttle.org.uk/1-3m-investment-to-improve-paths-to-darwens-beloved-jubilee-tower/

A contractor is being sought for a £1.3m scheme to improve the paths leading up to Darwen’s much-loved Jubilee Tower, making it easier for residents and visitors to enjoy the town’s parks, rolling …