TV presenter Steph McGovern, who was raised in Middlesbrough, has issued an emotional statement about her hometown on social media, saying the town has been "woefully neglected by successive governments and politicians, of all flavours, for decades."
The former Channel Four presenter spoke out as the fallout from the A66 crash that killed seven people last weekend continues, with an increased police presence and continuing arrests in the wake of the head-on collision that killed two Cleveland Police officers.
Poverty and industrial decline
McGovern touched on poverty in the area, stating: "Middlesbrough regularly tops the league tables for joblessness, high crime, benefit dependency, poor literacy, drug addiction, but most importantly of all, for deprivation. Half of the neighbourhoods in this town are highly deprived."
She explained: "This is a place that has been hit hard by huge industrial decline. I know, as a business journalist, it makes no economic sense to cling on to dying industries. But rather than throwing those workers onto the scrap heap, we should have put things in place to help them transition to industries doing well, through training, decent infrastructure and lifelong learning /reskilling. This never happened."
Crime and community
She said: "For some of these communities, crime is all they know it is the only place they get self-validation, self-worth and a seemingly sustainable income. Criminals exploit this in groom vulnerable young people into gangs. Then social media validates this for them."
She added: "None of this excuses their behaviour, but it is important context to help explain why it is so prolific."
However, while videos emerge of people setting fire to cars and photos are shared of graffiti on buildings in relation to the victims, she said: "There are also lots of hard-working people in Middlesbrough who are appalled by the crimes of some of their community. Who are no doubt sick of the terrible headlines about the place they call home. Wishing we could instead show some of the good things going on, or the beauty of the place, not the pockets of bad."
Investment and hope
She also respected the work currently happening in the area, saying: "There are also great charities (over-stretched and underfunded) doing their bit, often propped up by incredible community volunteers. I also don't want to underplay the entrepreneurs and business people who defied the odds to set up shop in Teesside and bring much-needed jobs."
She argued the area needs "meaningful investment, decent rescaling/training, jobs at education system fit for purpose. I know these things aren't cheap, but in the long-term it will help us grow our economy, increase tax revenues, improve public health and reduce our dependency on welfare. And help fix our broken communities."
She ended her statement by saying: "Middlesbrough made me, like the steel used all over the world. Let's get back to building each other up, not tearing each other down."
More arrests have been made in the last day relating to events surrounding the crash on the A66 last weekend. The force said the total number of those arrested in the investigation has risen to 24, with several charged with serious offences and a number of offenders recalled to prison.
