Julie Cooper, show us more fight

This is an open letter to Burnley's Member of Parliament Julie Cooper.
Burnley MP Julie CooperBurnley MP Julie Cooper
Burnley MP Julie Cooper

I have followed your first year as Burnley’s elected Member of Parliament.

On an annual salary of £74,962 paid for by the tax payer, I don’t think it is unfair of me to ask what the people of Burnley receive back from yourself.

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Where do you stand on the issues surrounding Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn – you have not once mentioned this topic in your weekly column in this newspaper and it was and still is quite a high profile story?

You did state that you are disappointed that the majority of the people of Burnley voted out in the recent referendum while you voted remain, though you were quoted in this newspaper saying that one good thing came out of the vote - “that at least it got rid of David Cameron”. Quite a childish response from an educated woman.

Burnley has been hit hard with the cutbacks - are you fighting this in the House of Commons? You are the voice of the Burnley electorate and watching Prime Minister’s Question Time you have a prime seat behind Jeremy Corbyn.

You are in the Burnley Express frequently and it’s all very well and nice visiting schools etc but we need somebody with fire in their belly – not just griping about the Tories.

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Your column wasn’t in this week’s Burnley Express (Friday, September 30th) and yet you have been at the Labour conference - what are your views from the conference?

I know this letter is very negative against yourself. But when a person is being paid an annual wage of £75,000 I am, and I am sure the majority of Burnley, want to see more tha a few lines in our local press about all the places you have visited!

What do you think about the changes in Burnley town centre? With all the cuts, did Burnley really need refurbishments on this scale. Have you walked St James’ Street recently? Two more shops have closed only this past week or so.

What do you think of the moving of the bandstand? How much was the cost of relocation? Burnley has a Labour MP, a Labour council and a Labour county council complaining of all the cuts and then spend I don’t know how much.

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Way back at the start of your year as MP, the headlines of the national newspaper was the backdated pay rise of £7,000. You did state that you would donate this pay increase to charity. Could you state which charity the amount went to?

I am sorry Mrs Cooper but you work for the people of Burnley, you are paid by the tax payers of Burnley.

You need to be more transparent. Show the people of Burnley how you earn this wage; not just posing for pictures in Westminster and the like.

I await your response, hopefully by yourself and not one of your staff.

M. Whittaker

Manchester Road, Burnley