Gloria de Piero’s Ashfield MP column: The Voice star Steven Alexander is a great example for the people of Ashfield

I’ve been your MP for almost four years now and I’ve met so many brilliant people in all walks of life that I can honestly say that there are definitely some stars in the making.
WARNING: Embargoed for publication until: 25/02/2014 - Programme Name: The Voice - TX: 01/03/2014 - Episode: The Battles  (No. 8) - Picture Shows: ***EMBARGOED UNTIL 00:00:01hrs 25th FEB 2014*** Steven Alexander - (C) Wall To Wall - Photographer: Guy LevyWARNING: Embargoed for publication until: 25/02/2014 - Programme Name: The Voice - TX: 01/03/2014 - Episode: The Battles  (No. 8) - Picture Shows: ***EMBARGOED UNTIL 00:00:01hrs 25th FEB 2014*** Steven Alexander - (C) Wall To Wall - Photographer: Guy Levy
WARNING: Embargoed for publication until: 25/02/2014 - Programme Name: The Voice - TX: 01/03/2014 - Episode: The Battles (No. 8) - Picture Shows: ***EMBARGOED UNTIL 00:00:01hrs 25th FEB 2014*** Steven Alexander - (C) Wall To Wall - Photographer: Guy Levy

One of those is Steven Alexander, from Sutton. Like everyone else in Ashfield, I’ve been rooting for Steven as he competed for a spot in the final three of the BBC live final of The Voice and he was so unlucky to have narrowly missed out. Steven you’ve done Ashfield and your friends and family proud and as my Youtube history testifies, I’m a big fan.
One hardworking Sutton man felt like he was banging his head against a brick wall when it came to sorting out his Working Tax Credits.

After months of trying to overturn a decision, which was wrong in the first place, he turned to me for help because he was at the end of his tether.

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I’m sure he had a great weekend though because last Friday we got news that £4,000 in back pay was going to be paid into his account which he’s now going to use to put towards a deposit for a family home! All in a day’s work.
Everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer. My oldest friend Yvonne who I grew up living next door but one to is terminally ill and that’s why I’ll be wearing my daffodil this month.

During March, Marie Curie runs its largest fundraising campaign – the Great Daffodil appeal. They ask people of all walks of life to wear a daffodil pin to raise awareness of the work that their nurses and doctors do to support terminally ill people and their families.

Last year they raised a massive £7m to go towards the care of people with cancer and their families but if you’ve got a spare bit of change then why not help them eclipse that figure this year and join me and wear your daffodil with pride.
I was proud to vote against a new law which gives the Health Secretary sweeping powers to force hospital closures over the heads of local communities. To the hundreds of Ashfield voters who’ve contacted me I am sad to let you know that the other parties won so the Health Secretary could decide to close King’s Mill hospital without even consulting us. What a disgrace!

What do you think? Email your views to [email protected]